When Lexie Powell graduated from Murphy High School in May 2017, she knew she wanted to enter the medical field, but she did not yet know in which area she wanted to work. Lexie attended orientation at Tri-County Community College, and during that time, she discovered the Medical Assistant program. The program seemed to be what she wanted to do in order to work and live in the local area.
Lexie enrolled in the Medical Assistant program in August 2017, and the journey began. Lexie attended the first year on her own and then learned about the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Adult Program going into her second year. Lexie visited the NC Works Career Center in Murphy and met with Lisa Penland, the WIOA Adult Case Manager for Cherokee, Clay and Graham counties. When Lexie met with Lisa, the initial goal was to identify what her goals were and determine where she saw herself in five years. Lexie knew she wanted to stay in the area where she grew up in order to be close to family and friends. They developed a plan for her to continue her Medical Assistant courses, and the WIOA Adult Program would help Lexie with some of the expenses associated with attending school.
When Lexie was asked what the WIOA Program meant to her during this journey into the workforce, she replied that WIOA had allowed her to attend school and clinicals with no worries about how she was going to finish the degree. Lexie would like to pursue the Registered Medical Assistant exam in the future and expand her role from working in a private practice to working in a hospital setting where the pace is faster. She is very passionate about working with the general public and helping the community learn wellness practices.
The WIOA Adult Program helps students from all walks of life realize their goals and dreams. For more information on WIOA Programs, contact your local NC Works Career Centers.