The Veteran Supported Education Service Treatment Manual: VetSEd

Knowing the projected demand for occupations will narrow down the options and help
the Veteran to decide which career path to take. This OOH provides a description of the
job, the skills required to be successful, the training, education and licenses required, the
pay, and the expected outlook about whether there will be more applicants than jobs in
the next 5 years. The OOH also lists places where workers in different occupations might
be employed and provides ideas of places to contact in order to get more information.
A next step is talking to someone who is already working in the field of interest. The
OOH often lists trade associations that can be valuable sources of information. The
Veteran may also have networking contacts, or the peer VetSEd provider may have
access to people who do that kind of work. Informational interviews with people
currently working in a particular field can help the Veteran decide whether that type of
job would be a good match for him/her. Taking this initial step can help the Veteran
answer specific questions about a particular occupation. Please note that some
occupations require a background check as a condition of employment. Therefore,
individuals with legal histories are encouraged to explore these requirements before
pursuing a particular occupation.
Colleges may be able to provide a variety of resources including career assessments and
occupational information specific to a particular state (i.e. state license requirements,
state outlook for different occupations). The VA vocational rehabilitation programs, state
rehabilitation offices, and state career centers may also have these tools. Formal tests can
also be helpful in determining aptitude. Many tests are available in books, on the internet,
and from specialized testing companies. Ask for help from your clinical supervisor or
from a college testing professional if you want to help a Veteran to use and understand
one of these tests. Two popular assessments include:
United States Education Services Interest Checklist and Interest Inventory
www.dsc.wa.gov.au/acess
www.hs.state.az.us/bhs/instruct.html
Career Assessment Inventory
http://assessments.ncs.com
www.candorec.on.ca/services/education /asses.html
35 | P a g e