When Anya Goss arrived at Springdale Job Corps Center she knew she had no time to waste. The Pharmacy Technician graduate (July 2018) spoke about how Springdale Job Corps Center helped her.

What led you to Job Corps?

During high school, I had an idea of what I wanted to do one day, but it changed a lot and it’s still sort of changing. I wanted to go to college and become a dental hygienist. I went to Portland Community College for one term, but left before my second term because of the cost. Dropping out was very upsetting. I was in a rut, I had nowhere to go, and I had no education. It was very upsetting.

I learned about Job Corps at the dentist! The dental assistant talked about this thing called Job Corps, I had never heard of it. She kept talking and I thought it sounded too good to be true, there had to be a catch! I went home, looked into it, and it was actually real.

I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t signing up to get scammed, you have to be cautious! I met with an admissions counselor, confirmed it was real, and I was hooked. I wanted to get in as soon as possible! I picked Pharmacy Technician because I thought it’d be the most in demand once I left Springdale. With Pharmacy Tech, I can count pills until I am 70!

How did Pharm Tech prepare you for Vetsource?

Tammi [Morris, instructor] did a good job of pounding us on accuracy and speed, that’s definitely important! Also, learning medication names, that was really cool and helpful. The math in class was challenging, but we don’t really have to do math at Vetsource like you would at a retail setting.

I’ve been employed at Vetsource for a year and I just got a promotion. Now, I’m Lead Pharmacy Technician! Some of the things I do each day: I run our numbers and see what products we are running out of and then I go and pull those products into work orders. My team then breaks the products down into single day doses so we can ship out to customers. That’s pretty much what we do! As the lead, I am running around managing, and helping make sure the warehouse is running smoothly.

What impact did Job Corps have on your life?

A huge impact! Honestly, it changed my life and I am so glad I went. Career and life. I’m engaged, I bought a car, and doing well. We’re thinking about starting a business and it’s all because of Job Corps. Job Corps is amazing!

We’re looking to start a property management business. I also want to become a veterinarian. I’ve started the process of looking and applying to schools. I’ve got a lot of paths to think about right now. Being a vet is always something I thought I could do and I can see it now. Working at Vetsource has nurtured that idea. Job Corps is an amazing program and I really appreciate what you guys do!