8 June 2009

Nineteen-year-old Christopher Davis never thought he would be pursuing a career as a Medical Assistant and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) in high school.  He says “science and math was the least bit of my worries in high school.”  What changed?  While riding the metro one day, he was thinking about what he wanted in a career.  He wanted something that would be a challenge – and participating in the Job Corps program “popped into his mind.”  

He says the program isn’t that hard “…it’s easy – if you put your mind to something, you can do anything you want.”’  Chris says that every day is a surprise.   Externships in your chosen field are a part of the Job Corps program, and he’s done three medical assisting externships at local medical centers, each of them three months long.  After sixteen months at the Job Corps center, Chris graduated in December 2008 certified as a Medical Assistant and an EMT.  He would prefer to find a job as an EMT after the program ends – he likes the excitement of the high-risk situations that are a part of the work.

When asked what advice he would give to prospective Job Corps students he says, “If you want to come to Job Corps come, but...only come if you really want it.  It’s free.”