“I got the job, y’all!” shared Ebony to cheers from the audience. “Now I stand before you as a registered pharmacy technician in hospital pharmacy at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center.”
Ebony is one of 14 newly licensed pharmacy technicians, all recent graduates of the Jewish Vocational Service (JVS) Certified Pharmacy Technician program that prepared them to launch their careers in a new field with advancement potential.
“Today marks a new beginning for us all,” said Ebony as she proudly addressed her classmates and about 50 family and friends who had gathered to celebrate this milestone.
The JVS program they had just completed was rigorous, meeting daily Monday through Friday in the JVS East Orange office and including 120 hours of classroom instruction, 100 hours of externship, and 20 hours of life skills and career services—all balanced along with the students’ other commitments and challenges.
This program is just one of the many offerings from JVS, which provides the Greater MetroWest NJ community with job skills training, career services, corporate training/employer services, refugee services, and so much more, all made possible in part thanks to the UJA Annual Campaign.
“It is a special occasion that signifies a great accomplishment in our academic journey,” said Ebony. “I speak for all of us when I say this was no easy task. This moment right here, right now is a testament to what can happen when you keep your focus and never lose sight of the vision. JVS gave me the boost of encouragement I needed to keep going,” shared Ebony.
Ebony and her 13 classmates who received JVS job training are now embarking on rewarding new careers thanks, in part, to your generosity!