Countdown to 'After the Uniform' Day 3: Veteran Retraining/Education

5/5/2012

We have made great strides in making education available to veterans when they return home from overseas. Just a few 'minor' problems:

For Profit College Greed: With the advent of the Post 9/11 GI Bill, many colleges are touting themselves as being 'military friendly'. Veterans believe the colleges and then find out after the fact that the college doesn't even know how to help them file for their GI Bill. The college just wanted their money and could care less about the varied and serious needs of a veteran who is struggling to reintegrate.
Inadequate Assistance in Choosing a Degree Field or Trade: Many veterans return home and don't really have any idea what to pursue in their education. Many end up choosing a college or trade school based on what they think will help them get a good paying job without knowing if their choice is a wise one.
Corporate Indifference: So many major corporations (and small/mid-sized businesses, for that matter) have been very remiss in hiring veterans. Now, many are complaining that there aren't enough qualified job applicants for skilled manufacturing jobs and other skill/trade sets.

OK, so maybe they are not 'minor' problems. These are very serious issues that really need to be addressed if we are going to give our returning veteran the best shot at success. Here are my ideas:

Make 'Military Friendly' A Protected Program: What do I mean by this? Lay out a set of criteria that a school must meet to be considered for the distinction. GI Bill support, additional educational subsidy on the part of the school, and accessibility of education for disabled veterans with medical support are just a few ideas. There should be an oversight organization that audits these schools on a regular basis and any school caught using the 'Military Friendly' tag without submitting to this process should be prosecuted for defrauding veterans.
Businesses Must Communicate Their Needs to Local Schools: I think this would address the second and third bullets above. Imagine if you were a returning vet and you didn't know what you wanted to pursue for a degree or trade. When you talked to admissions about it, they inform you of the needs of the local businesses - thereby allowing you to make an informed decision about what to pursue. The businesses should be involved and offer on the job training for folks that are pursuing fields of study the business needs. It's called 'Creating a Pipeline'. With so much of our labor needs over the past 20 years having been outsourced, many companies and businesses have forgotten how to do this.

I think if we can address these major issues facing returning veterans, we can drastically improve their chances for quality employment and would be bolstering the local economies with solid workers in fields they need. The key has always been working together. Let's see what happens.

4 Comments

Dana link

5/6/2012 02:56:48 am

Oh wow. I have a two year 4.0 in Business Administration from a local school. Once they determined they could make big bucks, they made an accredited degree program to accomadate veterans ONLY. I had already finished a work study program at my job so my benefits ran out before the school did but I saved the money and finished the degree. Anyway, in those days, the schools all were interested in seperating the vet from his GI Bill money and when he finished the mininimum amount of time and could not keep up, see ya and you lose....no refunds. I guess it was not any different than when my own kid went to school, 20K tuition including room and board and an if you did not have a 2.0 at the mid year see ya, no re-fund.
There are three problems.
1. the media has the public believing all vets from my generation on are suicidal drug crazed maniacs that will snap at any moment
2. there could be real exit training and counseling. but maybe six months later. 30 days prior to getting out and then follow up for real
career guidance after the soldier has time to collect his thought.
3.the economy has changed. there are not big corporations with big jobs. they have all been fiiled by Jodie. You may have to rethink what you want to do. the job you want may not even be invented yet.
But military people have technological insights that civilians don't. Not everyone kills themselves for example. Maybe thats a place to be looking. or Health Care. Creating a pipleline is great, but local schools need to start in the Jr and Sr high schools . The local tech schools are perceived as alternatives for the low level kids around here and underacheivers. That trend needs to stop.

Here one last bullet thats not a bullet.
The media needs to stop perpetuating that the Military is made up of only those that cold barely get a GED or are high school drop outs and put there by a judge. Most kids cant even qualify.

Max Harris link

5/6/2012 03:43:08 am

Dana, I agree with everything you said. The perspective that vocational training is for the dumb and uninspired is prevalent everywhere. That definitely doesn't help things.

Career Counseling link

6/20/2012 04:51:02 am

Nice information about the great strides in making education available to veterans when they return home from overseas. I like this information and also waiting for the new information.

Malaysia massage link

9/12/2012 11:05:49 pm

It was a awe-inspiring post and it has a significant meaning and thanks for sharing the information.Would love to read your next post too.
Thanks

Living with PTSD:
Every Day is a New Day