When Tracy Saylor saw her newborn, premature son in the hospital, she knew she wanted to do whatever she could to make sure he had the best life she could give him—and that meant she needed a new career.

With financial help and guidance services provided through the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), Tracy recently attained a new career by becoming a licensed practical nurse (LPN).

“I’m not sure I could have done it without the help of the WIA program,” she said, smiling. “WIA is a wonderful program. It can improve our communities and help our people be successful.”

Tracy, who is 4’ 3” because of a hereditary condition, has faced more challenges in her life than many people do. But she has always approached every challenge with a dogged desire to succeed, and becoming a nurse was no different.

“Nothing has ever stopped me,” she said.

Tracy grew up in Jackson County and got a job with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) right out of high school. When her son was born in 2005, however, she realized that as a single mom she needed a more stable and better paying job.

“I wanted to provide for him,” she said.

Tracy’s son is now a healthy six-year-old, but he was born two months early. He had to stay in the hospital for 16 days until his weight got up to four pounds and he could go home.

Tracy had never been interested in being a nurse, but watching the nurses care for her son in the hospital inspired her to give it a try. In 2007 she started taking nursing classes at Somerset Community College.

But the costs of going to school as a single mother were a huge hardship. Fortunately, Tracy heard about the WIA program and met with WIA Career Adviser Alesia Brewer at Daniel Boone Community Action Agency (CAA) in McKee.
Daniel Boone CAA provides WIA services in Clay and Jackson Counties under contract with Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program, Inc., (EKCEP) which operates the JobSight Network of Workforce centers in 23 mountain counties.

Alesia helped Tracy obtain WIA assistance for her tuition, books, transportation, and other costs of attending school.
“It allowed me to focus on my studies,” Tracy said.

Though she describes earning her degree as the “hardest thing I’ve ever done,” support from people like her teachers and Alesia helped pull Tracy through, and she graduated in December.

“I was very proud. I’d finally done it,” she said.

Within two months of graduation Tracy was hired at the McKee Medical Clinic, thanks to a connection with Gloria Margison, the nurse practitioner there.  She said the clinic and Dr. David Hays have been great about making accommodations for her height and she loves being able to work with and help her patients.

“I couldn’t ask for a better place to work. We’re like a family here,” Tracy said.

Gloria said hiring Tracy has worked out well.

“Tracy is an excellent employee. She is an asset to our clinic and we are very proud to have her here,” Margison said.

Tracy has plans to go on to complete her bachelor’s degree and become a registered nurse (RN).

Alesia said Traci’s story is inspiring proof of how WIA helps people make better lives for themselves.

 “It’s very motivational for me to see her succeed,” Alesia said.

For more information about WIA services in your area, call 364-4484 or visit www.ekcep.org or www.facebook.com/ekcep.