Before anything else, we would like to thank you for the service you had given. The industry is always grateful to veterans who had served the country.
If you’re now planning to shift or change your career as a heavy equipment operator, there has never been a better time but to do it right now. Before you can do that, undergoing a training program is a prerequisite and isn’t cheap.
If you are a present member who wants to transition to civilian life or a former member of the military who wants to get a new career, there are various benefits you can avail to pay for your education.
Benefits You Can Avail as a Veteran to Pay for the Training
Taking the training is not without an expense and isn’t cheap. To help you pay for the course, you can use the G.I Bill to pay for the tuition. Actually, many students pay their tuition through this benefit.
If you’re availing the G.I Bill, please take note that you can be eligible for this within 10-15 years after you’ve been officially discharged from duty.
Those individuals who want to avail this could fall on one of these chapters of the G.I Bill:
• Chapter 30: Montgomery GI Bill
• Chapter 31: Disabled Veterans
• Chapter 32: VEAP
• Chapter 33: Post 9-11 GI Bill
• Chapter 35: Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance
You might be wondering how much amount you can be eligible for; that depends on the chapter of the G.I Bill you will fall under. Usually, individuals can reimburse 55%-100% of the amount of school tuition.
Some training schools may offer full housing benefits to veterans during their training period. If you want to avail this, you may talk to the school’s representative and ask for the requirements and the basic you need to have is to be honorably discharged from the service and submit Form DD214, while interview may also be conducted.
Veterans may be eligible for many programs and benefits depending on the length of their service and in what branch of the military they’re from.
How to Apply for G.I Bill
The Post 9-11 G.I Bill was put into effect in the year 2008 to pave way for veterans to receive education benefits. The program is given to those who have served at least 90 days after September 10, 2001.
The benefits you can get are up to 100% tuition reimbursement, monthly living stipend in the amount of not more than $2,500, $1,000 worth of supplies and books per year, relocation allowance.
If you would like to apply for this, go to this resource. You need to find out first if you’re really eligible for this program;
Once you’re eligible, prepare all the requirements, you’ll need a bank account, social security number, military history, the name of the training school you want to register in.
To submit your application, you can do one of these three things:
- You can apply via mail by calling 888-442-4551 to make a request for the application form, once you received the form, fill it up, submit it to the VA processing office in the same locality or area as your school;
- You can apply by visiting the VA office nearest to you, let the staff help you out in the application;
- Or you can tap a professional to assist you in the application, although you might expense some amount for the help the professional will afford you.
After applying, wait for 30 days, you will receive a notification if your application is approved.
Schools that Provides Benefits & Training for Veterans
If you would like to avail the benefits under the VA GI Bill to train to become a heavy equipment operator, here are the schools that you can attend to:
- National Training, Inc.
188 College Drive, Orange Park, FL 32065
5660 County Road 209 South Green Cove Springs, FL 32043
Phone: (904) 272 – 4000, Fax: (904) 272 – 3036 - Performance Training Solutions
7791 Taylor Rd SW, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068
866-248-9136 - Associated Training Services
7190 Elder Lane, Sun Prairie, WI 53590
(800) 383-7364 - Heavy Construction Academy
5 Industrial Drive, Brentwood, NH 03833-6543
(888) 772-9002, (603) 772-9002 - Heavy Equipment Colleges of America
4701 McChord Drive SW, Lakewood, WA 98499
306 Langford Lake Road, Bld # TR0403, CA 92310
(888) 879-9492
Please be informed that not all schools are approved to administrate the VA benefits. If the school you are planning to attend to is not in this list, verify first with them if they’re approved.
Veterans Can Receive NCCER Credentials
If you want to get an edge and be marketable to the employer, NCCER certification is the one you need. The NCCER certification is the credential employers are looking from candidates and could help you earn competitive wages and opportunities.
To help veterans earn this credential, Hard Hat Heroes Credentialing Portal has been launched that helps veterans to earn NCCER credential for the heavy equipment operation related skills they already got while in the service.
What does this mean is that the training the veterans receive while in the service can be translated into skills if they transition to civilian life. In the case of heavy equipment operation, they can work in the construction – the industry badly in need of such skills and talents.
To access the Hard Hat Heroes Credential Portal, click this. If you’re from the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, or Rank-Based veteran, you can apply.
To Make a Conclusion
The industry has predicted a shortage of qualified and skilled workforce in the coming years. Veterans are the perfect fit to augment and fill the need of the industry.
The government is supporting you through the G.I Bill and Hard Hat Heroes Credential Portal to make your transition to civilian life ease.
We always wish you good luck on the path you are taking!