Michelle Kingston

For most of her adult life, Michelle Kingston helped people heal in quiet rooms. She spent 25 years as a massage therapist and later became a licensed counselor, listening to people talk through anxiety, addiction, and family struggles. The work mattered, but something was missing. She wanted to move, to be on her feet, to work in a setting where physical care, emotional support, and constant learning all came together.

Nursing kept coming back to her mind. When she saw an online job ad for HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital on Indeed, she decided to follow it. That posting led to an interview with the hospital, which led to Midwest Career Source, and then to a new beginning as a patient care technician.

Why Registered Apprenticeship

Michelle lives in O’Fallon, Illinois, on the east side of St. Louis. By the time she found Midwest Career Source, she had already built a full life as a single mother of five and a long-time massage therapist. She also held a master’s degree in counseling and had done work in forensics and community mental health. On paper, her path looked settled. Inside, however, she wanted something more active and more hands on.

She knew nursing could bring together everything she valued. Physical work. Human connection. The chance to comfort people on some of their hardest days. What she needed was a way in that did not require stepping away from earning altogether.

The Registered Apprenticeship offered exactly that. St. Elizabeth’s and Midwest Career Source partnered to provide a paid, accelerated pathway into a CNA and PCT role. At first, there was a barrier. Michelle was told she earned too much to qualify for funding support. On the surface, her income looked high. In reality, she was a single parent raising five children with significant expenses.

That is when Dr. Sulbrena Day at Midwest Career Source stepped in. After meeting with Michelle and hearing her story, Dr. Day advocated directly with the hospital to have her tuition covered. With that decision, the path opened. Michelle could afford to take the temporary pay cut that came with training at a lower hourly wage, knowing she was investing in a long-term career shift.

Learning in the Real Environment

Michelle started her apprenticeship in mid September. The program moved quickly. Six to eight weeks of intensive work blended classroom instruction, skills labs, and clinical practice. For someone who does not sit still easily, the long classroom days could have been a challenge. Michelle has scoliosis, arthritis, and degenerative discs that make prolonged sitting painful. She solved it by standing in the back of the room when she needed to and staying straightforward with her instructors about what worked for her body.

Her days were full. She spent mornings and afternoons in class or skills lab, then worked with massage clients, then went home to complete online assignments and prepare for tests. It was demanding, but she was used to balancing work and school from her counseling program. She went in knowing it would require sacrifice, and she prepared her family for a season where her time would be stretched.

On the clinical side, she found what she had been looking for. At St. Elizabeth’s, Michelle stepped into patient care as a CNA and PCT, using her counseling and massage therapy skills in a new way. She loved being on her feet, walking the halls, providing physical care, and offering comfort. She was able to use touch, presence, and conversation to support patients at the bedside, not just in an office.

The hospital paired her with a preceptor until she was ready to work independently. When she finally had her first day on her own, it marked an important milestone. She had proven to herself that she could handle the pace and expectations of hospital work.

Overcoming Barriers and Finding the Right Fit

The apprenticeship was not without challenges. The biggest barrier was financial. The hourly pay during training was significantly lower than what Michelle earned as a massage therapist. Even with tuition covered, it meant tightening her budget and relying on careful planning while she trained.

There were family adjustments as well. Her children, ages nine through nineteen, are busy with their own activities and schoolwork, and Michelle continued to show up for them throughout the program. She attended concerts, soccer games, and lessons, often moving straight from class or clinical training to the sidelines or an auditorium seat. Balancing her responsibilities at home while committing to a demanding apprenticeship was not easy, but she made it work because both her family and her future mattered.

Perhaps the most important test was personal. Michelle wanted to see if hospital work was truly the right fit before investing in a full nursing degree. Starting as a CNA gave her a clear look at the reality of patient care. She discovered that she loved it. The work was physically demanding and emotionally rich. It used every part of her skill set and gave her the kind of full, active days she had been craving.

Benefits for Employers and Communities

From Michelle’s perspective, the apprenticeship model is a win for employers like St. Elizabeth’s. It attracts people who are serious about nursing and offers them a structured entry point. The hospital covers training costs, pays apprentices during the program, and then brings them on as employees who already understand the culture, routines, and expectations of the unit.

Everyone in her cohort, she notes, wants to keep going in healthcare. That is exactly the kind of pipeline hospitals need. Apprentices gain credentials and on the job experience, and the organization gains committed, prepared team members who see CNA work as the first step on a longer nursing journey.

Michelle also sees apprenticeship as less risky for career changers. Instead of paying out of pocket and hoping to land a job later, apprentices earn an income, receive benefits, and gain experience in real time. Education assistance through the employer adds another layer of stability. At St. Elizabeth’s, tuition reimbursement now covers up to several thousand dollars per year, giving apprentices like Michelle a realistic way to advance.

Looking Ahead

Michelle’s path does not end with her CNA. She has already applied to the Associate in Science in Nursing program at Southwestern Illinois College for next fall. With her previous college credits, she has met the prerequisites and plans to use St. Elizabeth’s tuition reimbursement to move through the program. After that, she hopes to continue on to a bachelor’s degree in nursing through the same model.

She still maintains her massage practice and counseling license, and she values those parts of her identity. But healthcare has given her something she had been missing, a daily sense of purpose that is both busy and fulfilling.

Her life is fuller now. It is demanding, but in the way that feels right. She is raising her children, working in a hospital she respects, and building a new career step by step, with apprenticeship as the foundation.

“It feels like I finally found the missing piece. Apprenticeship gave me a way into nursing and a chance to use everything I have learned to help people every day.”
— Michelle Kingston