Nickie Robbins said she really did not think about her future for most of her first 19 years. At 19 she found herself a high school dropout, unemployed, pregnant and unable to find a job in the struggling economy of Jackson County.

And then she had Taylor.

After the birth of her child “My whole outlook on my future changed,” Nickie, now 21, said. “After I had her I knew I had to do something.”

She knew it was up to her to make a better life for herself and her daughter, but she did not know exactly how to go about it. Luckily, a friend told her about Daniel Boone Community Action Agency’s (DBCAA) Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Youth Program and its Stepping Stones initiative.

“When she came into the office I could tell that she was very determined to do something,” said Terrina Frazier, who has served as Nickie’s WIA career adviser since she first visited the WIA office in January 2007.

DBCAA delivers WIA programs in Clay and Jackson Counties under contract with Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program, Inc. (EKCEP). DBCAA offices also provide access to the JobSight Network, a collaborative partnership of workforce and training agencies administered by EKCEP in 23 eastern Kentucky counties.

Nickie is originally from Indianapolis, Ind. She said it was a major adjustment when her family moved to McKee when she was 10. She eventually liked living here, she said, but she never felt she fit in at the schools and dropped out in her sophomore year.

She tried a homeschooling program, but getting pregnant at 18 derailed that. She also worked jobs through temp agencies but was unable to find anything permanent, especially after Jackson County’s economic landscape changed drastically with the 2006 closing of Mid-South Electronics and the impact that had on other local businesses and suppliers.

“I had looked everywhere for a job,” she said. She added that she had even considered taking a job in another county before finding the WIA program.

After Nickie signed up for WIA, Terrina immediately enrolled Nickie in tutoring and adult education classes to prepare her to test for her GED. She also helped get Nickie a job at the McKee Rite Aid through WIA’s Work Experience service.

In its Work Experience service WIA agrees to pay the salaries of an employee for a trial period. The employer can then decide if they like the employee’s work and want to hire him or her permanently. Rite Aid agreed to hire Nickie after an eight week Work Experience placement and a four-week extension.

During this time WIA was also able to offer Nickie some money to pay for transportation and lunches to make it easier to take the adult education classes. Terrina even found some money to pay for minor car repairs when Nickie’s car broke down at one point.

After Nickie obtained her GED, Terrina helped her get her financial aid paperwork in order and complete the applications she needed to be accepted to Somerset Community College and study medical administration.

“I wanted to do something in the medical field. But I can’t stand needles or anything like that,” Nickie said.

Today Nickie works full-time as a shift supervisor at Rite Aid. She is working on finishing her college degree and is considering continuing her education at pharmacy school. During a recent meeting with Terrina, Nickie talked about the enormous impact WIA had on her life.

“When I first started here, I didn’t have a whole lot of anything. But now I’ve gotten on my feet, I’ve bought a trailer and I have a car,” Nickie said. “I would really recommend the WIA program to other people 100 percent, it’s a great program to get into.”

Nickie said she enjoys her job at Rite Aid a great deal. Through her experience there she received training toward becoming a pharmacy technician.

“I love it here. I enjoy all the people,” she said.

But she’s also learned to look ahead. She is registered as a full-time student for the fall and hopes to finish soon. After that, she may even want to continue her education beyond an associate’s degree.

“I want something better than that, probably,” she said, adding pharmacy school is an option she is considering.

Since she became shift supervisor, Nickie has supervised other young people who worked at Rite Aid in WIA Work Experience placements. She says she tells them that WIA can help young people find their way in the world.

“I would really like to tell other kids to get involved in this program,” she said.

For more information on Workforce Investment Act services available in Clay and Jackson Counties, contact Terrina Frazier 606-598-5127.