Wanlur Anajok with Work Based Learning Coordinator Harvey Thomas

Wanlur Anajok, 25, is a Project Education Coordinator and does on-boarding at Bank of the West’s IT department making $18/hr. She started as an intern in January 2018 and received a job offer in June. Anajok got the job through the Year Up program she enrolled in after graduating from Phoenix Job Corps in 2017 after six months.

“I was working at Hyatt Regency while I was attending Job Corps,” said Anajok. “I got the job at the Hyatt through Phoenix Job Corps. I was a greeter, doing customer service.”

As part of the Year Up program she attended classes at Gateway Community College.

Anajok didn’t know about her current position but it ended up being a good fit.

“I didn’t even know anything about a project coordinator until I got this opportunity,” Anajok. “With the classes I took, it gave me a peek of what it would look like. And when I came here I saw that everything I learned actually goes on in the corporate world.”

As far as long-term plans, Anajok plans to do this for a while. “Right now, I’m trying to stick with this one because I do enjoy this job,” she said. “I like doing what I do right now, meeting new people. I’m the point-of-contact.”

Anajok is continuing to take college classes while working.

“I was pursuing business but since I’ve been in the IT department I may or may not shift my goals. We’ll see.”

She said Phoenix Job Corps opened doors for her and she’d definitely recommend it to others.

“For those students who don’t have a high school diploma, I would highly do it,” said Anajok. “That should be a goal at Phoenix Job Corps. If you’re committed you’ll get there faster. I know there was a student who started at age 16 and is now currently in an internship. She attended Job Corps and then went to Year Up.”

Anajok, though, had her high school diploma when she came to Phoenix Job Corps. She enrolled in the Office Administration program in order to get connections to go to college. She says she couldn’t have done it without the help of others.

“Thanks to my family for their support and to Harvey Thomas for all of the support and the introductions they made throughout the whole year because I couldn’t have done this without them,” said Anajok.

“Wanlur is an exceptional student that has demonstrated her determination to accomplish and achieve her goals and objectives in life as well as her career,“ said Work Based Learning Coordinator Harvey Thomas.