Serving in the United States Military you have a number of different educational opportunities that are available to you. When serving on Active duty you have a number of different opportunities that are available to you. In the past you could serve in the military at a number of different jobs or occupations and not have anything to show for it at the end of your enlistment. A number of years ago receiving credit for military experience was not an option. Any sort of credit for their military service was unheard of, much less commonplace. Well that has changed. The different Federal Departments and members of each of the armed services have worked to create options for civilian apprenticeship credit. They have worked to create the U.S. Military Apprenticeship Training program, or USMAP. It is a formalized method of occupational credit for people wanting to receive credit for their military Service.
Once you are involved in the USMAPS program you can even sometimes grandfather in other vocational military experience and receive credit for them. The qualifications for the USMAPS program are simple: You have to possess a GED or high school degree, have all the required documentation completed, be serving in your primary job at your command, and your rating or job has to be on the approved apprenticeship program list. This may seem like a lot, but in actuality it just means you have to serve in a job that qualifies for the program, and have a high school diploma. You also have to be serving on active duty. The USMAP program does not require any off duty hours and it can be used for up to one half of the on the job program training hours requirement in a civilian apprenticeship programs. The program of USMAP apprenticeship not only can earn you a Department of Labor certificate of completion, but it has gained acceptance on the part of civilian employers. Major employers all over the country view the mere participation in the program favorably; even employers overseas seek former military Servicemembers from this program.
The Department of Labor awards a nationally recognized ?Certificate of Completion,? to candidates that successfully complete the program. It allows and supports credit for education, in the form of college level credit, as well as job occupational credit that can be used in the civilian world. It is a formalized training program that takes full advantage of their occupational military job.