Fort Hood Career Skills Program

Us Army Career Skills Program: A Pathway To Civilian Employment

I proudly served my country faithfully in the U.S. Army for more than 31 years, and I knew the decision to retire was going to be life-changing process. So before making that decision, I started having conversations with my mentors to ensure I was taking the appropriate steps and making the right decisions for me and my family.

For example, I spoke with one of my most influential mentors, retired Command Sgt. Maj. Luther Thomas Jr., the 12th senior enlisted adviser for the Army Reserve. He walked me through the process of preparing an exit strategy from the military, which consists of different phases that start about four years out from a service members proposed retirement date. He urged me to take my transition from the Army seriously and to take advantage of all the opportunities afforded to me because, as he put it, You only get one time to transition. I participate in the Soldier for Life–Transition Assistance Program, and he reminded me it was my responsibility to make the most of the courses and to start thinking about a civilian career a few years before leaving the military. This was to ensure I was prepared to obtain my desired job. It also gave me time, if needed, to complete any degrees, certifications, or credentials to qualify for a civilian profession.

Sgt. Maj. Derrick Witherspoon is the sergeant major for U.S. Army Reserve Command Public Affairs.

Surgical Technologist Fort Hood

hour shifts including nights and/or weekends. 40 hours per week as scheduled, Sunday through Saturday including Weekends, Federal holidays, and Training

What Is The Armys Career Skills Program & Skillbridge

The Armys Career Skills Program falls under The Veterans Opportunity to Work and Hire Heroes Act of 2011 and requires service members separating from the military to attend the Transition Assistance Program . The VOW Act also required the U.S. Department of Labor to redesign its employment workshop, the largest component of the TAP curriculum, to be more applicable to the realities of today’s job market.

The Career Services program affords transitioning soldiers:

• the opportunity to participate in first-class apprenticeships, on-the-job training , job shadowing, and employment skills training up to 180 days prior to separation from the Army.
• the opportunity to move into high-demand and highly-skilled jobs.

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A16 Coding Training Institute

A16 Coding Training Institute is to improve and enrich the lives of our students by equipping them with the highest level of education, knowledge, instruction and to also provide the team with the tools needed for their success in achieving their career goals. Soldiers will earn a certification that will qualify them for employment opportunities with various healthcare providers in different locations.

POC: Ivonne Atanacio, Owner/Instructor/Administrator.

Warrior Training Advancement Course

Warrior Training Advancement Course is a skill-bridge education and employment opportunity for Wounded Warriors and transitioning Service members to complete a national-level VBA training program while still on active duty.

Successful completion of this training program leads to an employment opportunity at 55 of VBAs 56 Regional Offices around the country.

WARTAC is open to Wounded Warriors and active-duty Service members in the transition process. The program provides participants with an opportunity to learn the skill set of a VA Rating Veteran Service Representative or Veteran Service Representative . The duration of the VSR class is 6 week and the duration of the RVSR class is 11 weeks.

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The Army Career Skills Program Affords Transitioning Service Members The Opportunity To Participate In Employment Skills Training On

CSPs are offered as a COHORT or an Individual Internship. A COHORT is an approved CSP that is hosted/sponsored at an IMCOM Garrison, which follows a scheduled program offering in a group setting of 5-50+ participants. Individual Internships are for career training opportunities with companies that do not have a COHORT approved program. Individual Internships must be approved prior to Service Member participation. Approved COHORT and Individual Internship programs must complete a rigorous approval process to ensure the best training and care will be provided to our participants. Soldiers are authorized to attend CSPs more than 50-miles from their permanent duty station in an Administrative Absence status .

CSPs are available to all transitioning Soldiers who meet eligiblity requirements, with a focus on the “at-risk” Soldiers. Soldiers are considered “at-risk” if they are between ages 18-24, are first-term enlistees, medically separating, or involuntarily separating due to force shaping per AR 600-81.

Important Things to Know When Traveling More Than 50-miles From Permanent Duty Station To Attend An Approved CSP

What Is The Career Skills Program

Theres no doubt the military-to-civilian transition can be challenging for some members of our military, said retired Lt. Gen. Raymond Mason, Army Emergency Relief Director. Twenty-six percent of all veterans, and 47 percent of those who served since 9/11, said that readjusting to civilian life after years in the military can be difficult. However, in the face of these challenges, the Army has made it its mission to continue supporting Soldiers throughout their military career, including the transition out and start of their new post-service lives. AER is proud to support this goal and lessen the obstacles that can come with making the military-to-civilian transition.

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This Army Job Training Program Has A 93% Success Rate

There are a lot of programs for separating veterans looking for their first civilian job, but one Army program has the numbers to back up its success. For the soldiers who use it, the Army’s Career Skills Program has seemingly mastered what it takes to put veterans in a new post-military career.

All soldiers are required to take a five-day Transition Assistance Program class before they separate. What is unique about the Career Skills Program is that it provides training opportunities for soldiers interested in critical in-demand career fields.

After completing mandatory TAP training and up to 180 days before separating, interested soldiers can find a CSP training program in their new, chosen career field and use a permissive temporary duty assignment to attend the program, if it’s more than 50 miles from their permanent duty station.

Soldiers interested in a new job can catch apprenticeships, on-the-job training, job shadowing and internships in some 210 different Career Skills Programs. Opportunities range from auto maintenance and repair to pipefitting and welding to solar energy technology.

And it doesn’t have to have anything to do with the soldier’s military occupational specialty.

The best part of all is that since 2015, the Army has placed 21,000 transitioning soldiers in new jobs with a stunning 93% success rate. In 2019 alone, 4,782 soldiers left the military fully trained for their new full-time job — with no gap in employment.

Video And Photo Gallery

Take a look at everything the VIP program is doing for our returning veterans through videos and photos.

Pipefitters Local 455, St. Paul, MN, Apprentice David Adams is pictured on the job working for Pioneer Piping, Incorporated at the Flint Hills Refinery in MN.

Camp Pendleton VIP Graduate turned out as Journeyman and makes a life in Butte, MT, with Local 41.

Orry graduated on April 9, 2015 and affiliated with UA Local 455, St. Paul, MN.

Sgt. Jerry Heneha, A Battery, 1st Battalion, 31st Field Artillery, puts together a valve system in preparation for his final week of the United Association’s Veterans in Piping program at the Industrial Training Complex Photo Credit: Ms. Marie Berberea

Fort Sill’s inaugural Sprinkler Fitter class began on 2 March 2015.

SFC Michael Olsen and 1SG William Davidson presented their instructors Louis Purcella and Micah Tyler with a momentum from the class.

SGT Howard Nash is headed to Harrisburg, PA, to affiliate with Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 520.

Gail Pilecki was so proud of her son, SGT Jeremy Pilecki, on graduation day. SGT Pilecki will make his home in Houston, affiliating with Pipefitters Local 211.

1SG William Davidson gave the graduate testimonial. He will remain with his family in Waco, TX, affiliating with Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 529 in Waco, TX.

SFC Michael Olsen and his wife, Amanda, will remain in the area, affiliating with Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 529 in Waco, TX.

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How Will Aer Help

Army Emergency Relief committed $3 million in grants to support Soldiers approved for CSP. AERs support of the program further expands its commitment to the Armys No. 1: People.

Assistance may be provided as a grant up to $500 for participation in a local continental United States CSP, a grant up to $1,000 for participation in a non-local CONUS CSP or a grant up to $2,000 for Soldiers traveling from outside continental United States to participate in a CONUS CSP.

AER Assistance may cover costs related to CSP as follows:

• All forms of travel

As the Armys official nonprofit, we are proud to support Soldiers making the transition to civilian life, Mason said. All told, our new CSP commitment can help more than 3,000 Soldiers pursue the next step in their careers.

Employment Assistance And Career Services

Referrals are made to networks of military-friendly employers for MyCAA spouse participants who have completed their programs of study using MyCAA funding and who are ready to seek gainful employment. Examples includethe Military Spouse Employment Partnership, USAJOBS.gov, CareerOneStop.org, and Blue Star Families Blue Star Career Center.

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Commands / Installation Offices

Its a fact that every Service member will eventually leave the military. The vast majority will pursue careers in the civilian workforce. Their success in doing so reflects directly on what they say to their peers about the value of military service. Learn how you can help make the return to the civilian workforce as seamless as possible so the experiences Service members share with friends and family are positive ones.

What Do Participants Receive

After completing the HBI Transitioning Military Program, students are fully trained and certified to work in a construction trade. HBIs PACT program prepares participating service members to fill semi-skilled positions upon completion. A second phase of the program provides participants comprehensive job placement support. Our goal is to ensure that each participant is prepared to find gainful employment and pursue a thriving new career. We equip our graduates with the confidence needed to successfully transition, regardless of geographic location, upon retiring their service uniform. PACT graduates emerge from the program highly skilled, certified and in demand by employers in the construction industry.

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Job Posting For Program Manager At Orsa Technologies Llc

ORSA Technologieshas an opening for a Program Manager supporting the US Army Operational Test Command Test Technology Support Services contract at Fort Hood, TX. This is a full-time position, contingent upon contract award.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Engineer Technical series
• 10 years of experience with military systems and direct management in leading a team
• 5 years of experience in DoD test and evaluation
• Must be a US Citizen
• Must possess a current Top Secret Clearance
• Must fluently speak, read, understand, and write the English language

Security Clearance: Candidate must possess a current TS Clearance

Equal Opportunity Employer: ORSA Technologies is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex , national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, any other non-merit factor, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Scholarship For Military Spouses

The Department of Defense Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts program provides up to $4,000 of Financial Assistance for military spouses pursuing degree programs, licenses or credentials leading to employment in Portable Career Fields.

Who is eligible for the MyCAA Scholarship Program?

Military spouses meeting the following criteria are eligible to participate in the MyCAA Scholarship program: Spouses of service members on Active Duty, under Title 10 orders Spouses of service members with pay grades of E-1 through E-5, W-1 through W-2, O-1 through O-2.

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Fort Hood: Program Helps Soldiers Learn New Career Transition To Life After Military

KILLEEN, Texas – When its time for soldiers to leave the army, many say its hard to take the next step in life. Theres a program for Fort Hood soliders to get them started on a new path.

Soldiers in the Operation LevelUp program will be sitting down in front of their computers Monday to not just learn about software engineering, but also a few life skills.

Matt Elledge, a former garrison commander at Fort Hood, helped come up with the idea.

He said he saw the need for a program like this during his time on post, so he and others created the 18 week program.

I knew the programs we had on Fort Hood, I thought they were good programs, Elledge said. I just knew that there was a select population that wanted to be in the tech industry, or at least go see what it was like.

It not only helps teach soldiers how to code, but also gives them soft skills like interviewing for jobs and networking.

Laura Evans graduated from the program in 2020, and she said it changed her life.

I just hope to inspire other women and other Latinas and Latinos and other veterans to come in and try, see if they, see if they can open up that horizon and really see what tech can do, Evans said.

Elledge said he is always looking for ways to help soldiers transition, because a successful transition is important to their mental health.

Right now, the program is only for soldiers at Fort Hood, but Elledge said Operation LevelUp is planning to expand in the future.

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Training And Education Financial Assistance

MyCAA provides a maximum education benefit of up to $4,000 with an annual fiscal year cap of $2,000 to assist eligible military spouses in acquiring a professional credential needed to meet their portable career goal. Annual cap waivers are available if there is an upfront tuition cost that exceeds $2,000 .

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Reasons To Consider Wartac

• Long-term career opportunity with many advancement opportunities.
• Quality career opportunity with a mission of service to country and fellow Veterans.
• Answers the what’s next question by providing a career opportunity with the federal government, thereby reducing Veteran homelessness and unemployment rates.

Industry Partners / Employers

The Department of Defense invests tens of thousands of dollars in training for its Service members. This formal training is supplemented by extensive on-the-job training and accumulated hands on experience gained throughout the Service members career. Through the SkillBridge program, you can tap into the expertise of former Service members by sponsoring internship and pre-apprenticeship opportunities through the SkillBridge program.

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What Is The Army Credentialing Assistance Program

The Army Credentialing Assistance programincreases the Soldiers value to and competitiveness ofthe Army through helping Soldiers attain industry recognized credentials. Credentialing Soldiers improves Army readiness through retention of quality Soldiers, enhances Soldier career progression, and provides Soldiers with skills and capabilities reflective of civilian qualifications. Funding is provided for voluntary off-duty courses and/or exams leading to an industry-recognized academic or vocational credential listed in the Army COOLwebsite.

Aer Allocates $3 Million In Grants Towards Career Skills Program Assistance

Army Emergency Relief supports the U.S. Armys Career Skills Program by providing grants to Soldiers. The AER CSP support initiative will be piloted for 60 days at Fort Hood, Fort Bliss, and JBLM beginning 19 July 2021. After successful completion of the pilot program, AER intends to roll out the CSP Assistance Program at all installations worldwide. A decision will be made for Army-wide implementation on or after 17 September 2021.

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How To Apply

Only Soldiers at Fort Hood, Fort Bliss, and JBLM are currently eligible for this pilot program. Other locations should check back in after the pilot has concluded on or after September 17. To apply or learn more, Soldiers should contact their local AER officer or, in the event a local office is inaccessible or located further than 50 miles away, please contact AER headquarters at assistance@aerhq.org

Use our Office Locator tool to find your nearest AER Office.

Pilot locations will be asked to participate in a follow-up Teams session midway through the pilot period to get feedback on any recommended procedural improvements and capture Lessons Learned. Additionally, pilot locations will be asked to participate in a final Teams session at the end of the Pilot period to conduct an After Action Review of the CSP Pilot. After successful completion of the pilot program, AER intends to roll out the CSP Assistance Program at all installations worldwide.