Apprenticeship Program benefits Sailors
9/15/2009
by MCSN David Finley
The United Services Military Apprenticeship Program, or USMAP, is a formal military training program that provides active duty service members the opportunity to improve their job skills and to complete civilian apprenticeship requirements while they are on active duty.

The U.S. Department of Labor provides the nationally recognized certificate of completion upon program completion.

"They call it the journeyman program," said Yeoman 2nd Class (AW) Kaivon McClain, aboard USS Harry S. Truman. "It is a way of showing your expertise in certain fields. There are a lot of jobs in the civilian world that require clerical and administration skills. This is a way of showing the time I have put in and the experience I have gained while in the Navy."

"Its just another benefit that the Navy provides," said Navy Counselor 1st Class (SW/AW) Sara J. Waggoner. "You don't have to pay for it or do any extra work. You just go to work every day and log your hours."

Gaining a Department of Labor apprenticeship certificate can also be useful while in the military.

"When you get out of the Navy, you can add the certificate to your resume to show them [potential employers] that you have experience in your field," said McClain. "While you are in the Navy, you can note it in your eval that you have completed the program. Also, the certificate comes to you in a way that your command can present it to you."

"What you gain from this program is nationally recognition as a Department of Labor apprentice and documented proof of work experience," said Waggoner. "I can say that I was in the Navy, and that I was a Navy career councilor all day long, but if the Department of Labor backs me up it is another credential that I have."

The program has these simple qualifications: the service member must be active duty, designated in a rating, possess a high school diploma or GED, and the selected trade must be his or her primary job at the command.

"This program is important because it is a career enhancer, and it helps prove your knowledge in a certain field," said McClain. "Getting a trade certificate just adds to your marketability."
The United Services Military Apprenticeship Program is free of cost and requires no off-duty time. It is a valuable resource for military members to take advantage of to improve their careers.