With the break-up of the former Soviet Union, Valentina Kovaleva found herselffleeing her home country of Kazakhstan where she had been educated and lived most of her life. She immigrated to  Nashville, Tennessee in 1995 after having earned her engineering degree and working for more than 30 years in her home country.

While trying to find work in her new home in Nashville, Kovaleva experienced many challenges as an older worker in the job market and was faced with language barriers.

“Language was a large barrier for me to overcome,” said Kovaleva, “It made it difficult to communicate to find work. Employers also did not recognize my education and experience from a different country.”

In an effort to learn about a different industry and acquire new skills, Kovaleva earned an Associate Degree from Draughons Junior College in Nashville in retail management.

“Once I moved to Nashville and had to look for different employment, I thought it would be a good idea to back up my experience in fashion with education,” said Kovaleva.

Despite her many efforts, she was still unable to find meaningful, permanent employment. Kovaleva then enrolled in the job training and employment program for seniors through National Council on Aging (NCOA) in October 2006. To help her overcome these barriers, Kovaleva took basic computer training through NCOA and was placed with the Tennessee Career Center, Nashville South location to help her further develop her skills. During this time of professional development, NCOA paid Kovaleva an hourly wage to help her financially as she continued to gain work experience and learn the English language by applying it daily in her job.

Finally, in June 2007 Kovaleva found meaningful employment as the receptionist at the Tennessee Career Center, Nashville South location. She now is responsible for greeting  customers and talking with them initially about their needs so that she can determine the appropriate Tennessee Career Center or Nashville Career Advancement Center (NCAC) staff to help the customer.

Kovaleva said, “In this job I am helping and interacting with people, which is important to me and what I like to do.” 

Finding Her Path

As a single mother to her 11-year-old children, one boy and one girl, Lecretia Baker was hit hard when she was laid off from the Toshiba plant in Wilson County in October 2006. Baker held a job as an assembler at the plant, and when she was first laid off in October 2006, went through the Rapid Response program with Nashville Career Advancement Center (NCAC) and the Department of Labor & Workforce Development.

Baker was laid off for five months before being called back to work at the Toshiba plant in March 2007 and did not work during those five months. She worked for 2 more months as an assembler and was again laid off in May 2007. It was then that Baker remembered all the information she had received during the Rapid Response program held the last time she was laid off in October 2006.

Baker decided to visit the Wilson County Career Center and get help for her future. She took a placement and assessment test and participated in a resume-writing workshop. Baker became interested in training for a job in the medical field. NCAC staff in Wilson County gave  her information on possible schools and programs she could attend.

“ I chose the medical field because my little girl was diagnosed with lymphoma, went through chemo- therapy and is now in remission  - which had drawn me toward the medical field, “ said Baker.

With NCAC’s help, Baker enrolled in Cumberland University where she took basic and advanced computer classes to upgrade her skills. Baker then proceeded to further upgrade her skills by attending Medvance Institute in Cookeville, Tennessee and pursue a career in medical coding. Baker received training assistance from Workforce Investment Act and Trade Adjustment Assistance funds to help her receive her training and pursue a career in the medical field.

“If it wasn’t for the funding, I would not be able to go get training and be able to find a job that is beneficial to me and my family,” said Baker.

Baker is currently still in training to be a medical coder and plans to graduate in April 2008.