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USMAP awards certificates for military experience

22 Apr 2005 | Cpl. Jennifer Brofer Marine Corps Training and Education Command

For active duty Marines and sailors who are considering a career in their present occupational field when they transition out of the military, there is a program available for enlisted personnel that may certify them for the experience they have obtained while serving in the armed forces.

The United Services Military Apprenticeship Program (USMAP) is a registered apprenticeship program whose purpose is to award job certification to individuals through documented on-the-job training in a particular military trade or skill area.

In order to qualify for the program, applicants must be an active duty enlisted Marine, sailor or coast guardsman; have a high school diploma or GED; be designated in a job specialty, rating or military occupational specialty; and meet the registration requirements for that particular trade.

Service members enrolled in the program must complete a required number of hours, ranging from 2,000 - 10,000, and chart them daily in a work experience logbook, which must then be signed by three members within their chain of command. After they have completed their required number of hours, they are awarded with a Certificate of Completion of Apprenticeship by the Department of Labor.

If eligible, service members may be certified within 124 different skill areas, such as refrigeration mechanic, photographer, dental assistant, aircraft mechanic, computer programmer and legal secretary, to name a few.

"Sailors working at the dental clinic might consider apprentice trades such as dental assistant or dental laboratory technician," said Jan Wilson, education services specialist for the Depot Education Office. 

The program originated in 1976 as the Navy's National Apprenticeship Program, according to its Web site. In 1999 and 2000, the Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard, respectively, became active partners in the program. Since its inception, the USMAP has awarded more than 24,000 journeyman certificates.

According to Wilson, the program is suited for all active duty service members, whether they have a college degree or not, and also helps service members become more marketable for future employment once they transition out of the military.

The length of on-the-job training varies from 1 - 4 years, and up to 50 percent credit may be awarded to service members based on rank and prior work experience in the applicable trade.

Sergeant Rachel Pereira, a career retention specialist for H&SBn., is about 1,190 hours shy of earning her counselor certificate, which requires 4,000 total hours. One of the reasons she signed up for the program in January 2004 was because,"it's one more thing to add to my resume."

Earning certification through the program is easy because you are getting credit for the job you are already doing.

"It's very easy. You just have to be disciplined enough to log in your hours," added Pereira. "I plan to use it to go into Human Resources when I retire, so I'll definitely use this."

Wilson added other benefits of the program are it is free and requires no off-duty hours, participants receive national recognition as Department of Labor apprentices who have documented proof of work experience, and Department of Labor-registered apprentices are sought after by employers.

Wilson encourages all active duty personnel to take advantage of the program, and even offers to conduct a tailored professional military education for any unit aboard the Depot, upon request.

Anyone interested in the program should contact the Education Office at 228-2152. For a complete list of USMAP approved trades or to fill out an application online, log on to their Web site at www.cnet.navy.mil.

Marine Corps Training and Education Command