While the COVID-19 pandemic has temporarily put his career technical training on hold, it has given Healthcare student Jaylon Burdine, 24, of Jackson, TN, time to reflect on the value of the Job Corps program and the training he is receiving at Whitney M. Young Jr. Job Corps.

Before coming to Job Corps, Burdine had no leadership training, poor interpersonal skills and didn’t know how to effectively communicate with others.  That all changed with Job Corps.  He completed the Certified Nurse Assistant training program at Whitney Young Jr. Job Corps and currently is enrolled in the Certified Medical Assistant program.

While, for the time being, he is keeping up with his CTT training by watching on-line training videos and talking licensed phlebotomists via online chats and is now participating in the distant learning provided at Whitney M. Young Jr. Job Corps, the COVID-19 pandemic has given him a new appreciation for his Job Corps experience.

The pandemic has “made me realize I need to wake up and stop playing around because there are lives that need to be saved.  It’s making me understand that my future (as a healthcare professional) is essential.”