Applications now open for paid pathway into healthcare field

EducationHealth

Jul 14

West Michigan Works! announced that its Medical Assistant Registered Apprenticeship Program (MARAP) is open, with submissions accepted through September 8, 2025. Now entering its 10th year, MARAP offers a year-long, paid, hands-on training and education pathway for individuals seeking a healthcare career.

The program blends classroom learning at Muskegon Community College or Grand Rapids Community College with on-the-job experience at leading health systems, including Corewell Health, Trinity Health, and University of Michigan Health-West. Apprentices graduate with national certification, little to no student debt and direct experience in a clinical setting.

“The Medical Assistant Registered Apprenticeship Program continues to be one of the most impactful programs we offer for both job seekers and healthcare employers,” said Amy Lebednick, director of business solutions, West Michigan Works! “The program provides a direct, affordable pathway into the healthcare field while helping employers address critical talent shortages with skilled, work-ready professionals. We’re proud to offer this proven model and look forward to helping even more individuals launch meaningful careers through the 2026 cohort.”

Since its launch in 2015, more than 170 apprentices have graduated from MARAP, contributing to the healthcare workforce across hospitals and clinics throughout West Michigan.

“In 2016, apprenticeships were not a common talent strategy for healthcare employers; however, we recognized the need for a novel approach to address the growing demand for Medical Assistants,” said Kelly Elkins, workforce development program partner lead, Trinity Health Michigan. “Through the partnership with West Michigan Works!, Grand Rapids Community College and Muskegon Community College, the Medical Assistant Registered Apprenticeship Program has proven to be one of the most sustainable talent strategies for building the workforce Trinity Health needs. We are proud of the more than 100 MA Apprentices who have completed the program and built successful careers, including many who have gone on to become nurses.”

Tiffany Streur, a recent MARAP graduate, is one such success story. From a young age, she dreamed of becoming a labor and delivery nurse. In high school, she began exploring healthcare careers by taking CNA and EMS courses at the Ottawa Area ISD Careerline Tech Center in Holland. After facing a long waitlist for nursing school, she applied to MARAP at the suggestion of a family member – taking an important step toward her goal.

Tiffany completed her apprenticeship through Trinity Health and Muskegon Community College and now works as a registered medical assistant in a neurology office, an experience she says changed her life.

“Before going into the program, I was very quiet and kept to myself. The other students, the teachers and all my preceptors helped me open up,” Streur said. “MARAP gave me the resources I needed to succeed, including an opportunity in healthcare I never would’ve thought possible.”

The number of apprentices selected each year varies based on employer needs and typically ranges between 15 and 30 individuals. Applications of interest submitted this fall will be used to screen and match candidates with employers in the following months. The full-year apprenticeship begins in January 2026 and concludes in December 2026. For more information about MARAP, visit www.westmiworks.org/employers/training/marap.

West Michigan Newspop Digital Partners