Securing an education and a career does not always result in long-term success. For Rachel VanZoest, a graduate of Cleary University, facing this hard truth started at the beginning of her professional career. This meant working as a Field Operation Technician with Precision Diagnostics in February of 2021 only to be let go after a year and a half.
Discouraged and once again seeking employment, VanZoest had several interviews but received no offers. “She was interested in pursuing a career in Medical Billing and Coding in hopes of finding solid employment and possibly working from home in the future,” Talent Development Specialist Kim Heenan said.
VanZoest started by registering for work at the West Michigan Works! Greenville service center and scheduling an appointment with Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA). She received help with her resume, work search, next steps in the job hunt, and was even determined eligible for assistance through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
Thanks to some essential assistance from WIOA, RESEA and West Michigan Works! staff, she changed her professional direction for the better. VanZoest also attended several of our workshops, utilizing her resources and persisting despite hardships.
“The staff was very welcoming and helped me achieve a few of the goals I had set in place,” VanZoest said.
One of these goals included enrolling in Medical Billing and Coding thanks to Central Michigan University’s Ed2Go program. “It is a self-paced program that she has a year to complete. She is enjoying the training and getting good test scores,” Heenan said.
“Thanks to their help, I was able to get a position with MyMichigan Health. It’s an excellent opportunity to gain more experience for when I get my Medical Billing and Coding certificate,” VanZoest said. “I have recommended them to several people I have spoken to, and also tell people about the services that they offer.”
