Tiffany Streur had dreams of working in health care in labor and delivery, but a long nursing school waitlist nearly put her plans on hold – until a family member suggested a different route.
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Tiffany Streur
That advice changed her life.
Through the
Medical Assistant Registered Apprenticeship Program (MARAP), Streur found not only a pathway into medicine but a newfound sense of confidence. Today, the West Michigan native works as a registered medical assistant in a neurology office, thanks to the training she received at Muskegon Community College and on-the-job experience through Trinity Health.
“Before going into the program, I was very quiet and kept to myself,” Streur says. “The other students, the teachers, and all my preceptors helped me open up. MARAP gave me the resources I needed to succeed, including an opportunity in health care I never would’ve thought possible.”
Streur is one of more than 170 individuals who have completed MARAP since its launch in 2015.
West Michigan Works! is accepting applications through Sept. 8 for the program’s 2026 cohort, offering a year-long, tuition-free training track that combines classroom learning with paid clinical experience at some of the region’s top health care systems.
Supporting potential workers, employers
The program is designed to solve two challenges at once: meeting the demand for skilled health care professionals while creating accessible career pathways.
“The Medical Assistant Registered Apprenticeship Program continues to be one of the most impactful programs we offer,” says Amy Lebednick, director of business solutions at West Michigan Works! “It provides a direct, affordable pathway into the health care field while helping employers address critical talent shortages with skilled, work-ready professionals.”
Participants train through Muskegon Community College or Grand Rapids Community College while gaining hands-on experience at Corewell Health, Trinity Health, and University of Michigan Health-West. Graduates finish the program with national certification, little to no student debt, and real-world experience in clinical care.
The apprenticeship program reflects a shift in how West Michigan develops its medical workforce.
Kelly Elkins, workforce development program partner lead at Trinity Health Michigan, says apprenticeships weren’t widely used in health care when the organization joined MARAP in 2016. But the model quickly proved effective.
“MARAP has become one of the most sustainable talent strategies for building the workforce Trinity Health needs,” Elkins says. “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.”
Depending on employer demand, MARAP typically selects between 15 and 30 participants each year. Applicants will be matched with health care partners this fall, with the 2026 program beginning in January and concluding in December.
To learn more or submit an application, visit:
www.westmiworks.org/employers/training/marap.
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