At the OneWorkSource Center in Malone, opportunity looks different for everyone who walks through the door.
For some, it means earning a GED after years away from the classroom. For others, it means preparing for a first job interview, obtaining a driver’s license, or training for a new career path. No matter the goal, the adult education and workforce development programs offered through Franklin-Essex-Hamilton BOCES are built around one mission: helping individuals overcome barriers and create a path toward success.
Serving individuals across all FEHB component districts, the programs housed within the OneWorkSource Center support both adults and high school-aged students through a variety of educational and career-focused opportunities. From workforce readiness and career training to adult literacy and high school equivalency preparation, the programs are designed to meet individuals where they are and help guide them toward where they want to be.
For Tracy Lavoie, who has worked with FEHB for 23 years, the work is deeply personal.
Currently managing a caseload of around 60 individuals, Lavoie said the core of her job is helping people remove the barriers that may be preventing their success.
“No two days are ever the same,” she said.
Some days involve visiting individuals in their school districts or meeting with them at the office. Other days mean helping them prepare for important milestones, even taking them shopping at stores like IBC to ensure they have the professional attire needed for interviews.
For Lavoie, building trust is where progress begins.
“I look for little signs we’re connecting and find common ground,” she said. “That’s when the success comes.”
That same commitment to individualized support is shared throughout the building.
Joslyn LaPage and Sara Charland work closely with both youth and adults through WIOA training programs. They help individuals overcome obstacles and pursue career goals. Their programs connect individuals with training opportunities in fields such as CDL certification, LPN/RN, electrical apprenticeship, paramedicine, and many others.
Both emphasized the collaborative environment that exists within the OneWorkSource Center.
If one program is not the right fit for an individual, staff members work together to ensure they are connected with someone else in the building who can help.
“That’s the benefit of having everything right here together,” they explained.
The center’s partnerships with organizations such as the Department of Labor and Department of Social Services further expand the support available to individuals and strengthen opportunities throughout the community.
For Crista Herrmann and Kaylynn Bickford, the impact of the work can be life changing.
As part of FEHB’s Adult Literacy Program, the pair help adults earn their GED and strengthen foundational academic skills. The program currently serves students ranging in age from 16 to 70 years old, highlighting that learning and personal growth can happen at any stage of life.
The program offers a flexible and personalized approach that differs from a traditional classroom setting, something staff say can help reduce the anxiety many individuals feel about returning to school.
Enrollment remains open, allowing individuals to begin their journey whenever they are ready.
“It’s not just about grades like it could be in traditional school,” Herrmann said. “These programs change their entire lives.”
Bickford echoed that sentiment.
“We meet students where they’re at,” she said.
The support for students also extends beyond Malone. Nina McBride works with students in the south end of the region, helping individuals build confidence, strengthen academic skills, and work toward goals they once believed were out of reach.
“One of the most rewarding parts of my role is being part of each student’s success story and witnessing their growth in such a short amount of time,” McBride said. “I take great pride in supporting, encouraging, and celebrating their progress as they gain the confidence to create better opportunities for themselves and their future.”
McBride said seeing students grow emotionally and academically is what makes the work so meaningful.
“This truly feels like the best job in the world, and I am beyond grateful to be part of something so meaningful and life-changing for my students,” she added.
Across every office, classroom, and conversation within the OneWorkSource Center, one thing remains clear: the people behind FEHB’s adult education programs are committed to helping individuals build confidence, gain skills, and create brighter futures for themselves and their families.