A big congratulations to two Phoenix Job Corps students from Facilities Maintenance who were accepted into the Smart Grid Advanced Training program in Oneonta, New York.

Olivia Campuzano, 18, and Alfreda Totress, 20, are cousins. Olivia was the only woman accepted into the one-year program.

“It’s pretty cool,” says Campuzano, who also says she’s excited to move to New York. She’ll be studying to become an underground electrician.

She definitely recommends Phoenix Job Corps and tells other students to, “Learn everything you can.”

Totress will be learning how to be an overhead electrician. “I’m pretty excited.”

He entered Phoenix Job Corps in February 2018, moving here from Dallas, Texas. “She (Olivia) inspired me to go,” says Totress. “She told me to go to get my high school diploma. I just went with it. I liked it and pushed through the best I could.”

He also recommends Phoenix Job Corps to other students and gives this advice: “Don’t waste your time. Get through the program the best you can.”

Phoenix Job Corps Counselor Rose Scott says this is a very prestigious opportunity with both students learning to rebuild and refurbish power lines. “This training could give them opportunities for immediate response for electrical outages such as in the case of monsoon storms here in the valley.”

“Olivia will be opening doors for women to explore other opportunities and to go into work fields that’ll contribute to their progression and own way of living,” says Scott.

“Alfredo is a demonstrated achiever – a great example of what making good choices can do for you.”

By Melody Birkett, BCL