Veterans Training Programs: Bridging the Gap Between Military and Civilian Careers
Veterans are a significant part of society since they have dedicated their time and energy to the protection of their country. However, the transition from disciplined military life to civilian life is not easy especially when it comes to employment. To enable this transition, several veterans training programs have been established to help the veterans transition from the military to the civilian workplace.
Importance of Veterans Training Programs
The skills and qualities that a veteran learns during his service like leadership, discipline, teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability, etc are very useful in civil employment. However, many veterans have a problem matching their military experience to a civilian job market that sometimes does not value the skills that a veteran has. Veterans training
programs fill this gap as they assist service members to acquire industry, certifications, and licenses relevant to civil employment.
Types of Veterans Training Programs
- Technical and Trade Skills Training – Most of the veterans have mechanical and technical skills that they can use in engineering, construction, or even advanced manufacturing. Helmets to Hardhats is a program that seeks to make sure that veterans get trained, apprenticed, and employed within the construction industry. Other programs offer certificates in such fields as welding, HVAC repair, and automotive technology, which to some extent may require technicality.
- IT and Cybersecurity Training - As an area of growth, MSSA, Cisco’s Veteran Talent Incubation Program, and VIP enable veterans to move to IT support, cloud computing, and cybersecurity. Such programs also offer practical training as well as professional certifications that prepare veterans for technology positions.
- The entrepreneurship programs - It is common to find veterans who want to apply their skills and knowledge to establish their own companies. Boots to Business offered by the SBA is an example of programs that assist veterans in understanding entrepreneurship and also assisting them in business development, marketing, and finance. Other programs for example Patriot Boot Camp and VETRN offer support in the form of coaching and networking to help the veterans expand their companies.
- Healthcare Training - Healthcare is another field that has expanded in terms of demand for trained personnel. Veterans who have worked in the medical field during their service can access the Veterans Affairs Transition and Care Management (TCM) programs which provide training and certification for nursing, emergency medical technician careers, and other healthcare fields. Other similar programs include MedCerts which assist the veterans in acquiring certifications in the healthcare IT and the pharmacy technician positions.
- Government and Public Service Training - Many veterans are attracted to public service occupations because of their sense of responsibility and managerial training. Some of the programs include Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses (VET TEC) offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) which offers technical training to veterans who want to work in federal, state, or local government jobs. Also, there are programs such as Hiring Our Heroes which offers job and career information for veterans seeking employment in the public and non-profit sectors.
Government Initiatives Supporting Veterans
In turn, apart from numerous private sector training programs, the U. S. government has a significant role in the support of veterans’ transition to the civilian workplace. For instance, the GI Bill has offered educational assistance to veterans by paying for their college tuition, vocational training, and certification. These benefits have been extended by the Post-9/11 GI Bill to include other monies for housing, relocation, and apprenticeship training.
The Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS), which is a branch of the U. S. Department of Labor offers other resources for veterans to seek employment. VETS supports veterans with employment challenges including; homeless or disabled veterans through the Jobs for Veterans State Grants (JVSG) and the Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP).
Benefits for Employers and the Economy
Training programs for veterans do not only help the veterans but also the employers and the economy as a whole. Hiring veterans is advantageous to employers since the veterans provide commitment, discipline, and the capacity to work under pressure. Most of the programs provide tax credits and incentives to employers who hire veterans, this can be of great benefit to the employer since they get to hire the veteran at a cheaper price while at the same time getting to build a pool of talented employees.
Furthermore, providing employment support for veterans to enable them to find employment in civilian society will help in decreasing unemployment and underemployment among the veterans and their families hence improving their financial status. This, in turn, benefits the local people and the economy as a whole since more people are employed and earn their income from within the country.
Veterans training programs are a valuable asset in helping veterans transition to civilian life and have productive careers. Such programs must be sustained and expanded through government and private funding, as these programs represent a meaningful way of recognizing the efforts of veterans and assisting them in the pursuit of new and promising careers.