For Addyson Caldwell, a paid work experience through Prosper Appalachia did more than give her a first-hand look at the medical field. It helped confirm the career path she had been considering for years.
Caldwell, who recently completed a paid internship at Harlan Health and Rehabilitation Center while completing her senior year at Harlan County High School, said she had long been interested in healthcare. But before Prosper Appalachia, she was not completely sure nursing was the right fit.
“About 50-50,” Caldwell said of how certain she was before beginning the experience. “I grew up around the medical field, so that was definitely in my mind. But whenever I got to go and try out the job, it just set in my mind, that’s what I wanted to do.”
Prosper Appalachia is EKCEP’s in-school career exploration and work-based learning program that helps Eastern Kentucky students learn more about local career opportunities and potentially connect with local employers.
For Caldwell, that process began when she started hearing about students at school who were able to work part-time, earn wages, and gain experience while still attending classes. She eventually connected with Rhett Alred, the Career Development Specialist for Harlan County Community Action, EKCEP’s local partner in Prosper Appalachia, and signed up. Through the program, Caldwell was able to talk through her career interests and get connected with an opportunity to learn more about a career path that matched her goals.
“[Rhett] explained it really well and said that it would be a good opportunity,” Caldwell said. “So then we all got in a room and he helped us get the jobs that we desired to have that would help for our futures.”
Because Caldwell was interested in the medical field, she was connected with Harlan Health and Rehabilitation Center, where she gained experience in a nursing home setting and had the chance to see what day-to-day work in healthcare can look like. Caldwell said she worked directly with patients and learned more about the responsibilities involved in caring for others.
“We had hands-on experience with the patients and we basically helped do clean-up stuff and just got really good experience about how it would actually be to work there and prepare us for the future jobs,” she said.
That experience helped Caldwell better understand not only the work itself, but also why she wants to pursue nursing. Caldwell has already taken another step toward that goal. She recently passed her state test to become a Certified Nursing Assistant and plans to attend the University of Pikeville to study nursing after high school. Her long-term goal is to become a registered nurse.
She also plans to continue working at the nursing home this summer, building on the experience she gained through Prosper Appalachia.
In addition to helping her explore a career, Caldwell said the program helped her develop workplace skills and understand the expectations that come with having a job.
“It definitely gave me a sense of responsibility because you do have to keep up with your hours and you do have to actually go and work hard and just keep a good work ethic,” she said. “And it gave me a chance to get close with my group of friends that I also went to work with and just meeting new people. It was really great.”
And just as importantly, Caldwell said the experience also helped her see that students who want to build careers in Eastern Kentucky have options close to home.
“I’ve got more insight on the jobs that I can get around here,” she said. “There’s good job opportunities here.”
Prosper Appalachia is funded in part through support from the Kentucky General Assembly, but private donations help EKCEP expand critical work experience opportunities for students across Eastern Kentucky. To invest in the future of our region’s young people, donate directly at ekcep.org/donate.
EKCEP, a nonprofit workforce development agency headquartered in Hazard, Ky., serves the citizens of 23 Appalachian coalfield counties. EKCEP is funded by the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, along with various federal and state grants and private donations, and is a proud partner in the American Job Center network.