Marisol Villanueva has always been interested in helping others. When she was little, she dreamt about a job where she could help others or animals. This led her to explore the healthcare career field after high school when she became a caregiver in home health and worked for one year. She learned about the Pre-Apprenticeship Healthcare Program at Elgin Community College (ECC), where she could earn her First Aid, CPR, BLS, and Mental Health First Aid certifications for free and begin to build her resume.

She completed her pre-apprenticeship in May 2024. ECC’s program includes interviews with local employers, and Marisol was offered a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Apprenticeship with Aperion Care Elgin, a long-term care and rehabilitation center. She became Aperion’s first CNA Apprentice—the facility now hosts three additional apprentices. Once she was hired into the apprenticeship, she began her CNA training, earning her Certified Nursing Assistant certificate and passing the state exam in June 2024.

Marisol began her on-the-job training (OJT) with Aperion in July 2024 and is enjoying her experience working with older patients and hearing their stories. Now, she feels like she is “really” working in healthcare.

“This apprenticeship has given me the opportunity to start working in my dream field while still growing and developing my skills,” she said. In addition to her OJT, Marisol is taking Phlebotomy courses at ECC to add to her skill set. Once she completes her apprenticeship, she plans to continue working as a CNA with Aperion while applying to ECC’s Nursing Program, as her long-term goal is to become a Registered Nurse.