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Diane Purkey, pictured center.

TAHLEQUAH, OK - Diane Purkey, an instructor at the Cherokee Nation’s Talking Leaves Job Corps, has received her Material Handler Instructor Certification, scoring above the national average on the test.

As the Material Handler Instructor, she and the trainees help with the daily operations of the warehouse. Purkey has made the Job Corps warehouse a project based learning site where the trainees receive hands on experience in a material handling operation.

"Since receiving my certification I feel like I can be a better teacher", Purkey said. "It has given me more confidence."

Purkey has twenty years experience working in warehousing and has spent the last two years at Talking Leaves Job Corps as warehouse supervisor.

Some of Purkey’s trainees now work for FedEx, Pepsi, and Wal-Mart.