Army Guard apprenticeship program launched to assist Soldiers, employers
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy
National Guard BureauWASHINGTON (12/14/10) -- While skills learned in the military have long been valued by many employers, Army National Guard Soldiers can now obtain apprenticeship certifications through the Guard Apprenticeship Program Initiative, which will allow those same skills to translate more easily into requirements many employers are seeking.
The program, which launched in a ceremony Monday, partners with the Department of Labor to provide for national apprenticeship certification in a variety of Military Occupational Specialties, said Army Maj. Robert A. Lee, program manager at the National Guard Bureau, adding that it gives Guard Soldiers another advantage in the civilian workforce.
"The advantage is, it takes 2,000 to 6,000 clock hours of instructional time and on-the-job training to get the license or certificate," Lee said. "With the Department of Labor having already signed off on it, Soldiers could be spotted up to two years of credit (toward those apprenticeship requirements)."
The specific requirements and credits awarded vary between each MOS and its associated civilian apprenticeship program. The amount of time or experience a Soldier is credited with will be based on time of service, schools attended and other factors that will be reviewed during an initial assessment when entering the program, said Lee...
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(H/T Jane)