At one time, Jamie Mayes thought her dream of becoming a nurse was in her rearview mirror. Now she’s on the road to a career in health care.
Originally from Boone, N.C., Jamie enrolled at her local community college several years ago, planning to eventually transfer to Appalachian State University to become a nurse.
After her divorce, she found herself struggling with the demands of being a newly single mother. School, at the time, didn’t fit into her lifestyle, and she needed a way to provide for her kids.
So, she put away her textbooks and became a truck driver.
“I loved it. It was great. I got to travel,” Jamie said.
“I started out doing it regionally, and then once they were out of high school, I started driving all over the country. I was one of those drivers who hauls several cars at once, in those big trucks we all avoid on the highway. Not many women do that work, but I really enjoyed it.”
In 2025, Jamie was helping push a disabled car out of the way of traffic, when she hurt her ankle. In a matter of a few seconds, her injury ended her truck driving career.
“I could no longer climb into the cab of the truck. It is excruciating,” she said.
Jamie spent the next several months undergoing treatments for her ankle injury.
“But reality really started setting in. I knew I better get into school and figure something else out. I’m 45, and I’m starting over,” she said.
She enrolled at South Piedmont and is now completing her prerequisites for Nursing. She is excited to be following in the footsteps of her mom, who was a nurse, and her dad, who also worked in health care, as a surgical technician.
“It feels amazing. It feels right. The first time I was in school, I felt pressured,” she said.
Jamie hopes to eventually work as a surgical nurse or nurse anesthetist.
Her words of advice to other potential career-changers:
“It’s never too late. Just go for it.”
Explore how South Piedmont can help you change your career path – no matter your age – at spcc.edu.