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How Can a Veterans Career Transition Program Benefit You?
A Veterans career transition program enables and empowers service members transitioning from active or reserve duty to make a seamless transition into the civilian workforce. Recently separated Veterans may also get support.
Employers are looking for the specialized skills and training that current and soon to be Veterans bring to the workplace, and Veterans career transition programs help them connect with the right candidate. Veterans career transition programs can also help a Veteran start a business or learn a new trade.
There is support available for Veterans struggling to meet the demands of civilian employers or are unsure where to go next.
With this in mind, VA Claims Insider is proving this comprehensive Veterans career transition roadmap. This article will put Veterans on the right path you explore what a veterans career transition program is right for them, and find the path to a new civilian career.
What is a Veterans Career Transition Program?
A Veteran career transition program is a complimentary service for the retired military personnel. The idea behind this initiative is to assist and enable the U.S. military veterans to return to civilian career and life.
Therefore, if you are a Veteran who just came out of service or in the last 12 months, you are eligible for personalized transition help. The basic layout is professionals helping you train via series of sessions such as job searching, resume writing, mock interviews, etc.
This will not only help you identify your future goals but make the most of the benefits and resources at your disposal.
Several programs will offer you free ongoing help with job searches, workshops, coaching on the transition from military to civilian life, etc. Moreover, your spouse can also avail of this service to help with their transition into a civilian career and lifestyle.
The Department of Veteran Affairs aims to increase the U.S. Veteran’s employment rate by improving their transitioning phase. A Veterans career transition program will help build your self-confidence and enhance your financial stability via job searching skills, training, 1-to-1 coaching, and practical tools.
Example of a Veterans Career Transition Program
Veterans Career Transition Program or VCTP by the Virginia Department of Veterans Services is helping eligible veterans and their families for quite some time. The program runs at Syracuse University in their Institute of Veterans and Military Families.
If you are a Veteran, a Veteran’s spouse, spouse of active duty personnel, you can avail of this program for free. This program gets funding from JPMorgan Chase & Co and focuses on offering Veterans and their families solutions to face civilian life challenges.
Apart from that, you can also enroll in specific educational and training programs to broaden or enhance your skillset. You can avail of a tech or professional skills track led by an advisor on a quarterly basis. Another option is the Independent Study Track that is available to start at any time.
Promisingly, you can even avail of online courses any time from any location, which is ideal during the COVID-19 lockdown.
How Veterans Career Transition Works
If you are a Veteran serving in an I.T. team dealing with secure internet connections, radio and satellite communications, etc., you would think about pursuing the same career during the transition.
However, it is not as easy as it sounds because when you go to a private employer for an interview, they will have a tough time reading your resume. Why? Well, the main reason is the communication gap between the military and civilian industries and employers.
Both domains speak different languages when it comes to how things work. Therefore, a private employer may struggle to gauge and understand what duties you have been performing in the military services.
This can makes the entire transition difficult and stressful. Veterans may find it hard to convey the depth and breadth of their expertise and knowledge to a civilian employer. The scenarios and example Veterans use to explain themselves can leave a prospective employer puzzled.
This is where a Veterans career transition program can be a savior. Here are several examples that can provide a Veteran the help they need to find a perfect new role.
8 Veteran Career Transition Programs
If you are a transitioning active duty member of the U.S. military or a Veteran, you can avail of one of several free veterans career transition programs. These programs will train you to adapt to your civilian lifestyles, meet its demands, manage your expectations, and thrive in the civilian workforce.
Boots to Business (B2B)
B2B is an entrepreneurial program helping educate and train the Veterans. This is a combined effort by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and Defense Transition Assistance Program (TAP). The Boots to Business course will give you career training with applicable business fundamentals and tips to tap into your entrepreneurial skills.
The program begins with a 2-day introductory course, and upon completion, you can decide if you wish to pursue it further. You can enroll online, and the course delivery happens in partnership with Mississippi State University.
Reboot
If you are a Veteran with an inclination towards starting your own business, Reboot can equip you with knowledge of business fundamentals. You can enroll in a one or today course and learn about how to evaluate a business concept. Moreover, they can help you with finding resources to fund your startup and more.
VETRN
If you are a Veteran or a family member with a small business, VETRN can train you to successfully grow your business without charging you any fee. This is an executive MBA degree based on the “StreetWise MBA” program.
VETRN has the right to teach this course to veteran cohorts. Once you enroll in this program, they will assign you a mentor from the first day, and you will get access to an effective professional network.
However, to be eligible, you must have been a business owner for a year or more with at least one employee and annual revenue of $75,000 or more.
VetFran
If you are a Veteran interested in franchise ownership or anything to do with the franchising sector, VetFran is the answer. This is a strategic initiative by IFA – International Franchise Association helping veterans connect with 600 IFA member companies to get an education, support, and financial incentives in the franchising business.
VBOCs
The Veteran Business Outreach Centers operate in partnership with SBA. The program offers entrepreneurial development training and services to U.S. Veterans.
This veterans career transition program will offer you business training, resources, partner referrals, and counseling. The training also includes business plan workshops, business plan preparation, business concept assessment, mentorship, and much more.
National Veterans Entrepreneurship (VEP)
This program is especially for veterans with a service-related disability. VEP is a comprehensive training and support program for veterans. The course entails a self-study schedule with an 8-days residency program in one of the three states, i.e., Florida, Oklahoma, or Tennessee.
Upon completion of the residency, you will receive five months of mentorship and support. The best part is that VEP covers all your expenses related to meals, accommodation, travels, instructions, materials, etc.
If you wish to know about other entrepreneurial veterans career transition programs, check Veteran Institute of Procurement, Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (EBV), and Bunker Labs.
Patriot Boot Camp (PBC)
Patriot Boot Camp is a nationwide 501(C) (3) non-profit organization since 2012. They strive to create a community that can support and help Veteran military members and their spouses become businessmen, innovators, and creators in the civilian world.
You can enroll in an intensive 3-day core program by PBC that offers extensive training on industry practices. Moreover, they will get you ready for competitions, secure a job interview, prepare a resume, and acing an interview by conducting mock interviews resembling real-life scenarios.
Vets First Verification Program
If you are a Veteran looking for Veterans career transition counseling, the Vets First Verification Program can help. They will offer free counseling at one of their procurement technical assistance facilities across the country.
Moreover, you can attend free webinars and access extensive educational and training material on their online portal.
The Take-Away
Veterans and soon to be veterans in the middle of a transition can find a job that checks every box. The truth is most private employers look for the traits that are found in the military such as flexibility, loyalty, leadership, and commitment to learning. Enrolling in a Veterans career transition program can help make the search easier.
So what are you waiting for?
If you are a Veteran leaving active or reserve service, and are interested in filing a claim for VA disability benefits, you may have heard the common VA myth that working with 100% VA disability rating is not allowed.
There are a lot of different reasons why Veterans receive a 100% VA rating, and there are a lot of different opportunities Veterans may work with 100% VA disability rating.
If you are thinking about filing a claim with the VA, you can learn about initial VA disability claims here.
Since 2016, VA Claims Insider has helped thousands of VA Claims Insider Elite Members get the VA rating and compensation they deserve in less time. If you are interested in learning more about the VA Claims Insider Elite Membership, or have general questions about your VA claim, click here to get started today and a Veteran Coach will be in touch within minutes.
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About the Author
About VA Claims Insider
VA Claims Insider is an education-based coaching/consulting company. We’re here for disabled veterans exploring eligibility for increased VA disability benefits and who wish to learn more about that process. We also connect veterans with independent medical professionals in our referral network for medical examinations, disability evaluations, and credible independent medical opinions and nexus statements (medical nexus letters) for a wide range of disability conditions.
