Higher Education for MILITARY - FEATURED SCHOOLS ON PAGE 12-13 CivilianJOBS.com’s
The Essential Military-to-Civilian Transition Resource July - August 2015
militarytransitionnews.com
Back to School: Is it Right for You? by Heidi Lynn Russell Contributing Editor
Y
ou’ve amassed experience in the military, and you’re a proven professional in your field. So is extra schooling even necessary? Wouldn’t it be better to jump into a civilian job without spending time in a classroom? It depends, say student recruiters at military-friendly universities. There are indeed situations when you can do just fine with your current qualifications, but some fields require a degree. When you consider the big-picture prospects of career ladder climbing, expertise pertaining to the job niche can result in higher financial rewards. Here is a four-step process to help you determine whether to go back to school: Step One: Gather intelligence about your field. Don’t take classes in a vacuum. You could spin your wheels and potentially lose
time and money. Figure out what you want to do first. Then find out if a degree is necessary for that specific career, says Dr. Jeff Cropsey, Grantham University Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and External Relations Cropsey also is President of the Council of College of Military Educators. This will be more obvious in some fields than others. Cropsey was a military policeman when he exited the Army in 1972, but he knew he wanted to be a history teacher, a vastly different field. Other situations are not as clear cut. Talk to as many people as possible, like recruiters at career fairs. Ask about the corporation’s educational requirements for your “dream job,” Cropsey says. You also can make connections on LinkedIn. Ask veterans who are already working in the profession whether a degree
served them well. And talk to career counselors at TAP offices. Or call professional organizations for their educational recommendations. In some instances, obtaining a license or certification is sufficient, Cropsey says. For example, “Microsoft certification is a gold ticket, regardless of your background educationally, and that can be completed in a year or less stateside,” he says. Check out the websites of the VA (https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ ebenefits/jobs) and the Department of Labor (https://www.ebenefits. va.gov/ebenefits/jobs/), which offer extensive information to help you determine educational, license and certification requirements for various careers. Technical schools offer a wide range of classes to help you obtain certification and licensure. “Get a sense of what’s out there, who’s hiring, and get the requirements. When you have at
least two years to go on active duty, it’s time to get education or training lined up,” Cropsey says. Step Two: Crunch the numbers on your potential income with a degree. Pay can significantly increase in some fields with a degree but will remain stagnant without one. A good example is nursing, says Bill Vinson, President of Herzing University’s Madison, Wis. campus. The school’s “Vet2RN” program creates an accessible path for military combat medics to parlay
their active duty experience into a nursing degree or RN license in as short as one year. “Financially it’s significantly different. They make significantly more with the initials ‘R.N.’ behind their name,” Vinson says. “If they liked what they were doing as a medic, I suggest they go back to school and pursue it to the next level.” Military medics are outperforming other nursing students at Herzing. Whether you’re a medic or in another career field altogether, do continues page 4
Spouse Series: Feeling the College Fear and Doing It Anyway
by Janet Farley Contributing Editor
S
o you’re thinking about going to college but you have some concerns. Maybe the last time you sat in a classroom was during your senior year of high school. A lot has happened in your life since then.
You’ve found the uniformed love of your life and married him or her. You experienced your fair share of PCS moves. And somewhere between the first set of orders and the last, you started a family, landed a job or two and bought a minivan. In short, you grew up. You’re not done growing professionally,
however. Being the smart cookie you are, you know that having a college degree will help you out in the long run on many levels. Still, you’re hesitant and maybe even a tad bit scared. You have questions. 1. How will you ever find the time to study and go to classes? 2. How will you afford it without breaking the budget or your children’s college fund? 3. Is it even possible to juggle it all? Here are the answers. 1. You’ll figure it out.
2. You’ll figure it out. 3. Yes it is and I’ve met the proof. Her name is Angela Davis. Davis is an Army spouse and a mother of three children under the age of 15. She holds down three different jobs. She is a wine vendor for E&J Gallo Winery, a sales associate for Armin and Marion Hometextiles and a blogger for Mymilitarysavings.com. Davis is also part-time student at the University of Maryland, University College (UMUC) in Germany where she and her family are currently stationed.
“You may think you don’t have time to go to college, but you do,” Davis says. Davis is working toward a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in sociology. She is nearly at the halfway point of reaching her goal, as she is two classes short of earning her associate degree. Ultimately, Davis wants to work with children. “I know that I eventually want a career where I can help them in some way, possibly as a counselor,” Davis says. continues page 6
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Profile: Troops to Teachers ....................page 2
Transition Talk: MBA vs. Job ....................page 3
Finance: Before you go back to school ......... page 18
Career Coach’s Corner: 10 transition tips ..... page 21
Job Fairs: Summer season schedule ................page 22