The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has introduced significant changes to its SkillBridge program, which helps transitioning service members secure civilian jobs. The overhaul, effective from August 2024, places stricter requirements on participating employers and aims to enhance job placement rates for service members immediately following their internships.
One of the key changes is that companies involved in SkillBridge must now demonstrate a “high probability” of offering participants full-time employment upon completing the program. Companies will also be required to meet new benchmarks, including a 75% job placement rate for service members who successfully complete their internships. Additionally, organizations must commit to providing a set number of internships annually, with the number based on their size.
The DOD cited the need to connect more participants with jobs as the main reason for the changes, though some veterans and businesses have expressed concerns that the revisions could reduce participation in the program. SkillBridge was paused in mid-2023 amid concerns over balancing service members’ readiness with the demand for job training as they transition out of military service.
The SkillBridge program, launched in 2011, allows service members in their final six months of active duty to participate in unpaid internships, with the DOD continuing to pay their salaries and benefits. The program has proven popular, with more than 12,000 members enrolling in the first two quarters of fiscal 2024 alone. However, data on the program’s success in securing employment for participants remains limited, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) published in August.
Under the new centralized tracking system, the DOD will collect and analyze performance data to better monitor the outcomes of SkillBridge participants. This system is set to be implemented by fiscal year 2025.
The changes have prompted mixed reactions. William O’Neil, a Marine Corps veteran and founder of Greater Heights Capital, believes business participation could decline due to the new focus on job placement. “SkillBridge is an amazing opportunity for businesses. It is hard to turn down free labor. But it also will be hard for business owners to forecast future hirings and be certain it is feasible,” O’Neil said.
Despite concerns, some companies, such as Bridgestone, plan to continue their involvement. Bridgestone, which piloted SkillBridge internships at locations near Fort Campbell, Kentucky, in 2023, hired one intern after the program and intends to keep offering the initiative under the updated guidelines.
The GAO report highlighted the lack of comprehensive data on SkillBridge outcomes, with auditors noting that the DOD currently does not have enough evidence to determine whether the program effectively meets the needs of transitioning service members. The report recommended that the DOD improve its data collection and analysis to provide better oversight of the program.
The SkillBridge program is one of several initiatives aimed at helping service members transition to civilian life, alongside the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program for National Guard and Reserve members. The DOD’s Military-Civilian Transition Office, which assumed oversight of SkillBridge in 2023, is now working to assess the program’s effectiveness through stakeholder interviews and data analysis.
Source: Stars and Stripes. For more information on this story, read the full article at Stars and Stripes.
Image: Robyn Cameron, a Recruitment Specialist with Southeast Lineman Training Center, speaks with U.S. Marines during a SkillBridge expo at Camp Lejeune, N.C., in February 2023. (Antonino Mazzamuto/U.S. Marine Corps)
