From the Fields to the Labs
Strolling through the hills of northwest Appalachia it is hard not to notice all the farm lands. But where are all the farmers? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for farmers is projected to decline in the next ten years.
On August 31, 2015 a young dairy farmer walked through the doors of East Ohio College and started her training to become a Dental Assistant. Emily Clow from Columbiana, OH decided to enroll into a program with a much higher job demand than her agricultural roots. Dental Assistants have a projected job outlook of 18%, which is much higher than the national average.
When asked what advice would you give an upcoming WVJC student? Her advice was, “find out what area you are the most passionate about and excel at it and go for it.” “Make the year about yourself, use the resources available to you and don’t be afraid to ask questions.”
In a short sixteen month period, Emily received her Associate’s Degree in Dental Assisting and sat for her NRCDA exam where she passed and is now a Nationally Registered Certified Dental Assistant. As a student she completed an externship at Refresh Dental, where she received a gratitude award; making her the first dental assisting student to do so.
Before graduation, Emily Clow had job offers and accepted a position as a Hygiene Assistant at Refresh Dental and stated “I love my career!” When asked what she enjoyed most, Emily said “I love everything about my new career. However, if I had to choose it would be my coworkers and the patients.” Her next plan for her future is to continue in her career and become a hygientist.
Emily Clow’s greatest accomplishment is graduating from college and receiving her degree and certifications. She completed an externship and received a phenomenal recommendation from the company which launched her into her career.
Emily Clow went from milk parlor and mucking the barn to a Dental Assistant in a high tech dental lab and making bright smiles!