ECWDB Success Stories

Driven by Determination: A Student’s Journey to CDL Success

John Johnson : Lenoir County Success Story

By Ashlyn Crocker
John Johnson of Kinston made sacrifices that very few people would to earn his Commercial Driver’s License from Lenoir Community College, but his determination to achieve his goals overshadowed any fears of failure.

“I had been battling to get into the CDL program for over two years, but with different circumstances like finances and other things that needed to get done, it took a long time for me to get there,” says Johnson. After recovering from an injury that took him out of work for a year, he was ready to face the battle head-on and reach for his goals.

“It was a difficult thing to have to do because you can't work a full-time job and go to school at the same time. For me, I am plan A and plan B. There is no one to fall back on but me.” Johnson made the difficult decision to give up his housing and live at the Friends of the Homeless Shelter in Kinston during his time at LCC. “I knew that I had a choice to make. If I stayed at the shelter, I wouldn't have any rent to pay and I would be able to take the classes to earn my CDL.”

Johnson has spent all sixty-four years of his life in Kinston working various jobs such as painting and selling cars, but his passion to earn his CDL grew with the rising demand for truck drivers. “There are so many businesses that are looking for drivers. The DMV has gotten so involved in what it takes to get CDLs, so it makes it harder for more people to get certified,” he says. The certification process for obtaining a Commercial Driver’s License is not an easy task. Complete with training, written testing, and skills testing, Johnson knew that this would take a great deal of patience. “The testing was difficult. 275 possible questions could be on our final test. The test itself was 100 questions. I only missed 1 of those questions.”

“The training is crucial to the safety of myself and others on the highway. You are risking someone else’s life with every error that you make,” Johnson says when recounting his training classes. “What LCC did was give me the preparation that I needed to begin this journey, and they did an awesome job at that.”

The staff in LCC’s truck driving program were essential to helping Johnson achieve his goal. He says, “Everyone has bad days and when you are handling a large vehicle, it takes a great deal of patience from the staff and the student. I have to applaud everyone for the part that each of them played in teaching me. It’s an experience I'll never forget.” Johnson is grateful for the invaluable guidance provided by LCC’s staff and faculty including Karen Lombardi, John McKnight, Robert Beeker, Kevin Hall, and Lisa Hightower.

LCC’s Truck Driving Instructor Karen Lombardi says, “He was dedicated to earning his CDL so that he could make a better life for himself. He always showed up on time, had a positive attitude no matter the situation he was going through, and would always go above and beyond to help anyone in need.”

John Johnson made sacrifices that few would endure to obtain his CDL. “Some things in life don’t come easy. They come by hardship and a lot of hard work. I had to be dedicated to the goal that I had been aiming to accomplish for some time,” he says. “I would like to thank Greggory Dunk and the Friends of the Homeless-Shelter at 112 North Independence Street who provide temporary housing and essential resources to families and individuals in need.” For more information on LCC’s Truck Driver Training, please contact Karen Lombardi at (252) 527-6223, ext. 188 or email kmlombardi84@lenoircc.edu.

Meet Mauricio!

Mauricio : Carteret Success Story

Mauricio grew up in a violent gang neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, where there were few growth opportunities, and his safety was always a concern. When the opportunity arose, he moved to North Carolina but only found low-wage and physically demanding jobs. Mauricio realized education was his way out of his financial struggles and found a passion in Radiography at Carteret Community College. Mauricio came to NCWorks in April 2022, seeking assistance to help with his Radiography training. When he enrolled in the WIOA program, Mauricio was a single parent, finding it difficult to balance his work-life-school demands.

Once WIOA was able to help him with the needed financial assistance, he reduced his work schedule to part-time and was able to manage all his personal, school, and life responsibilities. He came to the Career Center one day excited that he had rediscovered his love for Radiography! On top of that, he enhanced his support system and found balance. Mauricio completed his training in May 2023 and passed his National Registry of Radiologic Technologists Certification. He then immediately found employment at Onslow Memorial Hospital. Mauricio plans to continue his educational training in Computerized Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Mauricio is grateful that he has earned the opportunity to work in an environment where he can help others and positively impact his community. He has reported to his Career Advisor that now instead of “dodging bullets,” he can help people in distress.

The NextGen Youth Program Helped Travis Find a Promising Future

Travis : Lenoir Success Story

Twenty-year-old Travis of Snow Hill has a new job with a promising career in his future, and it all started at Lenoir Community College (LCC). Career Advisor Tracey Price met Travis while he was attending High School Equivalency classes at LCC’s Greene County Center and thought he’d be a perfect fit for the NextGen, Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) Youth Program at LCC.

“I mentioned it to Travis several times, but he just wasn’t interested, she said. “WIOA is designed to assist out of school youth ages 16-24 in career exploration, financial assistance with training cost, paid work experience, and support services based on individual needs. The goal of the program is for youth to attain employment become good employees and be financially independent.”

Price said she was talking to a co-worker, Dennis Liles, when she discovered he knew Travis and his family very well. Liles agreed that Travis would be a good fit for the Next Gen program, and he offered to reach out to Travis’s parents about the opportunities the program offered.

In that same conversation with Price, Liles discussed forming a partnership with the Town of Snow for youth to explore careers, providing them with paid work experience jobs. “It was from that conversation, I found out the Mr. Liles was also the mayor of Snow Hill, and we formed a partnership between the College and the Town,” Price said.

With some encouragement, Travis enrolled in the NextGen WIOA Youth program in August 2022.  “With some guidance, Travis set four goals in the program,” Price said. “He wanted to attain his High School Equivalency Diploma, attain his national Career Readiness Certificate, complete a paid work experience successfully, and obtain his driver’s license.”

Travis completed all his goals in record time, and in addition to that, while working with the Town he decided he would like to pursue a career in wastewater management.

“After working with the Town of Snow Hill, I became interested in the wastewater field and the opportunities it has to offer,” Travis said. “I learned new skills through this work experience and through the program.”

Because of Travis’s work ethic, dependability, and interest in becoming a wastewater operator, he was hired full time by the Town, in May 2023.  He plans to enroll in wastewater classes to become a certified operator as soon as possible.

“This is a training WIOA can pay for,” Price said, “but due to the timing of the class that is available the Town has offered to pay for his training. Travis’ story shows that hard work, and dedication does pay off. And the power of networking, people and agencies pulling together is an awesome way to help young people succeed.”

“I am so thankful for Mr. Liles getting involved and encouraging me to make a great choice to enroll in the NextGen program,” Travis said. “The mentoring I received from all the instructors and staff at LCC, and the knowledge I gained from my co-workers & my supervisor, Mr. (Drake) Robart, all played a part in my success. I thank God for making this all come together, from the work experience to landing a job with the Town of Snow Hill. I am grateful.”

Work Experience Partnership

Employer - Town of Snow Hill : Lenoir Success Story

The partnership between Lenoir Community College Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) Youth Program and the Town of Snow Hill has turned out to be very successful for both agencies and the WIOA youth that have participated in the paid work experience program this past year.

In July 2022, Career Advisor Tracey Price and a co-worker, Mayor of Snow Hill, Dennis Liles discussed the WIOA Youth Work Experience Program. Mr. Liles was excited about the opportunities to partner with the youth program to help young people gain valuable work experience and assisting the Town employees. He stated it was a win win and set up a meeting with Ms. Price and the Town Manager.

Since that time, the Town has employed three Greene County WIOA youth participants, giving them the opportunity to learn valuable job skills and earning a good hourly rate of pay, all while mentoring the youth participants, encouraging them to grow and excel in all their goals. The jobs the Town has provided are very good career exploration opportunities with a range of jobs from the town office, to public works department.

Travis Rouse was hired full time after completing two paid work experiences. While on the job, Travis decided he would pursue his Wastewater Certification and was hired in May 2023 after his allotted hours were completed. Travis’s supervisor Drake Robart stated Travis has a great work ethic and a bright future with the Town.

Ms. Price said that working with the Town of Snow Hill has been a great experience for everyone, she has enjoyed getting to know such good people that are willing to work with participants with little to no experience from a variety of backgrounds and challenges to help them be successful in work and lif

WIOA Helped Pay for Esmeralda's Exams

Esmeralda : Wayne Success Story

Esmeralda joined the WIOA program in February of 2023. When she joined the program, she had already started the process towards completing her High School Equivalency Diploma and only needed help with paying for her last two GED exams. After successfully completing her GED exams, she decided to join the US Navy. She left for the Navy on May 8, 2023 the week of her graduation celebration. She said she wanted to travel the world and have a successful career as a Cyber Intelligence Officer in the US Navy.