ATTACHMENT_C_-_CTTT_Instructors_Guide_12232015.pdf

Transition Assistance Program

1Instructor Guide

Slide 1 Career Technical Training Track Getting Started Advisor Introduction

Welcome to the Career Technical Training Track.

My name is ________________. And this is _____________________. We are here to assist you in and guide you through the Career Technical Training Track.

We look forward to working with you over the next two days as you prepare for your transition and future.

<Tell participants some basics about yourself and then have the other facilitator introduce him/herself>

Slide 2 Purpose

As you consider your future, we want to ensure you are able to rapidly connect to employment opportunities that align with your skills, interests, and goals. The Career Technical Training Track provides you with the information you need to plan for career success. By identifying the right training and upskilling opportunities for you, you are investing in yourself and in your future. Upskilling adds value to your resume, broadens your appeal in the workforce, and improves your economic mobility.

This course pulls together a lot of information to help you make better decisions about pursuing your career goals and selecting career training opportunities to achieve those goals, which will assist your transition from military to civilian work.

Now is the time to start positioning yourself for career success.

You may want to continue your career by working in the same field you worked in the military. Perhaps, you are looking to pursue new challenges, or new opportunities. No matter what your goals are, you should ask yourself:

• How will I accomplish them?

• What steps do I need to take?

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Materials

Throughout this workshop, we will use a Participant Guide. Let’s take a minute to talk about how it is set up. Beginning with the first tab, you’ll see that every module has its own section and there are places in each module for you to take notes, as well as follow along. There are also activities throughout this course that are included in each module. At the back of the guide, you will find appendices with some valuable information as well as a resource guide, which lists all the links we will use during the next two days.

Slide 3 Agenda Review

During this workshop, we will:

• Assess career aptitude and interest,

• Learn about industries, labor market research, career options, and upskilling opportunities, and

• Create a plan for success

Slide 4 Ground Rules

Let’s take a few minutes to talk about the ground rules we’ll use as we work together over the next two days.

We ask that during today’s briefing you:

• Actively participate by engaging in all classroom activities/exercises, taking notes, and asking questions.

• Respect other participants, including their opinions and values.

• Return from breaks on time.

• Use computers as directed.

• Turn off cell phones or put them on vibrate; if you must take a call, please leave the room so as not to disturb others and return as quickly as possible.

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Slide 5 Participant Introduction

To be able to set and accomplish goals, we first need to think about where we are currently and what our plans for the future include. Read the questions on page ____ in the Participant Guide and use your answers to introduce yourself to the other participants.

• What is your current occupation in the military?

• What types of jobs are you interested in?

• What are your strengths?

• What are your plans after separation or retirement?

Introduction to Creating a Plan

At the end of this two-day Career Technical Training Track, you will have started a plan for your future. Pursuing a new career, or building on an existing one, takes preparation. Questions and uncertainties are part of the preparation process, but there are many resources available to you to help you answer those questions. Over the next few days we will refine your career focus, so you can begin to develop an actionable career training plan.

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Slide 6 Module 1—Assess

In Module 1, Assess, we will examine personal priorities and assess skills and interests.

Slide 7 Career Choices

Have you already decided on a career for when you leave military service? As you examine your skills and interests, it is important that you not lose sight of your personal priorities. As you begin to identify your chosen career field, think about your answers to the following questions:

• Do you already have the skills to be successful in your chosen career, or do you need to seek additional training and education?

• Does the occupation match your career interests?

• Have you considered the professional and personal satisfaction that you will get from this career? There is convincing evidence that happiness at work, or the lack of it, has a measurable impact both on overall satisfaction with life and on the success of people’s careers.

• What about geographic location? Are jobs available in your chosen career field in your planned home of record?

• Have you factored in the physical environment of the occupation?

Will you be indoors, sitting all day in a cubicle? Will you be outdoors? Will you be required to work in extreme weather conditions?

• Is the pace of the career field fast paced or steady and routine?

• What about future demand for this job? Is there growth potential for this field?

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• Does this occupation provide a stable income for you to support yourself, your family, and/or your preferred lifestyle?

• What about franchising or starting your own business? All the questions above are still relevant if you are considering the entrepreneurial path.

If you haven’t decided on a career, don’t worry, we will provide you with some valuable information, tools and resources that will assist you with your choice. Once you do decide, you can come back and answer these questions to guide you toward your goals.

On page ___ of the Participant Guide, take a few moments to circle the factors that are important to you as you pursue a career.

Assessment Tools

Information from career assessments can be invaluable in guiding you in choosing a career. They can add another layer of understanding about what motivates you. These assessments are good predictors of your career preferences. There are many different types of career assessments available; each can give you a different perspective about what you need, like, and prefer. Today, we will complete two assessments: CareerScope® and the O*Net Interest Profiler.

Slide 8 CareerScope®

Now, you will complete a self-assessment that is designed to measure your aptitudes and interests. After you complete the assessment, you will use the results as well as other factors to identify potential career options.

VA, in partnership with the Vocational Research Institute, launched CareerScope®. CareerScope® will provide career recommendations that align with your interests and aptitudes.

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Slide 9

CareerScope® enhances the career and educational planning process by measuring both interest and aptitude through valid and reliable assessment tasks. CareerScope® will identify your attraction to careers as they relate to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Interest Area. It measures aptitudes that are most critical for today’s high growth and high replacement occupations through 2016.

It includes a 12-scale interest inventory and a seven-part aptitude battery. The 12-scale interest inventory categories are:

• Artistic

• Plants/Animals

• Mechanical

• Business Detail

• Accommodating

• Lead/Influence

• Scientific

• Protective

• Industrial

• Selling

• Humanitarian

• Physical Performing

Slide 10

The seven-part aptitude battery measures:

• General Learning Ability

• Verbal Aptitude

• Numerical Aptitude

• Spatial Aptitude

• Form Perception

• Clerical Perception

• Motor ability score estimates (motor coordination, finger and manual dexterity)

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Activity: CareerScope® Aptitude and Interests Assessment Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes Media/Materials: computer with internet connectivity, pencils and scratch paper Instructions: Go to page ____ in the Participant Guide and follow the instructions listed on the page. You have an hour to complete the CareerScope® assessment.

Take a 10-minute break

Slide 11

Now that you have completed the CareerScope® assessment and printed your report, it is time to review your results in the CareerScope® Assessment Profile. This report is an essential starting point for your career or educational planning process. The CareerScope® Assessment Profile provides easy-to-understand score displays, graphs and explanations, as well as career recommendations that focus upon your aptitude and interest profiles.

The first part of the Assessment Profile presents a table and a graph of your Interest results. Part two reports and displays your Aptitude results as standard scores and as percentile scores. Part three provides Recommendations based upon the overlap of your high interest and high ability areas. These recommendations can be presented in GOE/ DOT or O*NET format.

Now let’s take a look at the report in more detail. Reference page ___ in the Participant Guide for details of the report.

Slide 12

As previously stated, Part one displays the Interest results.

Occupations have been divided into 12 Interest Areas based upon the type of activities workers perform. The CareerScope® Interest Inventory includes a series of work activity statements drawn from these 12 Interest Areas.

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Your interest area scores are determined based on the criteria below.

The Interest Area scale response frequencies (“Like,” “Unsure,”and “Dislike”) is based upon the Interest Inventory statements.

The percentage of other people in comparative norm groups (total/ male/female) who gave fewer “Like” responses than you.

The percentage of “Like” responses is recorded within each of the 12 Interest areas.

Slide 13

The Individual Profile Analysis (IPA) reports your high interest areas in rank order.

The dark vertical line in the chart represents your average percentage of “Like” responses across all 12 Interest Areas.

The Interest Area Legend provides definitions and occupational examples for each of the 12 Interest Areas.

Slide 14

Part two of the report contains the Aptitude Results. The 12 Interest Areas have been divided into Work Groups, which are based upon minimum aptitude score requirements.

The Aptitude Assessment report presents the number of correct answers and the total number of items attempted within each of the assessment tasks.

The second section of the Aptitude Assessment report, the Aptitude Profile, converts and weights the seven task raw scores into six cognitive and perceptual aptitude scores.

The scores are presented in standard score format. A standard score of 100 is exactly average. Scores between 80 and 120 can be thought of as “in the average range.”

The percentile (%tile) scores report the percentage of people who scored below you. A percentile score of 50 indicates that 50% of the

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The developmental standard, is used to establish your score results.

An Aptitude Profile, may include Motor Coordination, Finger Dexterity and Manual Dexterity scores. Scores automatically reflect a standard score of 100 (50th percentile score) unless other information is manually input.

The Aptitude Legend provides definitions of all Aptitudes, gives examples of specific job tasks that require them, and lists the CareerScope® tasks that measure them.

Slide 15

Part three of the report contains Guide for Occupational Exploration and Dictionary of Occupational Titles recommendations.

The GOE/DOT subdivides the 12 Interest Areas into Work Groups.

Occupations that belong to the same Work Group require similar interests and similar aptitudes. CareerScope® recommendations focus upon Work Groups that are viable based upon the overlap of your high interest and high aptitude areas.

The O*NET recommendation report includes occupational units (OUs) that are related to your interest and aptitude profile. These are high growth/high replacement rate occupational units which are drawn from the O*NET database.

The OU Titles are listed along with OU Numbers. An OU is a cluster of related positions/occupations that share similar educational and skill training requirements.

If your report does not include recommendations, it could be that there is no overlap between your high interest and high aptitude areas. In this case, please contact the VA to utilize your Chapter 36 Educational and Career Counseling benefit or connect with your local American Job Center. This service is provided to transitioning Service members and beneficiaries using the GI Bill. To apply for free counseling services please complete and return the form located here.

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Note: Take 10 minutes to debrief the activity by asking the following questions. Allow the participants to share their thoughts and experiences.

• What are your thoughts about the results after completing the assessment?

• What relevant interests and aptitudes did you identify to pursue a particular career path?

• How will you use the assessment results? Which results surprised you?

These results combined with your personal priorities provide you a frame of reference to help you better identify potential careers to pursue.

Slide 16 Interest Profiler (when training, optional)

Now, let’s look at another way to assess your interests. This activity will help identify what motivates you.

This assessment might look familiar to you if you’ve already been through the Core Transition GPS Program. Even if you have your scores from that assessment with you, we encourage you to retake the assessment because things may be different for you today. If you want to use your previous scores, follow along for now, and we’ll show you how to do that in a minute.

Log on to the eBenefits.va.gov site to follow along. Keep in mind that directions are also in your Participant Guide on page _____.

1. Open the Following site: https://www.vets.gov. Click on the Job Seeker tab and you will see the Interest Profiler link at the bottom of the page under “Related Info”. Click on the link to take you to the homepage for the O*Net Interest Profiler on My Next Move. The Interest Profiler can help you discover your interests and how they relate to the world of work. You can find out what you like to do.

The O*Net Interest Profiler helps you decide what kinds of careers you may want to explore.

The O*Net Interest Profiler has 60 questions about work activities that describe what people do in their jobs.

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2. Read each question carefully and decide how you would feel about doing each type of work:

– Strongly Dislike

– Dislike

– Unsure

– Like

– Strongly Like

As you answer the questions try not to think about:

– If you have enough education or training to do the work.

– How much money you would make doing the work.

Just think about whether you would like or dislike doing the work.

Please answer each question, in order, before continuing. There are five screens of questions in all. You can change your answers at any time; use the “Back” button to return to an earlier screen.

This is not a test. There are no right or wrong answers. Please take your time answering the questions. There’s no need to rush. You’re learning about your interests, so you can explore work you might like and find rewarding.

3. On each screen, click the “Next” button at the bottom to continue.

Stop when you reach “Great Job”.

4. Click “Next” to see your Interest Profiler results. Your results will be ranked across six interest categories; spend a few minutes and read the characteristics of each interest category. Write your scores on page ___ of the Participant Guide for future reference.

What kind of results did you get? Do you think they are accurate? Does anyone have any questions about interpreting them?

Different careers need different amounts of education and/or training preparation. Using a specific Job Zone and your interests, the Interest Profiler will help you identify and explore careers that may be right for you.

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Slide 17

If you follow along in the Participant Guide on page ___, you’ll see each O*Net career is in one of five Job Zones, grouping careers that need the same level of experience, education, and training. The five Job Zones are:

• Job Zone 1: Little or no preparation (occupations may require a high school diploma or GED certificate)

• Job Zone 2: Some preparation (occupations usually require a high school diploma)

• Job Zone 3: Medium preparation (most occupations require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate’s degree)

• Job Zone 4: Considerable preparation (most occupations require a four-year bachelor’s degree, but some many not require the degree)

• Job Zone 5: Extensive preparation (occupations require graduate school)

Let me demonstrate how this exercise works. By selecting Job Zone 2 and based on my Interest Profiler results, the following recommend occupations came up. Some of these look interesting to me.

Before I jot down a job, let me do a little exploring by clicking on some of the occupation links.

This brings me to the “My Next Move” page with specific about my selected job. What are the categories listed that describe the job? Skills, knowledge, abilities, education, personality, job outlook, technology. For each, there is a short description. At the top of the page, it also gives two overviews: “What they do” and “On the job you would”.

Now it’s your turn. From the last point where you were in the Interest Profiler, select “Next”. Then select potential occupations of interest that fall under Job Zone 2 based on your interests for this exercise.

You’ll notice in your Participant Guide on page ___, there’s a section to write down occupations under the Job Zone 2 category. Take about 10 minutes to research and write down occupations that may be of

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Moving on, refer to page ___ in your Participant Guide; take another 10 minutes or so to research and note the occupations of interest that fall under Job Zone 3.

What did you find out for Job Zone 3? Did anyone see a career on the recommended list you’d consider? Do the results fit with your goals?

For those of you who may have moved along and researched occupations in other Job Zones, that’s perfectly fine. I encourage you to do additional research beyond this course. However, for our purposes, we want to focus on occupations for which you might already be prepared with job-ready skills, which is why we focused on careers in the Job Zone 2 and 3 categories.

Activity for Planning Preparation

Take a few minutes to answer the questions you see on page ___ of your Participant Guide.

Let’s get into pairs or small groups to discuss your results with your colleagues.

I heard some great discussion around the room. What were some of your thoughts?

Slide 18 Education and Career Counseling (Chapter 36)

There are additional tools available to assist you with career exploration.

VA provides education and career counseling through the Chapter 36 program to Servicemembers, Veterans, and current VA education beneficiaries at no charge (under USC Title 38, Section 3697). These counseling services are designed to help individuals choose a vocational direction, determine the course needed to achieve the chosen goal, and evaluate the career possibilities open to them.

These services are provided under the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) program.

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Assistance may include testing interest and aptitude, exploring occupations, setting occupational goals, locating the right type of training program, and exploring educational or training facilities that can be utilized to achieve an occupational goal.

Counseling services include but are not limited to education and career counseling and guidance; testing; analysis of and recommendations to improve job-marketing skills; identification of employment, training, and financial aid resources; and referrals to other agencies providing these services.

Slide 19

Education and career counseling services are available for individuals on active duty, if they are within 180 days of their estimated discharge date or release from active duty. The projected discharge must be under conditions other than dishonorable.

Veterans are eligible if not more than one year has lapsed since the date they were discharged or released from active duty. Also, individuals who are eligible for VA education benefits may receive education and career counseling at any time during their eligibility period.

This service is based on having eligibility for a VA education benefit program such as Montgomery GI Bill®; VR&E; Veterans Education Assistance Program; Post-9/11 GI Bill®; and Dependents’ Education Assistance Program for certain spouses and dependent children, to name a few.

Servicemembers, Veterans, and eligible dependents may apply for counseling services using VA Form 28-8832, Educational/Vocational Counseling Application. You may also write a letter expressing a desire for counseling services. To apply, print, complete, and mail the form to the nearest VA Regional Office. Applications can also be submitted through eBenefits, beginning October 1, 2015. Counseling services are provided to eligible persons at no charge.

Now that you have heard about this great benefit you have earned, is anyone interested in pursuing further education and/or career counseling services?

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Slide 20 Skills Translation

In the Veteran Employment Center™, you can use the Skills Translator to translate your military skills to civilian skills, which will allow employers to see your skills and abilities in their language, and not that of the military. Once you have translated your skills, and you are ready to build your profile in the VEC™, your skills are automatically transferred to your profile.

You can also use the Skills Translator to do additional career exploration and local labor market research, which we will discuss further in Module 3.

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Slide 21 Module 2—Learn

In Module 2, Learn, we will perform research, explore career options, and learn about upskilling opportunities.

Slide 22 Labor Market Research

This section is organized by industry research, career exploration, and local labor market research to guide attendees through a national understanding of leading trends by industry. Followed by an understanding of growing careers within these industries. And finally how these industries and careers relate to specific geographies.

Before we dive into researching labor market information, let’s review a few basic terms. The terms and definitions are also in the participant guide on page ____.

Labor Supply: Availability of suitable human resources in a particular labor market.

Labor Demand: The need for employees and workers in a particular job market such as construction or manufacturing.

Labor Market: The nominal market in which workers find paying work, employers find willing workers, and wage rates are determined.

As you begin your research, you should keep these three terms in mind. These will be a driving force in your career selection.

One resource for labor market information is the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. This website offers a wealth of resources including links to American Job Centers, Career One Stop, Service Locator, and more. We will discuss these resources in more detail during this course.

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Another resource that provides extensive labor market information and can help you answer those questions is the Veterans Employment Center (VEC™) website which is the federal government’s single authoritative internet source for connecting transitioning Servicemembers, Veterans, and their families to meaningful career opportunities. The VEC™ is the first government-wide product that brings together a reputable cadre of public and private employers with real job opportunities and provides transitioning Servicemembers, Veterans, and their families with the tools to translate military skills into plain language and build a profile or brand that can be shared – in real time – with employers who have made a public commitment to hire Veterans. Your brand will be equally valuable if you choose an entrepreneurial path.

We will now use the VEC™ to perform industry research, explore careers, and examine local job opportunities.

Slide 23 Industry Research

Industry research is important for helping you better understand the field you would like to enter. Knowing about the industry’s landscape, including its challenges and opportunities, will empower you to make good career decisions. Industry research is essential to business start-up decisions.

Questions you should consider when performing industry research include:

• What are the major trends affecting the industry today?

• What is the outlook for the industry over the next 12 months and five years?

• Who are the major industry participants?

• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key players?

Take 10 minutes to visit www.careeronestop.org/explorecareers/learn/ research-industries.aspx and explore an industry that interests you, taking note of answers to the questions above.

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Slide 24 Career Exploration

Once you’ve chosen an industry, you should consider the different career options within that industry. Think about the skills, education, and training required for different careers in that industry and how those align with your individual assessment results.

A key capability was created in utilizing MyNextMove by accessing it through the VEC™ in the eBenefits web portal. This database enables you to conduct labor market research, including Bright Outlook careers, Occupational skills and training requirement, national and state wages, and careers that are in demand.

Now let’s take a look at the site to give you an idea of how this resource can be useful. Now let’s go through the VEC™ and identify possible careers that may fit your needs.

The web address is provided in your participant guide on page ___, is http://www.ebenefits.va.gov.

Facilitator Note:

1. Click on eBenefits link provided on the slide.

2. Open Employment Center tab.

3. Scroll down to Partnered Resources and click on MyNextMove.

4. Click on Bright Outlook tab within the ”Still not sure” box below the “Search careers with key words” box.

5. Click on “Grow Rapidly”, “Large Number of Openings”, and “New and Emerging Careers” to get a listing of occupations within each area.

6. Go back to MyNextMove homepage.

7. Under “Search Careers with key words” box, conduct your job market analysis on the potential careers you identified

8. We will use Network Engineer as an example, there are many occupations listed.

9. Choose “Computer Network Support Specialist” to

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Activity: Labor Market Research Time: 45 minutes Media/Materials: computer with internet connectivity, pencils and scratch paper Instructions: Using your top three occupations, complete the activity on pages ___. Use the VEC™ to research the labor market information for your top three occupations based on your CareerScope®, or Interest Profiler, recommendations.

Next, you will compare your three occupations to select the occupation that meet your needs.

Slide 25 Jobs and Geographies

Once you’ve identified three careers that sound interesting to you, we can use the VEC™ to locate jobs in specific locations, in both the public and private sectors. Remember that not all jobs are available everywhere. Some locations have higher demand for specific industries, which you should have identified during your industry research.

There are many resources available to you to help you better understand the opportunities in your local area. There are national search engines, such as glassdoor.com, which provide information about local companies, salaries, and available jobs. Additionally, your state’s employment office usually has an individual who works directly with Veterans and employment needs; please contact your local office to be connected to this individual.

We will now explore some job opportunities through the VEC™. In the VEC™, use the Job Search tool to search the Veterans Job Bank.

You can search by keyword or job title, location, or by military job title or code. Let’s perform a search using the three occupations you identified during career exploration. Take a look at the search results. Jobs are listed by public or private and will also show the location for the position. You can click on the position to see the job descriptions and qualifications. Let’s take a few minutes for you to explore some options.

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Ask yourself these two questions as you explore:

• Am I ready to apply for the job?

• Do I still require training before applying for the job?

There are additional labor market resources in Appendix A of the Participant Guide.

Slide 26 Upskilling Opportunities

Now that you’ve identified some specific job opportunities, you may have realized that you need additional education, credentials, or just a refinement of skills to pursue the job of your choice. Upskilling may be useful in starting your own business if you need skills and certifications to enhance your brand.

Upskilling means improving your skills and knowledge to enhance your career outlook. One of the fastest ways to upskill is through training and education. There are various ways to obtain training, such as career schools or community colleges, as well as many ways to demonstrate your qualifications, such as licenses and certifications.

Now, we will look at some of the upskilling options available to you.

Slide 27

The GI Bill® program can be used for many of the types of training we will discuss below, including:

• Correspondence training

• Cooperative training

• Entrepreneurship training

• Independent and distance learning

• Institutions of higher learning undergraduate and graduate degrees

• Licensing and certification reimbursement

• Vocational/technical training, non-college degree programs

• National testing reimbursement

• On-the-job training

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• Tuition assistance top-up

• Tutorial assistance

• Vocational/technical training and apprenticeships

Those pursuing on-the-job training or apprenticeships may be eligible for additional GI Bill® benefits, including monthly housing allowance, and books and supplies stipend. Refer to page ____ of the Participant Guide for more information.

Slide 28 Private Career Schools

Career schools offer certificates for professional technical subjects.

The first technical colleges offered degrees and certificates in subjects such as computer hardware maintenance and electronics, construction trades (e.g., welding and pipefitting), nursing, and criminal justice. Now, they include a wider array of subjects such as culinary arts, bartending, travel, and real estate and schools that offer technical degrees and certifications in healthcare, graphic design, and engineering but continue to focus on professional technical needs.

Career schools offer more specific and specialized job preparation, often in a shorter timeframe. These timeframes vary from a few months to two years, depending on the program type and course load. After completion of a program, students receive a certificate.

Credits may not transfer to a college program.

Some students may do better in a career school where they will be put straight into a real-world environment, learning hands-on skills, while maintaining an interest in interactive school work.

Attending a career school has many advantages, especially if you have already identified your ideal career and are eager to start. From saving time to getting hands-on training and real-world experience, this could be the place for you.

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Slide 29

Pros:

• Immediate hands-on training, real-world experiences and career placement assistance

• Specialized programs that prepare students for a specific trade or industry

• Tuition may include everything a student will need throughout the length of the program, like books, miscellaneous fees, lab tools, and any other necessary supplies

• Can be completed in less than two years

• Most technical colleges are year-round, allowing you to complete your training more quickly

• Most technical colleges start classes more frequently than community colleges, which have traditional starting times: summer, fall, and winter

• Smaller class sizes and limited enrollment allow for one-on-one attention from instructors

• Offers unique and flexible opportunities for working students and students with families

• Training in a specific field may allow a student to bypass taking general education classes

• Most instructors are highly skilled, experienced, and connected in the fields they teach, offering a wealth of knowledge

• Career service advisors on staff at technical colleges are available to assist students in searching for employment after graduation

• Externships are often included in the technical college programs, which offer valuable, real-world experience to students.

Characteristics include:

– They vary in length, but usually last one to two days

– They generally involve shadowing a professional through a normal day’s activities and may include informational interviews, a tour of the facility, and participation in actual office projects, etc.

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– They prepare students for industry certifications in the specific field of study

Cons:

• While most career school programs are accredited, not many allow the credits you earn to be transferred to other technical, community, or four-year colleges

• Tuition at a career school is usually more expensive than the tuition at a community college

• If you really want those general education courses and the option for an advanced degree, you may want to consider other options

Slide 30 Public Community Colleges and Technical Colleges

Although many community colleges are now expanding their curriculum to offer both shorter-term and longer-term programs, they are traditionally two-year institutions. There is not always a clear-cut distinction between community colleges and publically-funded technical colleges, but technical colleges often focus on shorter-term programs. Community colleges, in contrast, are often the place where many students acquire the basic university elective requirements, such as humanities, math, arts, etc. After completing their program, at either a community or technical college, students will get a certificate or an associate’s degree.

Community college is a great option for those who want to further their education close to home and explore future four-year college opportunities.

There are a lot of benefits to attending a community or technical college. From convenience to affordability, community colleges are great for students who want a more traditional setting for learning with the option to further their education, while technical colleges offer focused training at an affordable price that leads directly to the workforce.

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Slide 31

Pros:

• Convenient 2-year programs that will earn you an associate’s or liberal arts degree

• Convenient 1-year and 2-year programs that will earn you a certificate leading directly into a career field

• Lower tuition due to public tax dollars at local, state, and federal levels

• Greater ability to transfer credits to a 4-year college or university and save money in the process

• More programs to choose from

• Time to explore different career fields before choosing a major

• Chance to improve your GPA to meet admissions requirements for a 4-year college

• Generally, all students are accepted, regardless of past academic performance

• Often located in the middle of the city, which allows for easy access to public transportation and urban amenities

• Schedule to fit the unique lifestyles of working students and students with families

Cons:

• While tuition tends to be cheaper than career schools, it usually only includes tuition and fees, requiring students to pay out-of-pocket for books and all other required supplies

• Curriculum at community colleges may be equal parts lecture and hands-on training

• Depending on the program, students may need to spend time and money on lectures and general education courses, whether they want to or not

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Slide 32 Credentials

What is the relationship between careers and credentials? Are credentials necessary? What do they do for you?

Credentials are vital to advancing your career. Additionally, it is important to ensure the credentials you pursue are highly respected, convey trust, integrity, and expertise for all who possess them, and will instill confidence or all who seek your services.

Credentials are important tools of any trade—they inform customers, clients, and peers about the quality of work you do. Credentials set professional and technical standards. As you do your research, you are likely to find you will need credentials.

Credentials supply documented proof of your ability to perform in a career field. They verify qualifications and competence and are issued to an individual by a third party with the authority or jurisdiction to issue such credentials (such as an accredited educational institution, an industry-recognized association, an occupational association, or professional society).

Private and government organizations set credentialing standards to ensure individuals meet the standards for their professions. These organizations are generally called credentialing boards.

Credentialing institutions include:

• A state educational agency

• Institution of higher education

• Professional, industry, or employer organization

• Registered apprenticeship program

• Public regulatory agency

• A program approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs

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Slide 33

There are many different kinds of credentials. What are examples of educational credentials? Common terms used to describe educational credentials include diplomas, certificates, and degrees. Credit hours are the building blocks to these credentials.

A registered apprenticeship certificate shows an individual meets approved National Apprenticeship Standards or completed a registered apprenticeship program and attained competency as an apprentice.

What are occupational licenses? Occupational licenses are typically awarded by state government agencies and are mandatory for practice. A license is in addition to education and time‐limited and must be renewed after meeting certain ongoing requirements, and violation of its terms may result in legal action.

What are some examples of certifications? (EMT, CISCO, Microsoft, etc.) Other skill certificates are for specific skillsets or competencies within one or more industries or occupations (e.g. writing, leadership, etc.). These generally attest to knowledge attainment rather than competency.

Refer to page ____in your Participant Guide for more information.

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Slide 34 We Can’t Wait Initiative

In October 2011, President Obama launched the “We Can’t Wait” Veterans initiative. Within the We Can’t Wait initiative, a fast track certification program for Veterans was instituted, which created partnerships between the military and manufacturing groups.

President Obama said, “I believe that no one who fights for this country should ever have to fight for a job when they come home.”

The aim of this initiative is to help Servicemembers get the civilian credentials they need to get jobs in manufacturing, health care, and trucking, based on their military training and experience.

In line with “We Can’t Wait”, the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marine Corps have Credentialing Opportunities On-Line,or COOL, programs. The U.S. Air Force has the Credentialing and Education Research Tool, or CERT.

Community College of the Air Force Credentialing Programs Flight

Their mission is to research and evaluate national professional credentials applicable to specific occupational specialties for possible award of CCAF collegiate credit. They assist in aligning CCAF degree programs with industry standards that lead to credentialing eligibility upon completion of an applicable degree. They also manage credentialing programs offered through CCAF, which directly support the mission of CCAF. To learn more, visit www.au.af.mil/au/barnes/ccaf/ certifications.asp

Army COOL

COOL (Credentialing Opportunities On-Line) helps Army Soldiers find information on certifications and licenses related to their Military Occupational Specialties (MOSs). COOL explains how Soldiers can meet civilian certification and license requirements and provides links to numerous resources to help get them started. To learn more, visit www.cool.army.mil/.

Navy COOL

COOL (Credentialing Opportunities On-Line) helps Navy Service

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navy.mil/usn/.

Marine Corps COOL

Marine Corps COOL is a continuously developing product for both active and reserve Marine Corps Servicemembers that defines civilian credentials that best map to Marine Corps MOSs. It outlines the path, work, training and experience required to achieve them. To learn more, visit www.cool.navy.mil/usmc/.

Using these tools, individuals can find information related to their military occupation, training, and career progression goals and investigate equivalent civilian jobs, professional certifications, and professional organizations as well as certification funding opportunities.

Slide 35 Licensing

Licensure is a mandatory process by which a governmental agency grants time-limited permission to an individual to engage in a given occupation after verifying he or she has met predetermined and standardized criteria and offers title protection for those who meet the criteria.

There is typically a minimum level of education and a competency exam that must be passed to be licensed. If an occupation is licensed, you must have the license in order to attain employment. Some states recognize licenses from other states, while others do not.

Does anyone know if their career of choice requires a license?

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Slide 36 Certification

A certification is a voluntary credential issued by a certification body, such as associations (for example, the National Commission for Certification of Crane Operators) and some private sector companies (for example, Novell Certified Engineer), based on an individual demonstrating through an examination process that he or she has acquired the designated knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform a specific job. The examination can be either written, oral, or performance-based. Certification is a time-limited credential that is renewed through a recertification process.

Some state licensure boards and some employers may require certifications as well for a particular career field. For some occupations, you may have to obtain several certifications to obtain a license.

Additionally, certifications make you more competitive and may even increase your salary.

Note that certifications are distinct from educational certificates, which are awarded by an educational institution based on completion of all requirements for a program of study, including coursework and test or other performance evaluations, similar to a degree.

Slide 37 Certificate

Has anyone received a certificate for attending a short-term class?

What is the difference between being certified and receiving a certificate?

You can get a certificate after attending a training class that only lasted a day, but you are highly unlikely to become certified in the subject of that class. When you receive a certificate, it is for attendance and not for demonstrating knowledge or competence. You can also earn a certificate from an educational institution after completing a program of study that prepares you to enter the workforce.

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Slide 38 Coursera

Coursera is an educational platform providing courses in a wide variety of disciplines from accredited schools and institutions worldwide, including but not limited to information technology, business and management, and education. All course material is available at no cost, and additionally, Coursera provides all Veterans with one free verified certificate upon completion of any Coursera course.

Slide 39 Apprenticeship

Apprenticeship is a combination of on-the-job training and related instruction in which workers learn the practical and theoretical aspects of a highly skilled occupation. Apprenticeship programs are most common in the skilled trades, such as when becoming an electrician.

Apprenticeship programs are sponsored by joint employer and labor groups, individual employers, and/or employer associations.

Apprenticeships are required for many technical careers.

Slide 40

Pros:

• A prevailing benefit to an apprenticeship is it may be registered and provide opportunities for workers to seek high-skilled-high paying jobs; employers are able to build a qualified workforce. This program is a leader that prepares American workers to compete in a global economy.

• Earn a paycheck: may increase with time as you learn new skills

• Hands-on career training: you’ll receive practical OJT in a wide selection of program, such as healthcare, construction, information technology and geospatial technology

• An education: hands-on training with the potential to earn college credit, an associate or bachelor’s degree; may be paid for your employer

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• A career: once you’re complete, you’re on your way to a successful long-term career with a competitive salary and little or no educational debt

• National industry certification: when you complete the program you’ll most likely be certified and can take the certification exam in any state; you may want to check with your local state agency for additional qualifications or certifications

• Recognizable partners: many of the nation’s most recognized companies have Registered Apprenticeship programs

Cons:

• Apprenticeships are highly regulated by states, the federal government, and organizations that sponsor them. These regulations cover pay rates for apprentices, working conditions, and quality of instruction. Of course, with regulation there may be some negatives to include age limits, as well as no guarantee of permanent employment after the apprenticeship; however, you may receive a paycheck when completing the apprenticeship.

Slide 41

We talked about Apprenticeships and how they benefit both the employee and the employer. Let’s look at the site and see what is available.

We will take a look at www.dol.gov/apprenticeship/.

As you can see on the website, you can enroll in a registered apprenticeship on this site; view other people’s success stories, search for apprenticeship programs by state, and much more.

Take a few minutes to look through this site, you’ll find the links on page ___ of the Participant Guide, to see if there is an apprenticeship for your career of choice. Be sure to take notes on information you find that may be useful to you.

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Slide 42 Union versus Non-Union

When selecting an apprenticeship program, it is important you are aware of the differences between union and non-union apprenticeships. Each path comes with its own type of working styles and benefits. Union-sponsored programs may only provide work in union positions and union contracts. Non-union programs will allow you to take non-union positions and contracts.

The gaps between union and non-union contractors may have closed somewhat, but important differences remain. The main points of distinction appear in the areas of location, training, compensation, and workforce flexibility.

Union workers have long laid claim to being the most thoroughly trained workers in the business. The common denominator for union training programs is that they are an intensive training program combining classroom work with supervised on-the-job training.

Non-union training may be just as good. However, when taking an apprentice position, you want to make sure the contractor or company you will be working for provides you quality training to give you the career skills you need for the long term. Make sure you get what you want out of your apprenticeship and it is in line with what the company wants to provide. Do not be afraid to ask questions.

Union workers often enjoy a guaranteed minimum wage or salary, even if they change shops, and may also receive other union benefits like insurance for them and their families. However, union membership requires dues, which can be significant. Also, union jobs may pay less than non-union jobs—particularly if there are more union workers than work in your area. Moreover, there may be a good supply of non-union work that union workers cannot touch if they want to maintain good union standing.

For many contractors, one of the most valuable aspects of hiring union workers is being able to hire from a pool of trained and qualified workers to supplement their workforce. Selecting workers through the union ensures a base level of capability.

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Slide 43 On-the-Job Training

On-the-job training focuses on the acquisition of skills within the work environment, generally under normal working conditions.

Through on-the-job training, workers acquire both general skills they can transfer from one job to another and specific skills unique to a particular job.