New program provides civilian certification for navy jobs

All Hands, March, 2006 by Eva Kowalski

The United Services Military Apprenticeship Program (USMAP), managed by Naval Education and Training Command, provides active-duty Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy service members the opportunity to improve their job skills and to complete their civilian apprenticeship requirements while they are on active duty.

"Providing our Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsman with opportunities to validate their skills through the USMAP certification is a vivid example of the Navy's commitment for life-long learning," said VADM Kevin Moran, commander of NETC. "We are making the Navy an employer of choice for people looking for career opportunities that offer long-term growth potential while in uniform, and beyond if they decide to move on to careers in the private sector."

The Department of Labor requires 144 hours of classroom instruction for every 2,000 hours of OJT. Kenneth Ledbetter, Subject Matter Expert USMAP Registrar said, the trades average from 2,000 to 10,000 hours and vary in the amount of time they will take to complete from one to four years.

Service members get recognition for their jobs in the civilian world just by logging their hours during on-the-job training (OJT) and meeting the knowledge specifications of the program. According to Ledbetter, it is also the largest apprenticeship program in the military, with 13,054 members enrolling in FY05.

"We have 124 trades that we offer apprenticeship certification, which covers every rate in the military except for three: air traffic controller, cryptologic technician (interpretive) and musician," said Ledbetter. "An average Sailor doing an eight-hour job can complete 2,000 hours in a year."

USMAP, developed in 1976, was recently realigned to fit the certifications and qualifications vector of the 5-Vector Model, which has been continually under development since it was first launched in 2004.

The 5-Vector Model, a part of the Navy's Revolution in Training, is accessible through Navy Knowledge Online. It is divided into five vectors (professional development, personal development, military education and leadership, certifications and qualifications, and performance), allowing Sailors to keep track of their careers in the Navy and take credit for their accomplishments.

For more information on USMAP, Sailors may contact their career counselor or visit https://www.cnet.navy.mil/ usmap.

Story by Eva Kowolski, public affairs office, Training Support Center Great Lakes, Ill.