Monquenta Young always wanted to go into nursing.
Before deciding to enroll in HealthWorks, JVS SoCal’s free eight-week program that trains students to become Certified Nurse Assistants (CNA), she owned a restaurant and was involved in modeling for TV commercials. “And after I had to close for COVID, I would do like catering jobs, and the catering dried out,” remember Monquenta.
“And I’m like, well, I better go back to my goal, which was to be a registered nurse. But how, what step can I take to get there was a question, how can I get there?”
One day she was waiting at a bus stop and saw a bench that advertised the program. She called, stayed in constant communication with the resource person and then got connected to the program coordinator, Paola Rodriguez.
“She was our mentor for the first two weeks. She made sure we came in on time, any questions we had about the program,” adds Monquenta. “She nade sure we had all our immunizations, our doctor’s appointments, whatever we needed… clothes, shoes. She made sure we had everything we needed.”
HealthWorks was a dream come true for Monquenta. Her instructor made time during and after class, which made the experience more interesting and intense. During the clinical stage of HealthWorks, where students get to do rotations on site, she totally fell in love with her new career.
“I got to see the other side of it and that was the best part I could experience because that’s what I am,” shares Monquenta. “I’m a very caring person and I care about people, and I want to contribute to my community and that’s how I was able to do that.”
At graduation, she and the other students are set up to interview with employer partners. Some of the graduates received job offers on the spot. Monquenta remembers she got three different offers. She took a job at Windsor Hills, moving later to Temecula where she’s presently employed at the Temecula Valley Hospital as an Intensive Care Unit Nurse.
“You’ve just got to be confident. You’ve got to be sure of yourself. You’ve got to want it and have the desire for it,” explains Monquenta. “The lady hired me, hired me on the spot!”
Today, Monquenta is studying to become a registered nurse, paid for by her employer, who is letting her do her practice at the Intensive Care Unit. She is, though, eternally grateful to JVS SoCal and its donors, who make the HealthWorks program possible.
“I’m becoming the woman I always wanted to be because they have invested in my education and help me become the person I need to be for myself and for others that are around me,” continues Monquenta. “I’m going to show up for JVS SoCal just like they showed up for me to change my life and I’m very grateful.”