Trevion Holmes laughs when he thinks about how a short television ad changed his life. The St. Louis resident was facing hard times and desperately searching for ways to better his circumstances, but it wasn’t until he saw a commercial for Ozarks Tech that he recognized a path for how to do it.
“Before that commercial I had never thought about going to college, but the information on OTC and the nursing and health care programs made me think it could be for me,” Holmes said.
The father of six weighed his options and decided he could use his savings to move his family to Springfield. Holmes wanted to pursue a certified nursing assistant license, but he admits he was initially unsure of how taking courses would work for him financially. Everything came together when he spoke with Jeremy Delucia, Ozarks Tech SkillUp grant manager, who helped him apply for SkillUP Missouri.
SkillUP Missouri offers free college tuition and support services to individuals receiving SNAP benefits. The program also helps participants create and update resumes and connect with employers. Ozarks Tech has been participating in SkillUP since 2017 and has approximately 30 students each year use the benefit to further their education.
“This is a valuable resource, and Ozarks Tech wants the community to take full advantage of this benefit to get the training and education needed for successful jobs,” Delucia said.
At Ozarks Tech SkillUP applies to the following programs:
- Certified Clinical Medical Assistant
- Certified Medication Technician/Insulin
- Certified Nurse Assistant
- Community Healthcare Worker
- Pharmacy Technician
- Phlebotomy Technician
With personal determination and the help of SkillUP, Holmes completed his CNA license in May of 2023. He continued that momentum and obtained a certified medical technician license in 2024. With this education, he is proudly working in health care and is now an advocate for Ozarks Tech and the SkillUP program. Holmes says he’s quick to tell fellow co-workers about the program and he is encouraging others in his family to explore the benefit.
“I tell people all the time that Ozarks Tech can take you to the next level, you just have to be willing to do your part and learn, they will help you take care of the rest,” he said.
To learn more about the SkillUp, visit https://academics.otc.edu/workforce/skillup-missouri/
