A soldier studying for his professional education certificate

Coming Home

By Stacy Braukman | Published November 7, 2018

Through an innovative employment training program, Tech is helping veterans make a meaningful transition to civilian life in Georgia.

In 2013, Georgia Tech Professional Education launched a program that prepares veterans, active-duty service members, and military spouses for jobs in the civilian world. The award-winning Veterans Education Training and Transition (VET²) program is the first of its kind in the U.S., and it's already changing lives in Georgia. After five years, more than 900 have graduated — and 87 percent of them have been offered employment by participating companies.

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VET2 Success Stories

Vet2 graduate Vince Hoover


Vincent Hoover

From infantry officer to VET2 graduate, Hoover has the skills for success.
Read More

Vet2 graduate Alphonse Bynes


Alphonso Bynes

After 12 years in the army, Bynes is building a stellar career in the IT field.
Read More

Vet2 graduate Dan LaRubio


Dan LaRubio

LaRubio did two tours in Afghanistan. Now he's a corporate recruiter in Savannah.
Read More

Veterans Education Training and Transition (VET²)
 

georgia state

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Veterans in Georgia

  • Georgia has the fourth largest population of veterans nationwide: 770,000.
  • Over the next two years, 60,000 veterans are expected to come home to Georgia.

Veteran Employment

  • Five years ago, veterans’ unemployment was nearly double that of civilians. Today, it is 4 percent.
  • To increase their chances of full-time employment, veterans and service members must refine and translate their skillsets to the civilian workforce.

 

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Why It Matters to Georgians

  • 87 percent of VET² graduates receive full-time job offers from participating companies, and the program has a 94 percent completion rate.
  • Some of the many participating companies include Gulfstream, Coca-Cola, Comcast, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Savannah Airport Commissions, and the Army Corps of Engineers, among others. 
  • Enrollment has doubled every year since the program’s inception, and 921 participants have graduated.
  • The average hourly wage for graduates of the program at placement is $29.72. The state average is $10.70.
 

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What Is VET²?

  • In 2013, Georgia Tech Professional Education launched VET² to provide training to veterans, active duty service members, and military spouses to help them transition into civilian life.
  • It is the first of its kind in the U.S.
  • All active-duty service members and veterans with at least four years of honorable service are eligible for this intensive, hands-on internship-to-employment program. 

 

graphic of two soldiers in uniform next to two professionals in suits

 

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How It Works

  • Participants spend their first week in the classroom, where customized content is provided by employers.
    Next, participants proceed to their three-week internships.
  • Among the companies that hosted or hired veterans and service members in 2018 are Sikorski-Lockheed Martin, Hertz, Northwestern Mutual Financial, Georgia Port Authority, International Paper, Georgia Power, U.S. Customs Office, and the Department of the Army Contracting Office.
  • A recent addition to the program is the fully online VET² 101: Resume Building and Interview Skills for Service Members course. It is a prerequisite for all VET² classroom-based courses.
  • The program also offers skill development tracks in lean six sigma, supply chain project management, and telecommunications. 

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Sustainability

  • VET² is free to service members and corporate sponsors.
  • It is approved as a state workforce development program by the Georgia Department of Economic Development.
  • The customized skillset development tracks and the VET² 101 course are funded by the U.S. Department of Labor Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

Georgia Veterans, Apply Today!

Veterans Education Training and Transition (VET²) equips veterans for civilian careers through a combination of classroom learning and online instruction, as well as internship opportunities with employer partners.

A soldier in camoflauge with a laptop
 

Learn More about VET²