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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: (202) 219-5573
Deputy Secretaries from the Departments of Labor and Veterans Affairs
are heading up a government task force to study and make recommendations that
will help military personnel use the training they received in the armed forces
to obtain federal certifications and licenses needed for civilian employment.
Kathryn "Kitty" Higgins and Hershel Gober signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) on April 24 creating the Federal Interagency Task Force on
Certification and Licensing of Military Personnel. All interested cabinet-level
departments and independent agencies will be invited to become members of the
Task Force.
"Evidence is growing that veterans are not credited with all the
training and experience received during military service when they seek
employment in civilian jobs requiring certification or licensure," said
Higgins. "Making armed services training translate to the private-sector work
force is key to the Labor Department's goal of ensuring that skills development
and lifelong learning are available to all citizens."
"The goal of the Task Force," said Gober, "is to determine effective
methods that will allow military personnel, without unnecessary duplication of
effort, to obtain federal certifications or licenses needed for good jobs in
the civilian labor force."
The Task Force will gather information about existing programs dealing
with certification and licensure requirements in civilian employment and
analyze how well they serve veterans seeking employment in those fields. The
Task Force will also compile listings of military occupations which have
civilian counterparts and compare them with occupational projections for growth
potential in the next decade. Finally, a course of action will be proposed to
allow interested military personnel, without undue duplication of effort, to
obtain required civilian certifications and licenses, for federal and
nonfederal employment, prior to leaving military service.
Many civilian occupations require an individual to obtain certification
or licensure prior to being employed. Certification is a process by which an
association, union, or similar entity attests that an individual has the
requisite training and experience to engage in a particular occupation.
Licensing is a process by which a federal, state, or local government agency
authorizes an individual to engage in a particular occupation.
The Task Force will issue a final report not later than April 24,
1999.
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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