After a very impressive tour of the Virginia Technical Academy in Newport News last August, Literacy for Life staff could hardly wait to refer learners into the program. The first was Luis Lopez.
LFL’s career coach, Frances, reached out to Luis to suggest the course, and he was eager to get started. Frances guided Luis through the application process and assisted him to secure grant funding through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Youth Program. Luis started the Level 1 Electrician course in September.
To help ensure Luis’s success, Literacy for Life also provided him with a tutor, Joey, who meets with Luis every week to review the course material. “Luis is a very smart, hard-working young person,” says Joey. “At the beginning, we talked about study skills and habits. Now, most of our sessions are review of the module he is working on in class—looking at the listed objectives and identifying where they are addressed in the text. Once or twice we also previewed an upcoming module. I’m very happy for Luis that he is making success of this first phase of his new career!”
Luis is enjoying the program and excited for his future. “VTA is a great institution,” says Luis. “Literacy for Life is making all the difference by giving me this chance to attend. It is giving me better opportunity for my future and making me a better person.”
Luis especially appreciates the help he has received from Frances and Joey. “I remember in the first place, Ms. Frances informed me about this program in electricity and supported me in the process. My tutor Joey is a great person who is supporting me a lot. He explains the topics in different ways and gives me ideas on how to be a successful person in this field. In the future I am planning to take the next three levels until graduation from the program with my Electrician License. None of this would be possible for me without Literacy for Life.”
Courses offered by Virginia Technical Academy include Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC/R, Appliance Repair, and Building/Property Maintenance. The staff at VTA approach their work with the same mindset as Literacy for Life. They are extremely supportive of their students from beginning to end, from identifying scholarship opportunities through securing their first job. Literacy for Life’s career coaches, Frances and Andrew, also help with the enrollment process and career search, and LFL also provides students with tutors like Joey to help them review course material and develop strong study habits.
If you are interested in learning more about how Literacy for Life can help guide your learner or others through the Virginia Training Academy, contact Frances Falcon at ftfalcon@wm.edu or 757-221-3325.