(ARA) – Are you in the service right now, considering your options following your military career? Serving our country is a noble cause, and one that creates not only a sense of loyalty, but also an abundance of opportunities in the form of leadership development and educational paths that can lead to fulfilling civilian and military careers.
“I work on a daily basis with soldiers who just need a bit of guidance in realizing what they should do next, and their military background can serve them well in so many different career paths,” says Jeff Grimes, a Grand Canyon University military division employee and retired Air Force officer.
In today’s labor market, transitioning active duty military personnel represent the single largest source of prospective employees. With approximately 275,000 members of the military entering the civilian job market each year, those with a college education will have an advantage. Though they are among the best-trained candidates in the job market, with hundreds of hours of specialized management, professional or technical training and experience, only 25 percent have college degrees, and 35 percent have attended some college.
“Because of their public service experience, military students can make a natural transition to civilian careers in the business world or government,” says Grand Canyon University Military Division Director Dino Meyer. “Right now we’re seeing a tremendous amount of interest in degrees that emphasize leadership, management and self-direction, such as public service administration.”
Higher education enrollment among military students has surged over the last year with the passage of the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill, which provides education and housing benefits to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after Sept. 11, 2001. The flexibility of attending college online is ideally suited for those who remain on active duty, as well as those who are retired and want the convenience of working toward a degree on their own schedule.
Before working with prospective students on a daily basis, Grimes served as a U.S. Air Force avionics technician and education service non-commissioned officer, helping, advising and engaging airmen on how to meet their educational goals. “With many soldiers attending classes on and off during their military careers, they might be closer than they think to getting that college degree,” Grimes says.
Military personnel considering a college degree should research sources such as G.I. Jobs Magazine, which provides an annual ranking of the Top Military Friendly Colleges. Schools that have a military division will have a unique understanding of the nature of public service and the flexibility required for military students. These colleges help them leverage all available resources, including the new G.I. benefits, which require no pay-in, and the tuition is paid directly to the college, so enrollees don’t have to pay money up front or wait for reimbursement. The benefits can also be transferred to spouses and dependents.
Grand Canyon University offers scholarship packages that cover the tuition difference between what the bill provides and the private university’s tuition – essentially providing a private-school education entirely tuition-free.
The university was recently nominated for a Freedom Award, a Department of Defense recognition that publicly highlights employers who provide exceptional support to military service employees beyond federal law requirements. With the university’s online and campus-based degree programs, troops have a myriad of options to meet their educational goals. More information is available at (800) 800-9776.