Brooklyn Von Hendricks - Learn, Earn, Achieve and Progress (LEAP) Program at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) – Success Story - Workforce Development and Adult Learning

Brooklyn Von Hendricks joined the LEAP program at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) in 2019 with the goal of becoming a Pharmacy Technician. From the very beginning of her training, she expressed complete excitement about the program. Brooklyn shared that her journey in life was challenging, but she was committed to accomplishing her goals. Prior to participating in the LEAP program, she lived in North Carolina and had recently relocated to Maryland. With a very limited work history and no post-secondary training, she sought an opportunity to expand her career options and enter the healthcare field. She was referred to LEAP by a family member which gave her the opportunity to pursue a career path in pharmacy.

Working alongside her LEAP Program Case Manager, Brooklyn was able to accomplish her goal of completing the training to become a Pharmacy Technician. Brooklyn did not have reliable transportation to commute to class, so her Case Manager provided Brooklyn with bus tokens to get to and from campus. Brooklyn also received her textbooks at no cost so that she could study and pass her courses. After passing all of her classes, Brooklyn worked alongside a LEAP Program Job Developer who helped her to develop her employability skills, practice interviewing, and hone her customer service skills. The Job Developer also facilitated Brooklyn’s participation in a Work Experience Learning Opportunity (WELO) assignment at her local Walgreens. This WELO placement allowed Brooklyn to apply her training to a part-time, temporary work assignment as a Pharmacy Tech and to add relevant work experience to her resume. Her excitement for learning, tenacity for overcoming barriers, and enthusiasm in her WELO placement all paid off when Brooklyn was hired for a permanent position as a Pharmacy Technician with Walgreens!

Currently Brooklyn is preparing to sit for her national examination. The LEAP Program Team and Walgreens staff are all confident that Brooklyn will pass. Everyone is extremely proud of what she has accomplished.