Every year, approximately 200,000 men and women leave U.S. military service and return to life as civilians, a process known as the military to civilian transition. The Transition Assistance Program (TAP) provides information, tools, and training to ensure service members, and their spouses, are prepared for the next step in civilian life. TAP, provided under 10 U.S.C. 1144, is a cooperative effort among the Department of Labor, and the Departments of Defense, Education, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs, the Small Business Administration, and the Office of Personnel Management. VETS administers a one-day employment preparation workshop that is mandatory for all transitioning service members, and two optional two-day workshops for career exploration and technical career preparation, or general employment preparation.
VETS Apprenticeship Pilot
The DOL VETS Apprenticeship Pilot – launched in April 2020 – will provide counseling and apprenticeship placement services to transitioning service members (TSMs) and their spouses who are interested in exploring apprenticeship as a post-separation career pathway.
The Apprenticeship Placement counselors are ready to assist those TSMs and their interested spouses at the Pilot installations and those attending virtual TAP classes. To connect with a counselor, contact ApprenticeshipPilot@serco-na.com.
Employers interested in tapping into this potential pipeline of apprentices can email VETSapprenticeship@dol.gov.
Quick Resources
TAP Virtual Curriculum
This TAP virtual curriculum is designed to provide service members who are unable to attend the TAP in-person due to military exigencies with the ability to fulfill their TAP obligations. The full, virtual TAP curriculum is available to veterans and spouses of service members through the Joint Knowledge Online system.
Access the TAP Virtual Curriculum
Specific branch information:
Participation Guides
Department of Labor Employment Fundamentals of Career Transition (EFCT) (PDF)—Designed to lay the foundation of the transition from military to civilian life. The 1-day workshop provides an introduction to the essential tools and resources needed to evaluate career options, gain information for civilian employment, and understand the fundamentals of the employment process.
Department of Labor Employment Workshop (DOLEW) (PDF)—A comprehensive 2-day workshop that covers emerging best practices in career employment, including in-depth training to learn interview skills, build effective resumes, and use emerging technology to network and search for employment.
Vocational Training Track (DOLVT)(formerly Career Exploration and Planning Track (CEPT)) (PDF)—A track that offers a unique opportunity for participants to complete a personalized career development assessment of occupational interest and ability. Participants will also be guided through a variety of career considerations, including labor market projections, education, apprenticeships, certifications, and licensure requirements.
Presentations
Employment Fundamentals of Career Transition – 1 Day Workshop (PDF)