HCTC Ready to Work Program helps Judy Sam Cornett

Judy and Sam Cornett have gone through a lot in their 14 years of marriage. Seeing a major job loss and losing their home while raising two kids presented them with challenges, which made them realize they needed a good plan for their future. That plan started with a first step of enrolling at Hazard Community and Technical College.

Sam s goal of one day running his own heating and cooling business keeps him focused on school. Judy is enrolled in the Medical Information Technology - Medical Transcriptionist Track.

Judy and Sam are enrolled in HCTC s Ready to Work program. As Sam noted, The Ready to Work Program gives you job training and opportunities during and after school. It makes it worth all the hard work. Wife Judy said, Without the Ready to Work program there is no way I could make it. It not only pays me to work but the program gives an opportunity for people to further their education, and get work experience too. Without the RTW program I don t know where I would be but I know it most certainly would not be here, where I am today.

Ready to work is a grant funded partnership between the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and KCTCS. This program assists students who participate in Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program (K-TAP) and are enrolled in a KCTCS college by offering them work study and educational components of the program as well as providing every student career counseling, peer mentoring, life skills, success seminars, and access to community resources. As part of the Ready to Work program, Judy and Sam volunteer with The Stable's at Creekside Glen in Letcher Ky., which is a faith-based non-profit organization. A love of horses makes this kind of work very enjoyable for them both.

Sandy Campbell, RTW Coordinator, noted, Sam and Judy are great students! I am thrilled to follow and assist them as they work toward getting their education here at Hazard Community and Technical College.