Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Success comes out of work force program

Dana L. Bowley El Defensor Chieftain Reporter, dbowley@dchieftain.com

Sharlynn Montoya is a success story.

She's a success story for the Workforce Investment Act program in the Socorro schools. She's a success story for the New Mexico Firefighters Training Academy. She's a success story for the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission.

But most of all, those three agencies combined to help Sharlynn Montoya create her own success.

The story starts three years ago when Montoya, a member of the Alamo Chapter of the Navajo Nation who grew up in Socorro, graduated from Socorro High School.

She wanted to go on to college, she said, and enrolled at the University of New Mexico-Valencia Campus.

But she found during that first year, that she also needed to earn some money.

"I didn't see how I could go to school and work at the same time," she said, since most jobs she was qualified to fill didn't fit her school schedule.

That's when she got introduced to Alice Jojola.

Jojola is the director of the WIA program for Socorro Consolidated Schools. WIA is a federally funded state program designed to provide job training and career opportunities to recent graduates, primarily in the 18-21 age group. One of its components is to help people in Montoya's situation, people who need a flexible employment situation while they attend school.

Through the program, Jojola was able to place Montoya in a clerical position at the state fire academy in Socorro.

"I was able to work 20 hours a week at the fire academy while I was going to school," Montoya said. "If it wasn't for the WIA program, I wouldn't have been able to do that."

In the process, Montoya found a career.

After working part-time while completing the requirements for an Associates degree, Montoya went full-time at the academy as the secretary for the instructors, who can number as many as 150.

In that role she keeps track of the high volume of registration applications, works with testing, handles paperwork relating to infrastructure and maintenance, and a myriad of other tasks as needed by the instructors.

"I really enjoy it," she said. "It's never dull. I could do this for the next 25 years."

"She's doing a terrific job," said Arturo Sais, director of the fire academy. "This shows that the WIA program is working."

Chances are Montoya won't be a secretary for the next 25 years.

"Now she wants to become a fire instructor," Sais said.

Montoya confirmed she'd like to become an instructor for the basic Firefighter I course because it combines a little of all the training.

I've learned so much as the instructor's secretary, "Montoya said. "It's fascinating to see what they do, and it's something I'd like to do.

Equally proud of Montoya's accomplishments is E. Shirley Baca, the Public Regulation Commission representative for District 5, which includes Socorro and the fire academy, which is under the direct control of the PRC.

"Sharlynn is the first WIA student to work for the PRC," Baca said. "I think she's a wonderful example of exactly what WIA is supposed to do."

Montoya said she's extremely grateful for the WIA program and it's local director for helping her find this career.

"Alice Jojola is just wonderful," she said. "She has been there for me every step of the way. I just can't thank her enough."

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