How apprenticeships can help veterans find their calling

Serving our country requires a great deal of sacrifice. That’s in part why the U.S. government makes benefits available to veterans after their service. The GI Bill is one way veterans can reintegrate into civilian society.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, GI Bill benefits help you pay for college, graduate school and training programs. Since going into effect in 1944, such a provision has helped qualifying veterans and their family members access funds to cover all or some of the costs for school or training.

Apprenticeships fall under the training program category. An apprenticeship is a type of employment in which an individual learns a trade or occupation through on-the-job training and structured learning. What’s particularly different than other work arrangements for students is that apprentices earn a paycheck from the outset and their income grows as they become more experienced.

Apprenticeships carry some weight, too. Those who complete a Registered Apprenticeship program boost an industry-issued, nationally recognized, portable credential – what’s known as a Completion of Registered Apprenticeship certificate. Many programs also facilitate the pursuit of a secondary or post-secondary degree simultaneously.

So what does this program have to do with the GI Bill? A veteran in an approved program can qualify for the GI Bill’s benefits to receive a tax-free stipend, in addition to the entry-level wage. Speaking of approved programs, Registered Apprenticeships work in traditional industries such as construction and manufacturing, although some may find a niche in healthcare, information technology, energy and telecommunications. The Registered Apprenticeship program offers access to 1,000 career areas.

A Registered Apprenticeship program is sponsored by an individual business or an employer association and may be interface with a union or unions. The sponsor sets the minimum qualifications for its program, may include educational attainment, the ability to perform physical functions essential to the work, and certain work experience.

Interested in learning more? To enter an apprenticeship program, you may be required to undergo a pre-apprenticeship training program. You will need to find a sponsoring organization. A list of registered program sponsors is accessible here.