The Veteran Supported Education Service Treatment Manual: VetSEd

Identify schools with a wide variety of choices for majors and schools that will
allow me to start taking courses beyond just English, and math my first year – two
weeks
Identify schools where my credits will transfer to anyplace else I might decide to
go – two weeks
Find out when the enrollment dates are for these schools – two weeks
Exercise
Using Worksheet #2: Educational Road Map, complete a sample ―Educational
Roadmap‖ and the 3 and 6 month educational plan. You may use your own
educational goal you have obtained and then reconstruct the steps and timeframe it
took to complete that goal. Alternatively you can use the following example goal and
then set up the steps and target dates that might be needed to accomplish this goal.
Example Veteran‘s Goal: to obtain an Associate‘s Degree in Human Services.
ii. Choosing an Occupational Goal
For many Veterans, an educational goal depends on their overall career or employment
goal. Successful Supported Education programs can help individuals decide on a career
path rather than just help them find a school. Deciding on a career path will likely dictate
the type of school or program the Veteran needs. Also, finding a career path gives
individuals the opportunity to grow in their profession as well as increase their earning
potential. Choosing a career is twofold: Veterans need information about themselves and
they need information about potential careers. They can then match their interests and
abilities with careers that offer work opportunities. Veterans need to know what skills
they have, what their capabilities are (aptitude), and what they like to do. Throughout the
Supported Education process, the peer VetSEd provider teaches the Veteran how to
choose a career path that matches his/her skills and interests, and uses that information to
determine what will be an appropriate educational goal.
If a particular Veteran you are working with is not sure of their ultimate occupational
goal you can use Worksheet #3: Questions to Help Determine an Occupational Goal to
help Veterans identify their aptitudes and interests. It is important to begin with the final
goal in mind. Before starting on an academic journey, a student should research the need
for various jobs in the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) at www.bls.gov/ooh.
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