Skills-Based Fellowships Prioritize Military Experience Over Education
No college degree? No problem. Hiring Our Heroes offers career placement training for transitioning service members and military spouses interested in career fields which don’t require a college degree.
The newly launched 12-week internships, referred to as skills-based fellowships, provide relevant workplace experience and technical training needed to launch successful careers in high-demand industries. Examples of high-demand industries include skilled trades, technology, administration, and finance.
Fellowship roles may include:
- pharmacy technician
- cybersecurity specialist
- insurance adjuster
- territory manager
- supply chain specialist
- data analyst
Fellowship candidates are carefully matched with participating companies based on the candidate’s skills and the preferences of both parties. Once matched with a host company, candidates undergo technical on-the-job training at their host company. Hiring Our Heroes reinforces the real-world experience with weekly professional development sessions, held in a virtual setting.
Based on the fellow’s skill set and work experience, fellowships offer a competitive edge for military-connected job seekers.
“By looking to skills learned as part of military service, we can open our doors to an even more diverse pool of candidates with practical abilities to drive innovation and help solve problems for our customers,” said Nick Curry, Head of Emerging Talent Pipelines at Amazon Web Services.
New Option for Veterans Without Degrees
Skills-based fellowships are an DoD SkillBridge-authorized option available to non-degreed transitioning service members.
Interested service members must meet the following requirements:
- Be on active duty or transition leave
- Be within 180 days of transition from military service at the time of the 12-week program
- Obtain command support to participate in the program
“Prioritizing military service and experience over traditional degrees offers a pathway for service members to build upon the skills acquired during military service,” said Stefanie Watson, Senior Deputy Director of the Corporate Fellowship Program at Hiring Our Heroes. “After completing the fellowship, they will have the tools and training to land full-time roles in highly competitive industries.”
After completing the fellowship, they have the tools and training to land full-time roles in highly competitive industries.
Stefanie Watson, Hiring Our Heroes
Military Spouses Without College Degrees Will Learn New Skills
Unlike active-duty service members, military spouses are not required to complete the program within specific timelines. Each month, military spouses may be matched with host companies.
Similarly to service members, their fellowships last 12 weeks.
Interested military spouses must meet the following requirements:
- Have at least one year of work experience
- Reside within the United States
- Be unemployed or anticipating an upcoming relocation which will cause an employment gap
Ready to Apply for a Skills-Based Fellowship
Skills-based fellowships are open to active-duty service members, military spouses, National Guard members on active status, and military caregivers. A college degree is not a requirement.
Skills-based fellowships are available nationwide in host cities around the country.
Once Hiring Our Heroes receives your application, a member of our Career Connector team will contact you via email. A Career Connector will provide additional details about the fellowship opportunities, expectations, resources, and timelines for placement.
