Kittanning Woman Awarded by Workforce Investment Board

At last month’s Tri-County Workforce Investment Board meeting, Alyssa Vargo of Kittanning was presented with a STEP award. Alyssa’s success story details a great example of a youth with a barrier to employment utilizing her skills, motivation and career pathways to attain her career objectives.

Vargo has been in foster care since the age of three. She never let this bring her spirit down or hold her back from accomplishing her goals in life. She had always enjoyed helping and caring for people, as her foster mother had done for her.

Alyssa wanted a career in either childcare or healthcare. During high school Alyssa made the decision to attend Lenape Vocational Technical School for their Allied Health program. She knew instantly when she started the program that this was the field for her. While attending Lenape, Alyssa successfully completed the program and also gained her Certified Nurses Aid Licensure.

Nearing graduation, Alyssa was excited to learn about the Career T.R.A.C.K. youth programs from her school counselor. She came to Career T.R.A.C.K. seeking summer employment in June 2014. Meeting with the youth case manager, they discussed current labor market information and the different opportunities with our agency in the healthcare field, and developed a plan for her to start a work experience as a nurse aide helper to give her hands on experience in a healthcare setting.

After an initial assessment of her skills levels, she was placed at Kittanning Care Center. While at the Kittanning Care Center in Kittanning Township, she worked alongside other Certified Nursing Assistants throughout the facility getting to experience each of their three units.

“This was a great opportunity for Alyssa to display to Kittanning Care how good of a worker she was, which led them to hire her through an On-The-Job Training Program. Her supervisors report that her progress has been exceptional, and she is an asset to their facility. Alyssa greatly enjoys working with the residents, and picks up extra shifts when available.”
Alyssa’s O.J.T. program will conclude this month, and she has the opportunity to remain in her position with Kittanning Care. Striving to advance further in the field, this month, Alyssa is planning to also attend the part-time LPN program at Lenape Tech while continuing her employment at Kittanning Care.
Career T.R.A.C.K. is a youth service provider for WIA Title I services of the Tri-County Workforce Investment Board, Inc. for the tri-county region. TCWIB’s STEPS Success Program recognizes Success with TCWIB Programs, Employers, Participants, and Staff.