young man in military uniform on laptop

Leverage the benefits you've earned

You joined the military to serve your country. You earned education benefits along the way.  And now you’re ready for a rewarding civilian career. There are many resources available to support your career search and development.

The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs supports the success of veterans, current military members and their families at Minnesota’s colleges and universities. The department provides on-site assistance and works to make schools veteran-friendly through policies that accommodate:

  • Payment extensions while waiting for veterans educational benefits (as long as the benefits were applied for properly)
  • Military transfer credit
  • Veteran resident status
  • Withdrawal from classes due to deployment

On-the-job training and apprenticeships

Veterans may be able to use education benefits for on-the-job training or apprenticeship training instead of for college expenses. The GI Bill covers on-the-job or apprenticeship training for eligible veterans. These options allow veterans to learn a trade or skill through training on the job while receiving GI Bill benefits. Examples of careers that offer on-the-job training include police officer, jailer and mechanic. On-the-job training typically lasts between six months and two years. Examples of careers that offer apprenticeships include machinist, electrician and plumber. Apprenticeship training generally lasts two to five years.

Learn more about veterans education benefits by visiting these pages:

There are many other ways to support your career success, including: