The lifestyle Greg had lived led him to prison, where he had time to think and make decisions that would have to be walked out once he was released.

One of his first stops upon release was the Western Maryland Consortium. The staff at WMC connected with a potential employer, entering Greg into a Work Experience (WEX) program. During this program, employers are incentivized to “try on” potential employees at no risk, as wages and more are assumed by the Consortium.

Today, Greg remains self-directed, engaged in his faith community and programs that support him in a healthy lifestyle, and enjoys a strong network of great people who encourage him.

As he prepares to celebrate 2-years of sobriety, Greg has reported that he is thankful for those around him, including WMC staff who assisted in his Work Experience opportunity. Greg’s second chance is off to a great start and his future looks bright!

With the closing of Verso Corporation John and Devin contacted the Western Maryland Consortium.

John’s and Devin’s goals were to use their previous experiences in production and to obtain new skills with industry recognized credentials. They received funding to obtain Manual and CNC machine training that combines classroom and hands-on operation of state-of–the-art milling equipment, effectively preparing students to achieve NIMS (National Institute for Metalworking Skills) industry certifications.

Devin and John earned numerous NIMS certifications as a result of this training.

Soon their hard work and ambition paid off, and both John and Devin were able to secure employment with a local jet company.

Renee came to the Western Maryland Consortium ready to make a career change that would benefit her future.

With the goal of becoming certified in Medical Coding and Billing, she quickly realized the financial barrier she was facing. It had been years since Renee had graduated from high school and she knew she needed to refresh her reading and math skills in order to be successful in her workforce training.

Utilizing the Career Pathways program offered at the Consortium in conjunction with the local community college, Renee was able to brush up on her reading and math skills while simultaneously beginning her Certified Medical Billing & Coding training.

From start to finish, Renee had her Career Counselor from WMC to assist her as she worked toward her goal. After taking the National Health Career Association exam, Renee earned her credential as a Certified Billing and Coding Specialist.

Within weeks, Renee had several job interviews in the field and accepted a position with a local family medicine practice.

Denis was a stay-at-home parent for nearly a decade when he came to WMC with the desire to become a licensed CDL Driver. He had always had a love for driving and being on the road, which he wanted to fortify into a sustainable career.

Denis faced many challenges as a Deaf CDL A student and overcame them by attending classes with full-time interpreters, provided under the guidance and encouragement of WMC, in addition to assuming training and education costs so that Denis could focus on his path forward. Denis had this to say about the program:

“The staff and instructors were so amazing and supportive all the way. The program exceeded my expectations. I was the valedictorian in my CDL A class and felt so proud knowing that I did very well in all areas. I am very sad to say goodbyes to my instructors and classmates. My career counselor at WCM, Jesse, was very supportive and I’m so lucky to have had her and everyone else at WMC and HCC help me through the CDL A program”.

Denis was the first deaf person in the state of Maryland to obtain a CDL Class A license in the six years since FMCSA began granting hearing exemptions.

He is currently driving locally for a predominant employer in the region.

Zaira is a Career Pathways participant that has successfully been progressing through all of her steps towards completing the Certified Medicine Aide Certification program at HCC.

Zaira’s accomplishments have been many.  Her journey began when she arrived from El Salvador, immediately taking work in low paying housekeeping positions and taking English classes at night. In earning her CNA/GNA license, Zaira quickly took up work as a full-time nursing assistant, where she  saved enough money to purchase her first home. After adding two children, the American dream was becoming a reality; however, she still had a desire to achieve even more.

The next step was to earn her high school diploma, as the diploma she received in El Salvador was not accepted in the U.S. In collaboration with the local college’s Adult Education Program, which offers GED tutoring at the Western Maryland Consortium location, Zaira not only passed her first exam, but citizenship test as well.

But Zaira wasn’t done. In order to advance at her job, the next step was to become a certified medicine aide.  She took a couple of remedial college courses in the fall and as of February 2020, she is on her final step to earning her CMA license.

Zaira is clearly the poster child for what hard work and perseverance can do.  Even though the journey has been longer than she expected, she has accomplished each and every goal while working fulltime and raising her two adorable boys.

Barry has always been willing to work hard as he proved while working on his family’s farm growing up. Now with a young family of his own to support, Barry knew he wanted to secure a great future for them. He contacted the Office of the Western Maryland Consortium  to make a change and take the first step towards his future.

Barry chose to pursue CDL A credentials, receiving full funding for the class through our services.

Staff at the trucking institute not only cheered him on toward success but expressed how he showed up with a positive attitude and a smile each day. His driving instructor stated that Barry was an EXCELLENT student and further commented that he was one of the best for doing the maneuvers and over-the-road driving. He finished the class successfully and was able to secure full time employment with benefits with a local trucking company almost immediately after completing his training.

Barry will celebrate his one-year anniversary as full-time truck driver in April 2020. He makes a good wage for his family, gets plenty of hours, and enjoys what he is doing daily. The Western Maryland Consortium was happy to be a partner in helping Barry achieve his training and employment goals!

John has been known in the community as a young man with a strong work and moral ethic.

Because of this, a local business owner focused on designing and crafting canoes contacted the Western Maryland Consortium when he had a job opening at their workshop. This company had previously hired an employee, using a Western Maryland Consortium program, and that match has led to the hire of a great employee of several years.

Now, with further growth, and the need for another employee, the owner wanted to give John an opportunity to work for him, too.

It was decided that John would work for the company through WMC’s On-the-Job Training (OJT) program. Under this program, the company hires the participant, and then receives a monthly reimbursement of 50% of wages for a period of time. Each month, John’s evaluations came back with excellence.

Already he is a valued employee, and it appears that he will have a bright and steady future thanks to the On-the-Job Training program crafting unique canoes that he knows could go anywhere around the world.

Mike Kessell registered with the Allegany County Office of the Western Maryland Consortium with the intent of pursuing a training program that would provide not just a job but a career.

He discovered that Allegany College of Maryland was offering a course in Shielded Metal Arc Welding. Mike was approved for WIOA dislocated worker funding and began the traininig in the fall of 2018. Mike completed the class in January of 2019 and immediately obtained employment with the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad as a welder.

Mike commented that, “Without this class I would not have been able to get this opportunity!”

Amanda Lloyd, a certified phlebotomist, received on the job training at Garrett Regional Medical Center through Western Maryland Consortium’s Work Experience Program. Through participating in the two-month program, she gained hands-on experience that enabled her to land a full-time position working in GRMC’s lab department.

With prior experience in the healthcare field, Amanda went back to school at Garrett College to receive phlebotomy training and certification. Through her training, she learned about the different elements of phlebotomy, including drawing blood from patients along with procedures on how to track, identify and label blood samples.

Amanda Lloyd, a certified phlebotomist, received on the job training at GRMC through Western Maryland Consortium’s Work Experience Program. Upon successful completion, she gained a full-time position in GRMC’s lab department.

In addition to her coursework, Amanda found that many healthcare entities require a minimum of two years of experience and she was referred to the Western Maryland Consortium’s Work Experience Program.

According to Mary Keller, a career counselor at Western Maryland Consortium, the work experience program is generally eight to 12 weeks of employment at a business, and the participant is paid by the Western Maryland Consortium at no cost to the employer.

“It’s a straightforward process for the employer and essentially allows them to see if an employee is a good fit for the organization before making a permanent hiring decision. While we never require an employer to hire a work experience participant, it is always our goal to try and get them steady, permanent employment,” Mary said.

Amanda explained she was nervous at first about working in GRMC’s lab department through the work experience program.

“Everyone really made me feel at home. I not only got hands-on experience in drawing blood, but I learned about the equipment and all of the different aspects of running a lab. I kept wanting to come back each day to learn more.”

She explained that after time, she felt really confident in her abilities to draw blood from patients. Amanda also noted that it can be challenging when a patient may be nervous about having their blood drawn. A big part of the job is explaining to them what to expect so they will feel calm and comfortable.

“The most challenging aspect of my job is when we have really young pediatric patients and newborns. It can be really nerve-racking for the parents – we always want to make it as painless of an experience as possible for both the parent and child. I work really hard at making all of my patients feel comfortable,” Amanda explained.

Members of GRMC’s lab department work with a variety of patients in a variety of settings. They do outpatient lab draws, but also go to nursing homes and go to patient rooms to take lab samples. Through the outpatient lab setting, they often develop a relationship with their regular patients who come on a weekly or monthly basis. Amanda really enjoys visiting with her “regulars” and especially loves listening to stories from her older patients.

“I love my coworkers, and I really enjoy our team – it’s a very friendly environment. I hope to stay here for as long as possible,” Amanda concluded.

For job openings at GRMC, click here and apply today.

View the article on Garrett Regional Medical Center’s website.

CUMBERLAND, Md., Oct. 12, 2018 – A couple of summers ago, Delanté Stewart seemed like he was facing a mountain. Of dishes, that is.

Stewart, then 21 years old, had a job at a local restaurant that required him to wash dishes and pots and pans. It didn’t take long for him to realize he wanted something different. His path eventually took him to the American Job Center in downtown Cumberland. He intended to fill out applications and find a new job. He accidentally stumbled onto a career.

At the urging of a Job Service worker, Stewart filled out a yellow sheet of paper. That paper was delivered to Diane Harris, a career counselor with the Western Maryland Consortium.

“The next day, she called me,” recalled Stewart, a 2013 graduate of and basketball player at Fort Hill High School.

The Western Maryland Consortium is a regional workforce development agency that aims to help people obtain employment by working through barriers. Those barriers can include having a disability, being homeless, lacking personal transportation, struggling with addictions, or having been arrested or convicted of a crime, among other obstacles.

Stewart is a young father of three children ages 6, 4 and 18 months. He wanted more. They needed more. And the court system demanded more. A judge and the Department of Social Services, he said, were “on my back” due to a lack of employment.

Stewart sought change for the better. Harris and the Consortium provided the opportunity.

In June, Stewart began an eight-week work experience at the Ramada by Wyndham in downtown Cumberland. Each work experience offers individuals a chance to learn and grow in a professional environment while learning and building transferable job skills. Stewart was one of 46 clients in Allegany County who had similar work experiences this summer.

Stewart, for his part, was taken under the wing of Dewey McMahan, head of maintenance at Ramada. Under McMahan’s daily supervision, Stewart began to learn a mix of skills in housekeeping and maintenance.

“He seems to retain (information),” McMahan said, “and he seems eager to want to learn. And he’s personable (and) follows instructions. What I’m likin’ about him is, he’s prompt.”

During the work experience, Stewart had perfect attendance. He arrived early and stayed until the job was done. He wasn’t afraid to ask questions – McMahan encouraged it – or try new things.

Over time, he proved himself to McMahan as well as General Manager Nicole Romesburg. After the work experience ended in September, Romesburg made a job offer to Stewart: a full-time role in housekeeping and maintenance. This time, it’s permanent.

“When you don’t have a job, you can’t really provide or do nothin’,” Stewart said.

Even if the job helps to only pay the bills, that allows enough freedom to take the children to a playground, cook dinner for the family – or sneak a trip to Dairy Queen, the 4-year-old’s favorite treat.

Being able to help support his children, and his longtime girlfriend, Stewart said, is his motivation to do better.

“It means the world to me,” he said.

Stewart’s next goal is to complete driver’s training and obtain his driver’s license, which the Western Maryland Consortium is paying for. Once Stewart obtains his license, maybe he and his children can hop over to DQ a little more often.

This story is part of an occasional series of Success Stories. The series highlights local people who have overcome barriers to employment to enter the work force. The Western Maryland Consortium is a regional workforce development agency with offices in Hagerstown, Cumberland and Oakland. The mission of the Consortium is to provide informational, educational, and job training services to unemployed or underemployed adults, youth, and dislocated workers who are residents of western Maryland.

CUMBERLAND, Md., Aug. 31, 2018 – In late 2009, Nicole Stratton was at her wit’s end.

A single mother of three children ages 13, 10 and 6 months, she was tired of feeling underpaid and overworked in her position as a certified nursing assistant. Life wasn’t anywhere near what she’d dreamed. It was time for a change. A friend suggested she check out the Western Maryland Consortium. Maybe someone there could help.

“I had no way to go back to school, but I really wanted to get my nursing license,” Stratton said.

At the Consortium in downtown Cumberland, case manager Gail Groves determined Stratton was eligible for assistance under what is known now as the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The law aims to help unemployed and underemployed individuals earn a better lease on life through education or job training.

A Pell grant offered Stratton a way to pay for most of the tuition and fees due the Mineral County School of Practical Nursing at the Mineral County Technical Center in Keyser, W.Va. The Western Maryland Consortium helped with books, supplies and other support services.

“There wasn’t a glitch in the whole program,” Stratton said. “Gail was wonderful. She was great. She made sure I had everything I needed and got me through the program.”

Returning to school was no small commitment. Stratton still had three children to care for, plus full-time school and then homework. Her mother, Debbie Slider, provided child care and other assistance for the year.

“It was tough,” Stratton said of the daily chore of getting everyone up, washed, fed and off to school. “The school was full-time, so you couldn’t work a job. We struggled. I had very little time for the kids. It was a very, very hard and tough year. But it was worth it. I’d do it all over again. I’d go back to that very same spot and do it all over again, and I probably wouldn’t change a thing that I did.”

Stratton was 35 years old when she made the choice to walk through the door of the Western Maryland Consortium and seek help to achieve her goals. She also made the choice to stick with the LPN program in Mineral County when the going got tough. Stratton said 25 students started the year-long program. Fourteen graduated. Daily inspections, grades and attendance vetted the people who were unable to meet industry standards.

“They shaped you to be a professional in the community,” Stratton said. “If you didn’t have it, you were out. It was hard. I failed some tests. I got upset, cried and carried on.”

Stratton pushed through. Upon graduation in late 2010, she gained employment at a local long-term care facility. After three years, another change was in order. This time, though, a change in scenery was just what the doctor ordered, and Stratton accepted a position at The Kensington senior living community on Baltimore Street in Cumberland.

A year later, Stratton was asked by the Nebraska-based company to take over as director of the Country House memory care unit, a 22-bed, 20-staff community adjacent to the former Algonquin Hotel.

At the time, Slider – Stratton’s mother – was executive director of the Kensington. In March of this year, Slider was 70 and was ready to retire. Corporate didn’t have to go very far to find her replacement.

“So here I am,” Stratton said.

She has certainly moved up the ladder since her moment as a single mom who lacked professional direction in 2009. Now, she’s in charge of three facilities – the 85-bed Kensington, Country House and the Evergreen adult medical daycare unit, which has a capacity of 30 participants. She also supervises 77 employees and has nearly tripled the wages she was earning in 2009.

Shortly after taking the helm, Stratton represented her employer at a local job fair. There, Groves approached her about Consortium services. At first, Groves didn’t recognize Stratton, who admittedly looked quite different than the young woman who applied for services in 2009.

“I said, ‘you know, Gail, you probably don’t remember me,’” Stratton recalled. “’My name is Nicole Stratton.’ She was like, ‘what!?’”

Stratton thanked Groves for her unwavering support, adding that “’if you ever need to tell anybody how awesome you guys are, send ‘em my way.’ It’s just great. For what we deal with in this area, what an awesome program to help people if they want it.”

Groves, for her part, said she was only the middle person between the available programs and a woman who had decided to want something more out of life.

“Even though we helped her, she did all the hard work,” Groves said. “She did what she should have done, in my view, (which) is (to) use her resources as a stepping stone to get where she needs to be.”

Stratton offered some advice for those who might be struggling with their own situations. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

“You gotta want it,” Stratton said. “Just know that the tough times won’t last forever. We were in a tough spot. You can make it through it. It’ll be tough, but you can make it through it.”

This story is part of an occasional series of Success Stories. The series highlights local people who have overcome barriers to employment to enter the work force. The Western Maryland Consortium is a regional workforce development agency with offices in Hagerstown, Cumberland and Oakland. The mission of the Consortium is to provide informational, educational, and job training services to unemployed or underemployed adults, youth, and dislocated workers who are residents of western Maryland.

By Janet Heim
Herald Mail Media

If Andrew Himes of Boonsboro could pick his dream job, it would definitely be related to baseball.

A baseball fan since elementary school, Andrew devotes countless hours to listening to the Baltimore Orioles on the radio in his room. His family doesn’t have MASN, the cable channel that carries Orioles games.

He occasionally watches games on TV with his grandmother and in person. He once got to throw out the first pitch during the 2015 season.

That was the season after he had his 15th surgery, which was at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

The 18-year-old gets to as many Hagerstown Suns games as he can. This season, it was easier — he has been working for the team as a ticket scanner.

Diagnosed with Hurler syndrome when he was 1 1/2 years old, Andrew has had 20 surgeries, but he maintains an upbeat, positive attitude. At about 4 feet tall, he is shorter than most people his age, but he has the spirit of a giant.

Hurler syndrome is a rare, inherited disease of the metabolism, preventing a person from breaking down long chains of sugar molecules called glycosaminoglycans. It belongs to a group of diseases called mucopolysaccharidoses or MPS, according to online medical references.

Andrew, the son of Jeff and Anne Himes, was the 20th child with Hurler syndrome to have a bone-marrow transplant at Duke University. He had that before his second birthday.

Without the transplant, Andrew had a life expectancy of three to 10 years, Jeff Himes said in a 2014 Herald-Mail story.

Andrew is a client of the Maryland Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS), which provides funding to pay him.

He is one of 47 students gaining summer work experience through DORS and the Western Maryland Consortium, which provides workforce development services residents in the region. Longtime employers working with the program include the Washington County Board of Education and Boys & Girls Club of Washington County.

Lori Thomas, a career counselor for youth department at the Western Maryland Consortium, is committed to finding work experiences that match students’ interests. After meeting with Andrew, she knew the Hagerstown Suns was the place for him.

“Andrew is an absolute dynamo. He is full of energy. … Andrew knows anything and everything about baseball,” Thomas said.

Ross Combs, the director of sales for the Hagerstown Suns, was taken aback by Andrew’s confidence when he came to a Suns game early in the season and said he was going to work for Combs. Andrew hadn’t been hired yet.

But, sure enough, two weeks later, Andrew was on the Suns’ staff, learning how to work the ticket scanner and greet fans.

Combs is a believer now.

“Andrew’s energy is infectious. … He’s done a great job, working hard, and we just appreciate him coming in with a smile on his face telling everybody, ‘Enjoy the ballgame,'” Combs said.

Combs initially scheduled Andrew on slower nights, but he has since put him on busier nights, like Thirsty Thursdays. It gives him a paycheck.

“I get more money. … I’m helpful here,” said Andrew, who likes that he’s meeting more people through his job.

He likes the playful banter back and forth with other Suns employees, including Anthony Holmes, also known as “Big Tony.”

“I can whistle like Big Tony, but not as loud,” Andrew said.

The Washington County Human Development Council provides a job coach, who drives Andrew one way to work. Job coach John Staubs is on hand to help him if Andrew has any trouble during his shift, mainly with the handheld ticket scanner.

Staubs and Combs agree that Andrew doesn’t need a job coach anymore.

“He’s been doing excellent,” Staubs said.

After most fans are through the front gate, Andrew stays to watch the game.

Andrew will continue his education at Boonsboro High School, where he’s an athlete with the Unified Sports program and is a cheerleader.

Despite all of the rainouts this season, Andrew didn’t let the weather dampen his spirits, Thomas said.

Andrew hopes to work for the Hagerstown Suns next season.

“I really like seeing him get out and have job experience,” Anne Himes said. “I’m also glad the public gets to see children with disabilities in jobs they wouldn’t normally see them doing … to see they can do jobs, too. For him, he’s learning what’s expected in a job and job responsibilities.”

Read this story on Herald Mail.