Age: 24
Center: Cleveland Job Corps
Region: Chicago
Hometown: Columbus, OH / Freetown, Sierra Leone,
West Africa
Career Area: Bricklaying and Carpentry
JC Dates: August 2014 to Present
Employer: Kokosing Construction Company
Position: First Year Carpentry Apprentice
Marian Gbaya came to the United States three years ago from Sierra Leone, West Africa, with her mother and sister to be with her extended family and find new opportunities. Raised in Freetown, the Capital of Sierra Leone, she had aspirations
of becoming a Cosmetologist. When she went to apply for Cosmetology school, Ms. Gbaya learned that they did not accept high school diplomas from Africa. Her sister decided to explore other options for Ms. Gbaya. She learned that her sister could get her high school diploma, as well as, receive vocational training at Job Corps.

When Ms. Gbaya arrived at the Cleveland Job Corps Center, she observed females enrolled in construction trades and this inspired her. She recalled an incident when she was a little girl, standing by a construction site watching with interest; until her grandmother scolded her and told her to get back in the kitchen to feminine duties. Filled with a renewed purpose, she enrolled in the Bricklaying
trade and found it to be an amazing experience. Ms. Gbaya’s had some difficulty with her English initially; however, her instructor John Butcher helped “nurture her along” and took her under his wing.With no immediate openings in the union when Ms. Gbaya finished the trade, she decided to diversify her construction aptitudes and enrolled in the Carpentry trade. Carpentry Instructors, David Lummus and Daniel Volpe, exposed her tothings she never thought would be possible for her growing up. They took the
time to mentor her and expressed to her that women can do anything that men can do, if they put their mind to it, and oftentimes better.

Ms. Gbaya communicated that she appreciates how all of her instructors prepared her for the work environment, and that she felt mentally and physically prepared for the rigorous field. Ms. Gbaya is employed at Kokosing Construction, a firm that builds bridges.
The superintendent over the project, Cory Brubaker, expressed that he appreciates that Ms. Gbaya is willing to try, learn, listen, and do whatever it takes to do the job right without any complaints. Ms. Gbaya stated that without Job Corps, she doesn’t know where she would be today. “All it takes is a good attitude, the ability to follow instructions, and you can make yourself a new
life,” voiced Ms. Gbaya. She is convinced if she could succeed at what she set out to do coming here from Africa, then anyone can do it. Ms. Gbaya sees herself in a lifelong career building bridges.