This interim report about the Veterans’ Licensing and Certification Demonstration describes the findings that emerged from the authors’ direct engagement with states. The report includes a review of implementation processes and strategies to accelerate pathways from high-volume military occupations (medics, law enforcement and commercial drivers) to similar civilian occupations. The first four sections of the report provide a comprehensive picture of demonstration activities and offer a common framework with lessons learned for states interested in replicating similar processes and strategies. The fifth section describes the demonstration’s cost study approach.

The key interim findings relate to designing and implementing accelerated pathways for military to civilian occupations, and to gathering, understanding and assessing the data available to guide the process. The demonstration states’ experiences to date suggest that efforts to accelerate licensing and certification of veterans are subject to a range of state- and occupation-specific complexities. However, the broad outline of the process to design effective strategies was similar for each state: 1) examine equivalencies and gaps between civilian and military occupations, 2) identify an appropriate process for filling any state- or occupation- specific gaps, and 3) equip veterans with professional credentials that are easily understood by civilian employers. Also noteworthy, is that the need for and use of data about each state’s veteran populations was present at all stages of the demonstration.

Dunker, Amanda
Parton, Brent
Simon, Martin

Keywords: veterans, licensing, certifications, accelerated pathways, professional credentials