Interview with Priscilla Weems
Wayne County Public Health.
As I took a seat in the office of Priscilla Weems, I was welcomed with a delightful “Hello,” and a warm smile. Priscilla Weems is a clerk for Wayne County Public Health completing tasks such as; filing papers, shredding papers, transferring and answering phone calls, faxing, and making tooth brush and helmet kits.
I was interested in what these tooth brush and helmet kits were so I asked more about them. Priscilla informed me that theses kits she makes are distributed to day cares, schools, and people who can’t afford these kinds of necessities. The bicycle helmet kits have bicycle helmets and informational, bicycle safety packets with them.
So as Priscilla and I discussed more about her job she mentioned to me that she was nervous to first start. She told me that she wasn’t sure how difficult her tasks would or wouldn’t be. Although after a very short period of time went by after working for Public Health, Priscilla states, “Once I got the hang of what I had to do around here, it became easy- very easy.”
Since working for public health Priscilla states that she has learned quite a bit. When I asked her what some of these things she has learned were, her immediate response was, “I learned how to work a fax machine. I never knew how to use one and now I do.” She seemed immensely proud of herself for being able to learn such a skill. Having this skill can help Priscilla in almost any future job that she may have. This is a commonly used skill in office jobs so it is a positive thing that Priscilla can put on her resume.
Along with learning how to work a fax machine, Priscilla has learned other skills and improved on ones she felt weren’t her best qualities. “I’ve learned to cope with the people in the community more now than I have outside of my job.” She says that speaking on the phone with people who aren’t the most pleasant while having to be polite has made her able to handle people a lot better, and taught her how to be more patient. Priscilla has also learned how to better skills with programs such as Microsoft word.
Priscilla had nothing but positive things to say about her job. She said that she likes the calm quite work environment. “It’s peaceful here;” says Priscilla “and the people I work with are kind.” She plans on working at Public Health for as long as possible.