A Cole County success story made possible through WIOA Adult, Healthy Blue, and EDA
When Reagan Blain walked into the Central Region Job Center in January 2024, she was doing what a lot of young people do to get by — working two jobs. As a CNA and a waitress, she was putting in the hours, but the income just wasn’t adding up to enough. She knew she was capable of more. She just needed a path to get there.
Reagan had a clear goal: become a registered nurse. She’d already seen what it looked like to care for people firsthand through her work as a CNA, and that experience had only deepened her commitment. What she needed was the support to make nursing school financially possible while still keeping her life afloat.
That’s where the Central Job Center team came in.
Through a combination of WIOA Adult funding, the EDA Good Jobs Challenge, and Healthy Blue program, Reagan was able to enroll in nursing school without having to choose between paying bills and chasing her future. Her career coach, Jaci Howard, walked alongside her — helping her clarify her goals, navigate the steps to reach them, and stay on track even when things got hard.
“I was able to focus on school and do what I needed to do to become a nurse with less stress,” Reagan said.
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She earned her LPN license first, then kept going. In December 2025, Reagan graduated with her Associate Degree in Nursing from Mineral Area College and passed her boards to become a licensed Registered Nurse. She is now working at SSM Health St. Mary’s in Jefferson City — the same health system where she once worked as a patient care tech, now in a clinical nursing role, earning more than double her previous CNA wage and receiving full benefits.
Reagan’s story is about more than a better paycheck. It’s about what becomes possible when someone with drive and determination gets the right support at the right time.
“I am now able to provide more and give back to the people who made me who I am today.”
Are you ready to take your next step? Contact your local Central Job Center today to find out what programs and training opportunities may be available to you.