Kris Johnson

This really stressful and really hard, and I’m thankful that I went to a school that prepared me for something like this.

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Grad

Nurse

Kris Johnson was called to a career in nursing after her sister, Kim, died of breast cancer. When she graduated from Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College in 2018, she never could have imagined where her nursing education would take her.

Kris is currently employed at a hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, but volunteered to go to New York City, when it was the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. She wanted to go where she was really needed. There, she worked at a Queens hospital packed with coronavirus patients – all of whom were suffering from pulmonary distress.

“It [was] madness,” she says. “It [was] literally like being in a war zone.”

The intense duty she felt in New York made Kris appreciate the skills she gained at A-B Tech. “This [pandemic has been] really stressful and really hard, and I’m thankful that I went to a school that prepared me for something like this.” Kris says she’s thankful to have been on the front lines.

Even now, every time Kris suits up in her personal protective equipment, she tries not to think of the risks she faces. “I’m pulling all of my critical thinking and all of my critical care skills and everything, all the time, for 12 hours, on every single patient,” she said.

“I went into nursing to help people. If I can end my shift knowing that I made a difference in just one person’s life, I can continue on to my next shift,” she says. “Nursing is my passion.”

Let’s find the right path for you.

Answer a few questions to see what your best route to getting hired might be.

Have you completed high school or an equivalent?

Nope. I’ve got a few years left.

Do you want to work toward earning a degree?

Yep.

All signs point to you getting a head start on your higher education while you’re still in high school.

That’s because the Career & College Promise program allows you to have duel enrollment, so you can work on both at the same time. And since this program is also tuition free, it’s a real money-saver.

Maybe.

All signs point to you getting a head start on your higher education while you’re still in high school.

Nope.

Your answers suggest on-the-job learning might be a great way to get your foot in the door.

This type of training combines hands-on learning with related classroom instruction. Apprentices earn money while learning a highly-skilled trade from an employer. State and federal certificates as well as other credentials can also be completed through an apprenticeship.

No.

How do you see community college benefitting you?

By helping me grow my skills.

Looks like your top priority is getting the skills you need fast—so you can land a good job quickly.

Short-term training, sometimes called continuing education, comes in various forms and are all focused on helping you gain the real-world skills you need to get into—or move up in—a number of fields. These courses often lead to state licensure or a certificate upon completion.

By preparing me to start a new career.

Your answers suggest on-the-job learning might be a great way to get your foot in the door.

Yes. (Or at least, I will soon.)

Are you interested in earning college credit?

Yes, definitely.

Which way do you prefer to learn?

Virtually or physically, being part of a class works for me.

How much time are you willing to spend getting an education?

Two years, tops. I’m trying to get done and get a job ASAP.

Seems like you want the opportunities that come with a degree, but in half the time of a bachelor’s.

Associate degrees are perfect for that. They can give you a big advantage over many non-degree holders in the job market—and open up even more potential positions that were previously out of reach. You’ll have relevant skills employers want in about two years.

I could do four—or more.

Great! Sounds like you plan on using community college as a stepping stone to a four-year university.

Like any associate degree, transfer degrees take about two years to complete—but this one includes general education credits that are easily transferable. It counts the same as having completed two years toward a bachelor’s degree.

I learn best by being hands-on. Just show me how to do it.

Your answers suggest on-the-job learning might be a great way to get your foot in the door.

Nope, I don’t need it.

How do you see community college benefitting you?

By helping me grow my skills.

Looks like your top priority is getting the skills you need fast—so you can land a good job quickly.

By preparing me to start a new career.

Looks like your top priority is gaining real-world skills—either through on-the-job learning or continuing education.

Short-term training or an apprenticeship can help you gain the specific skills you need to get into—or move up in—a number of fields. Certificates, licensure and other credentials can be completed through these programs via hands-on learning and/or classroom instruction.

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