More than 17,000 veterans who found themselves unemployed because of COVID-19’s ripple effects now have access to a new rapid job retraining program through Veterans Affairs.
Dubbed the Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance Program (VRRAP), it educates veterans who lost jobs via layoffs, closures, or COVID health issues in 200 high-demand careers. The Department of Labor worked alongside VA to identify growing fields like construction, aesthetician services, and technology support that participants can study at hundreds of colleges and trade schools nationwide. Eligible veterans can receive education benefits equal to the Post-9/11 GI Bill (including tuition costs and housing stipends) for up to one year, with the aim of learning a new skill or completing a certificate program during that time.
Air Force veteran Damien Cole Roy left the military in 2000 and eventually joined the mortgage industry as a loan officer. But 2020 changed all that, leaving Roy wondering how he was going to provide for his family. Thankfully, an email about VRRAP landed in his inbox.
“The program seemed like an ideal way to transition into a new career field, because it provides BAH at an E-5 pay rate to cover expenses while taking the class,” said Roy. Applying and qualifying for VRRAP, he said, “was super-easy.” He chose a four-month Electrician Technician Program in Rhode Island.
“It has been great. The hybrid program at [the trade school] allows me the flexibility of online learning as well as the real-world experience of hands-on training,” Roy said. “This enables me to learn at my own pace, while being supported by extremely knowledgeable instructors, which in turn can open up the option for additional specific certifications.”
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As the Acting Executive Director of Education Service at the Veterans Benefits Administration, that’s music to James Ruhlman’s ears.
“Since the inception of the GI Bill of Rights in 1944, VA has furnished educational and vocational support to America’s veterans to expand and enhance their economic opportunities,” he said. “Also, VA and [Department of Labor] have a long history of collaboration to provide assistance to transitioning service members and ongoing support for veterans. VRRAP is a continuation of that legacy.”
VRRAP’s benefits are limited to veterans between the ages of 22 and 66, those with an honorable or other-than-honorable discharge, and veterans ineligible for any other VA education benefits or government job-training programs. Additionally, VRRAP participants cannot be receiving disability compensation for reasons that have led to their unemployability, nor be receiving any unemployment benefit upon beginning training.
The program, birthed from the last COVID-19 relief package, is limited to 17,250 participants. As of Sept. 2, Ruhlman says 1,394 veterans had enrolled, and at least one had already graduated and found employment in a related field.
“VRRAP is one more example of how we work hand-in-hand with our veterans, veteran service organizations, industry partners, and educational institutions to help men and women who served get training and skills in high-demand jobs,” said Ricardo Da Silva of the Program Integration Office, Education Service, Veterans Benefits Administration. “That benefits their communities and benefits our men and women who served by helping them find and keep meaningful employment. We know veterans are dedicated employees who work hard, and VRRAP offers them an opportunity to gain skills that contribute to a vibrant economy.”
Roy is excited to soon be one of those contributors.
“Finding the VRRAP program … helped to determine a direction to proceed with specific goals to achieve,” he said. “This new course has impacted the path that my family is now on, and I am very appreciative of this opportunity.”
VRRAP eligibility requirements
To be eligible for this VRRAP, you must meet each of these requirements:
- At least 22 years old, but not older than 66
- Unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Not rated as totally disabled because you can’t work
- Not enrolled in a federal or state jobs program
Note: You cannot receive VRRAP benefits while simultaneously receiving unemployment benefits (including CARES Act benefits).
When applying for VRRAP, you cannot be eligible for any of these other benefits:
- Post-9/11 GI Bill
- Montgomery GI Bill
- Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)
- Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA)
- Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)
Note: You can get VRRAP benefits if you were at one time eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill but have transferred the entirety of your benefits to family members.
Helpful links
For a list of VRRAP’s occupations, check out: benefits.va.gov/GIBILL/docs/vrrap-high-demand-occupation-list.pdf.
To find participating schools near you, see: benefits.va.gov/gibill/docs/VRRAP_ApprovedEducationalInstitutions.pdf.
To apply for VRRAP, go to: va.gov/education/other-va-education-benefits/veteran-rapid-retraining-assistance/apply-for-vrrap-form-22-1990s/introduction.
