December 18, 2025
Ariel Martinez Ochoa moved from Cuba in pursuit of a better quality of life and additional career prospects. After settling in the United States, Martinez Ochoa obtained employment but still aspired to a career in health care.
To help overcome the obstacles Martinez Ochoa faced in becoming a certified nursing assistant (CNA), he was referred to Michigan Works! Southwest’s Neighborhood Employment HUBs. The team was able to identify a variety of funding sources to assist Martinez Ochoa in obtaining his CNA certification and accessing additional support services.
Through a partnership between Michigan Works! Southwest’s HUBs and Kellogg Community College’s (KCC) iAct, Martinez Ochoa successfully completed a seven-week CNA and life skills training. While in training, Martinez Ochoa met regularly with Michigan Works! Southwest’s Business Solutions Career Coach Julie Klein who provided coaching and helped address barriers. This included gas and food cards and a weekly training stipend funded by Michigan’s Barrier Removal and Employment Success (BRES) program and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
At the end of the CNA training, Michigan Works! Southwest partnered with local employers to host a meet and greet. Through this event, Evergreen Senior Care and Rehab Center interviewed and hired Martinez Ochoa in December 2023 as a patient care assistant at $16.50 an hour. After meeting the State of Michigan’s requirements to obtain his CNA license, Evergreen Senior Care and Rehab Center promoted Ariel to ha CNA, and increased his wage to $19.50 an hour.
Although Martinez Ochoa had completed his CNA certification, he still had bigger dreams. Because Evergreen is in a rural area, Ariel was eligible for support through the Michigan Rural Enhanced Access to Careers in Healthcare (MiREACH) grant through Michigan Works! Southwest. This allowed him to receive additional paid healthcare training to become a medical assistant.
In December 2024, Martinez Ochoa completed his Medical Assistant training with a 4.0 GPA. Because of his hard work and dedication received the 2025 Impact Award from Michigan Works! Southwest.
Martinez Ochoa success is a powerful example of how strategic partnerships, community support, and personal dedication can lead to meaningful change. His journey from a determined job seeker to a successful healthcare professional is one of resilience, thanks to the workforce development programs that empowered him to make his dream
career become a reality. See the video here.