Thanks to a new program, in cooperation with multiple Texas community colleges, military veterans can ear college credit for their service, CBS North Texas reported.
The College Credit for Heroes (CCH) program was set up with help from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) and various community colleges to equate military training to college credits and certification.
Governor Rick Perry signed the $3 million workforce in 2011 as an initiative to recognize "the exceptional knowledge and skills gained by military service members."
"This is something that allows us to standardize experience for veterans and give them college credit for that experience; giving them a leg up really in getting a certification, on the way to a career," TWC spokeswoman Lisa Givens said.
Texas is currently home to approximately 1.8 million Afghanistan and Iraq veterans, returning 25,000 to the state per year, the TWC said.
"When you think about the time they've spent away, this really gives them an opportunity to get started on a career and hopefully make their transition easier and really be able to reconnect with the workforce," Givens said.
Through the CCH program, veterans are earning an average of 30 credit hours, which is the equivalent to a full year at most schools.
Givens said most of the usable college credits are for those seeking degrees and certification in allied health.
"[The veterans will] be able to translate those skills and have employers understand their experience, so that they can identify the good fit that they are for the jobs they [employers] are offering," Givens said.
The Associated Press reported the TWC is awarding the CCH program $1.5 million in support and that the program has been expanded from four to ten colleges.
"The addition of these new partner colleges is intended to increase the academic and employment opportunities for our veterans," TWC spokesperson Mark Lavergne said. "I think any college campus benefits from having a student body that's populated by individuals who already have a demonstrated history of learning skills and thriving in a work environment."
