KENTUCKY —The character of up-and-coming leaders is shaped by the challenges they overcome. And any story about overcoming challenges in the face of adversity deserves to be told. Nancy Perez Ramirez’s is one such story. A 22-year-old graduate of the Frenchburg Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center, Ramirez is typical of the students who enroll in a center seeking better their lives. The eldest of four sisters, she was raised in Arizona by immigrant parents. Her father found work where he could—sometimes spending years away from the family—working in the fields as a landscaper and finally carving out a career in construction. Neither of her parents spoke English and Ramirez had to quickly learn the language to translate for them.

Ramirez initially dreamed of a career as a veterinary technician. After earning a scholarship at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff,  she enrolled in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. She, like many individuals during that dark time, struggled emotionally. Unable to maintain her grades, Ramirez lost her scholarship and dropped out of school due to lack of funds. Ashamed and fearing her parent’s disappointment, she chose to work low-wage jobs while couch surfing with friends. Still, she was unable to cobble together the funds to keep a roof over her head. She found herself homeless and for a few months found shelter in a friend’s car to avoid sleeping on the streets. Realizing her situation was untenable, Ramirez finally returned home to her family.

Ramirez learned about the Job Corps program from her younger sister. Having enjoyed outdoor activities like camping, fishing and hiking during her childhood, she already had an interest in forestry. She applied to the program online and was accepted at Timber Lake Job Corps Center, nestled on the top of a mountain on the Mt. Hood National Forest.

Ramirez thrived at Timber Lake over the next year. As her forestry studies progressed, she began nurturing a new dream of one day becoming a park ranger. “My ‘Ah-ha’ moment came last March when I was working on a thinning project in a scenic area on the Mt. Hood,” said Perez. “It was so hot—I was hiking, sweating and carrying a chainsaw and thinking, ‘What a wonderful view. I love this so much!’”

After graduating from Timber Lake, Perez enrolled in the advanced forestry conservation program at Frenchburg Job Corps Center in October 2023. Frenchburg’s working partnership with the Cumberland Ranger District on the Daniel Boone National Forest provided Ramirez with excellent work-based learning opportunities. One project Ramirez particularly enjoyed was assisting the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Department with the release of approximately 3,500 rainbow and black rock trout into the Red River Gorge. Deploying on various fire assignments allowed Ramirez to save $8,000, helping her transition to living independently off-center.

Last October, Ramirez applied for over 30 positions with the Forest Service and other land management agencies across a variety of disciplines. She began receiving responses to her applications in February 2024 and started sifting through offers. Ramirez ultimately accepted a position as GS-04 seasonal forestry technician on the Gila National Forest, a job that provides housing. The job lasts through November 2024. Wanting to remain in Glenwood, New Mexico, for at least the next two years and having experienced the challenge of navigating the quirks of USAJOBS, she has already begun searching for her next career opportunity.

During her years at Timber Lake and Frenchburg Job Corps centers, Ramirez watched other Job Corps students drop out of the program. It has taken a certain amount of grit for Ramirez to get where she is today, and her advice to other students is to remember their motivation. “Focus on yourself. Don’t get caught up in the drama and get distracted from your purpose. Always if you’re give the opportunity to go out in the field to do something extra, take it,” she said. “Everyone’s experiences and situations are a little different, but keep pushing forward and give it your all."