CareerPoint Healthcare Graduates Launch Careers in Madison
On Thursday, November 5, a room full of family, friends, staff, and community partners gathered to celebrate the newest graduates of Operation Fresh Start's (OFS) CareerPoint Healthcare Cohort at the Madison Youth Arts Center. Each emerging adult crossed the finish line of a six-week program built to prepare them for a career in healthcare, and each left with something bigger than a certificate: confidence, connections, and a clear sense of what comes next.
"This experience has reminded me to believe in myself, to stay determined, and to never give up on my goals," one of the graduates, Kaylen, said.
Growth You Can See
Kaylen described that growth in her own words: "This program has taught me valuable skills that helped build my confidence and encouraged me to set personal and professional goals for myself. It has pushed me outside of my comfort zone and helped me recognize my potential."
Another graduate, Ariel, said the program opened her eyes to what a career can be: "Opportunity to learn more about what it means to have a career rather than a job."
What They Learned
In a conversation just days before graduation, participants Hailey and Torriya described the practical skills that stood out most. For Hailey, it was professionalism: "How to look professional and talk professional," along with résumés that made them stand out. "I feel like that's good because everybody's going to look at our résumés."
Torriya pointed to the doors that the program opened. "I would say the different opportunities we have, like schooling, apprenticeships, just looking at the different options and different jobs that we can do."
Both were candid that the experience takes effort.
"If you did what you were supposed to do and you listened, yes," Torriya said when asked whether the cohort left her better equipped. Her advice to anyone considering the program: "You have to come in with a positive mindset."
The Partnerships That Make It Happen
CareerPoint Healthcare works because of the people and organizations who show up for participants. Employer and community partners shared their time and expertise, and the graduates noticed. Ariel thanked all the staff from partner organizations for supporting the healthcare cohort and providing the opportunity to learn how to build resumes and prepare for professional interviews.
Those partnerships took participants out of the classroom and into real settings. Torriya and Hailey described visiting Madison College (MATC), where they talked with dental assistant students and saw how classes work, and learned from UW Health's mock interviews.
The UW Health team also gave participants honest feedback: "I understood why I wasn't getting the job based on my application, and they answered all the questions that we had."
Participants also left with three new certifications, thanks to Tricia Meinholz of the Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin, who trained the cohort in QPR, Mental Health First Aid for Adults, and Mental Health First Aid for Youth.
One graduate, Lashay, summed up what the OFS community means to her: "The people in the building really care. If you need something, if you need anything, they're here."
What Their Instructor Saw
For Nicole, the most meaningful part of the cohort was not a single milestone, but the steady, personal change she watched in each participant.
"I have watched you build confidence, strengthen your communication skills, and develop a better understanding of what it means to be a professional," she told the graduates.
She also reminded them that progress often looks small. "Growth doesn't always happen in one big moment. Sometimes it's asking a question when you're nervous, accepting feedback, helping a classmate, or choosing to keep going when something feels difficult."
Nicole also praised the way the group lifted each other. "You supported your classmates, worked together, and created an environment where everyone had an opportunity to learn and grow."
Her message to the graduates: "Today is not the end; it is the beginning of your next chapter."
A Community That Keeps Showing Up
Jasmine Banks, OFS Deputy Director of Empowerment Programs and Strategic Initiatives, told graduates the real goal is what comes after the program: "At the end of that is employment or post-secondary education, really whatever it is that you want to do."
She celebrated those who landed jobs, enrolled in school, or prepared for interviews.
"You showed up, and you relied on yourself; you bet on yourself, and you did it," Jasmine said.
She also reminded the graduates that their OFS family is for life: "We have a saying at Operation Fresh Start, 'Once OFS, always OFS.' That means that when you're out there doing great things, I want to hear about it. When you're out there, and you might need a helping hand, I want to hear about it."
Hailey said that support is already felt: "We're not alone. I feel like everybody here is very nice and passionate about us and wants us to succeed."
Looking Ahead
The graduates are heading toward futures in the medical field, and they carry the gratitude of the community with them.
"All of us in here need health care," Jasmine said. "I look forward to being able to see one of you and say, look at here, this is somebody that had an impact on us as much as we had on them."
Congratulations to the CareerPoint Healthcare graduates, and thank you to every family member, partner, and staff member who helped them get here.
