Is this your time to start a small business?

Posted on by CareerOneStop Posted in Career changers, Job seekers, Older workers, Uncategorized
Businessman talking on cellphone
Businessman talking on cellphone

Unemployed, underemployed or just curious? Changing circumstances in the economy may be making self-employment a more intriguing option to consider, and there are plenty of helpful training and information resources to help you explore the possibilities.

Self-employment options

Independent work is a term that describes self-employed, freelance, temporary and “gig” work done by millions of workers in the U.S. It also includes individuals who sell items on e-commerce, vend private residential rental space on online platforms, or drive for ride-hailing services. Independent work is an increasingly important means for either a primary or supplemental income in the U.S.

Another form of self-employment involves running a business with a physical location that employs others to make or sell goods or provide services. You might do this by starting your own business, buying a stand-alone existing business, or joining a franchise program. 

Free entrepreneurship learning opportunities

Whatever your ideas for a business model, there is a wealth of valuable entrepreneurship learning and business counseling opportunities available. Check out some of these free resources:

Local American Job Centers provide small business skill training, career awareness and counseling, and information to help you understand the types of services and products in demand in your local economy.

Entrepreneurial Marketing
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
A course designed to help participants develop a flexible way of thinking about marketing problems and understand key marketing concepts, methods, and strategic issues relevant for start-up and early-stage entrepreneurs.

Money Smart for Small Businesses
This new instructor-led training curriculum developed jointly by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) contains 10 training modules covering key topics for new and aspiring entrepreneurs.

Small Business Administration Learning Center
Take free online courses covering how to plan for your successful business startup, launching your business, managing, marketing, and growing your business. Also includes an overview for young entrepreneurs.

SBA Online Small Business Training
The Small Business Administration offers more than 30 free self-guided online business training courses covering a variety of topics including How to Prepare a Business Plan, Franchising Basics, Government Contracting, Green Business Opportunities, and more.

SCORE entrepreneurship online courses
View all their free courses available, including hiring workers, setting up a physical location, pricing products and services, finding funding, and more.

The Startup Roadmap: Your Guide to Successfully Starting a Business
SCORE offers a step-by-step how-to guide for starting a business, sponsored by FedEx.

Swartz Center For Entrepreneurship at Carnegie Mellon University
Find articles and research databases for everything related to entrepreneurship.

Resources for targeted audiences interested in small business

Minority Business Development Agency
The U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is the only federal agency solely dedicated to the growth and global competitiveness of minority business enterprises. MBDA programs, services, and initiatives focus on helping MBEs grow today, while preparing them to meet the industry needs of tomorrow.

Native American Enterprise Initiative
The Native American Enterprise Initiative seeks to build on the Chamber’s record of success and advocacy by focusing on the crucial economic issues confronting tribal business entities and Native American-owned enterprises.

Veterans Business Outreach Centers
The Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) program is designed to provide entrepreneurial development services such as business training, counseling and resource partner referrals to transitioning service members, veterans, National Guard & Reserve members and military spouses interested in starting or growing a small business. 

Women Business Leaders’ Resource Center for Women Entrepreneurs
The 2019 State of Women-Owned Business Report found that the number of women-owned businesses climbed to nearly 13 million, representing 42% of all businesses in the United States. Women-owned businesses employ 9.4 million workers and generate $1.9 trillion in annual revenue. Includes all of SCORE’s free resources, including mentoring opportunities and blogs on small business related topics.

 

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Virtual job search assistance for veterans

Posted on by CareerOneStop Posted in Uncategorized
Veterans Day graphic
Veterans Day graphic

This Veterans Day comes with unique challenges for veterans seeking civilian employment. As workplaces and the labor market adapt to the changing environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, job searching can seem more complicated than ever. But there are many resources out there to help connect veterans with employers who want to hire them.

American Job Centers

A great first step is to connect with a Veterans Employment Representative at a local American Job Center. Nearly 2,400 AJCs nationwide help people search for jobs, find training, and answer other employment related questions. Veterans Employment Representatives are the AJC staff members who specialize in serving veterans. They meet with employers in the area to promote the recruitment and employment of veteran employee candidates, and they can help connect veterans to these opportunities. They can also connect veterans with other job search and education resources.

Usually, a veteran can locate a local American Job Center, and call or visit to request services. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, many AJCs are temporarily closed or have shifted to virtual services. Veterans can still visit CareerOneStop’s American Job Center Finder and find contact information for a Veterans Employment Representative. They can call or email the representative to find out if online or phone services are available.

Veterans Job Matcher

Veterans who want to explore job opportunities on their own can visit the Veterans Job Matcher, where they can enter their military job title or code, and create a list of civilian careers that use similar skills and work experience as their military job. For each of the civilian careers on your list, they can review basic career information such as typical wages and job outlook, and they can link to job postings in their local area.

More resources from CareerOneStop

The Veteran and Military Transition Center offers a wide range of employment, training, and related resources to help veterans succeed in the civilian workforce.  Visit the website and check out these sections

Explore civilian careers

  • Assess skills and interests
  • Career options
  • Civilian workplaces

Back to school

  • Apprenticeships and certifications
  • Short-term training and college degrees
  • Financial aid resources

Job search

  • Planning a job search
  • Federal hiring and veterans preference
  • Resumes and interviews

Benefits and assistance

  • Unemployment benefits
  • Housing and health care
  • Accessing military records
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Need a career plan? Take a look at apprenticeship

Posted on by CareerOneStop Posted in Career changers, Entry-level workers, Job seekers, Students, Uncategorized, Workers with criminal records
National Apprenticeship Week 2020 graphic
National Apprenticeship Week 2020 graphic

November 8 – 14 marks 2020’s National Apprenticeship Week, with events in most states across the U.S.

National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) brings together the businesses that hire apprentices, individuals who are curious about becoming apprentices, labor unions that also sponsor programs, and educational institutions that offer training.

If you’ve wondered about whether an apprenticeship might be a solid career opportunity for you, consider looking up and participating in NAW events in your area (scroll down for an interactive map of activities.) Most events will be conducted in an online format, including webinars, video calls, phone conferences, and online chats.

What exactly is apprenticeship?

Maybe you’ve heard of apprenticeships, but aren’t sure how they work or how to get involved. To start with, apprenticeships are paying jobs from day one. You apply directly to an employer or apprenticeship program sponsor (such as a union) for a specific apprenticeship job opening. Once you are hired, you are guaranteed wage increases as you gain skills.

Another essential aspect of apprenticeship is training. Typically, some of your work time each week includes classroom instruction to learn job skills, which may include college credit. These classes are included as part of the job at no cost to you, so you also avoid the student debt you might incur through other types of training.

Mentorship is another component of apprenticeship, ensuring that, in addition to the classroom, you will also learn from experienced professionals in the field. As you progress, the credentials you earn will be recognized by employers in the industry nationwide, and are all yours whether you stay with one employer or move on.

What could my career expectations be as an apprentice?

To get a sense of the scope of apprenticeship in the U.S., there have been more than 847,000 new apprentices since January 1, 2017. And 94% of apprentices who complete an apprenticeship program retain employment, with an average annual salary of $70,000. Not only that, but, on average, apprentice graduates earn $300,000 more over their lifetimes compared to peers who don’t pursue apprenticeship.

Apprenticeship programs offer access to hundreds of occupations, in high-growth and emerging industries, including these:

  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Hospitality
  • Cybersecurity
  • Energy
  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Engineering
  • Transportation
  • Construction
  • Financial Services

Does apprenticeship sound like it may be a fit for you? Check out apprenticeship listings in your local area on apprenticeship.gov, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.

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Curriculum for career advisors

Posted on by CareerOneStop Posted in Career counselors
Woman in career counseling session
Woman in career counseling session

November is National Career Development Month, and the National Career Development Association encourages all career development professionals to celebrate with career-related activities. Just in time, CareerOneStop has posted curriculum for five separate “User Paths” to help you guide clients through key CareerOneStop resources.

Visit CareerOneStop Paths—User Guides where you can view, download, or print the curriculum for these five paths:

Path 1: Find short-term, immediate employment

Goal: Find short-term, immediate employment. Included are steps and tools to focus your job search, refresh your resume, and look for job postings and ideas on which kinds of organizations or jobs may be open to you during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives:

  • Learn about industries in your local area that are hiring.
  • Identify 2-3 job titles to focus your search on.
  • Refresh your resume or get tools to write one that targets your job search goal.
  • Use online job search resources to find at least 3 viable job postings.
  • Use Business Finder to identify 3 local businesses that hire workers in your field.
  • Make a networking plan to reach out to at least 3 contacts about job openings in your identified fields.

Path 2: Apply for unemployment and other benefits

Goal: Find and apply for unemployment benefits and other assistance to meet your essential needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives

  • Identify your specific areas of need for financial assistance.
  • Learn about the key resources for unemployment insurance, housing, mental health, food assistance, and more, in your state or locality.
  • Learn how the local American Job Center can support your job search and local resourceconnections now, and in the future Path 3: Job search for new college graduates

Path 3: Job search for new college graduates

Goal: If you are a recent college graduate or anticipate graduating soon, learn how to conduct a job search. Learn methods for self-assessment, career exploration, and resume writing to support your job search process and success.

Objectives

  • Take an interest assessment.
  • Research occupations from your assessment results and select 3-4 to focus on in your job search.
  • Create or improve your resume and LinkedIn profile.
  • Search job banks for jobs in your targeted fields.
  • Identify 2 professional associations to research.
  • Identify 3 networking connections related to your field

Path 4: Make longer-term career plans

Goal: Take time to make longer-term career plans and update your resume. Take career assessments, research occupations that interest you, and target your resume to the field you select.

Objectives

  • Take interest and skills assessments and identify 3-4 prospective careers from your results to research.
  • Use Occupation Profile to learn details about tasks, work settings, required education and training, projected employment demand and wages for your 3-4 prospective career options.
  • Select 1-2 occupations to focus your efforts on.
  • Create or update your resume and online profile to reflect your targeted occupations.
  • Develop a simple networking plan for your targeted occupation, including relevant contacts, local employers, and professional associations.

Path 5: Develop new skills and knowledge

Goal: Make a plan to develop new skills and knowledge, to better position yourself to find a career job. Find out about free online education resources, information about in-demand credentials with short-term preparation requirements, and apprenticeship opportunities.

Objectives

  • Learn about a variety of free and low-cost online training and education websites and opportunities.
  • Research training options in your local area for 1-2 occupation areas. Identify key information including school name and location, program name and contact information, prerequisites, program length, approximate cost, and options for online study/current delivery methods.
  • If apprenticeship interests you, identify 1-3 apprenticeship sponsors in the local area to contact regarding potential current and near future opportunities.

Looking for more ideas and resources?  Visit CareerOneStop’s Resources for Career Advisors.

How to talk with teens about their future

Posted on by CareerOneStop Posted in Parents, Parents, Students, Teachers, Uncategorized
father and son talking
father and son talking

What could be more exciting than helping young people imagine possibilities for their future? If you are a parent or guardian of a teenager, it’s a role that may delight you—or feel decidedly overwhelming. In any case, guiding a young person as she or he looks ahead (or avoids thinking about the future entirely) is an important responsibility.

Fortunately, there are some well-established steps and questions to ask your teen, and CareerOneStop’s GetMyFuture website provides easy-to-use resources to help answer those questions step-by-step. If you run into areas where you and your teen disagree about plans, it can help to remember that career planning is a lifelong process, and that most of us change directions many times throughout our lives.

Start with this list of topics for a great conversation with your teen to fuel his enthusiasm, sense of possibility, and planning.

What kind of work would suit me?

Assessments. What do they like to do? What’s important to them? Career assessments will help teens to gain insight about their interests and values, and point them in the direction of potential occupations.

Career information. It can be so exciting to support a teen or young adult in their exploration of what may be “out there” for them. CareerOneStop resources make it easy to explore and learn about careers – the hundreds of occupation profiles and career videos are a terrific place to spend some time online with your teen, looking at familiar types of work, and investigating careers they – or you – may not have heard of yet.

Broad interests. Your teen may have a general idea of something she likes – maybe she’s made statements such as: “I like computers” or “Helping people is something I’ve thought about”. Head to Career cluster / industry videos to watch the overview video to gain ideas about the purpose of the industry, how it contributes to the economy, and important trends affecting it currently. Then view a video about different types of careers in that industry, and learn about special factors unique to that industry that may make working in it look terrific, or terrible.

First jobs. If your teen wants to work but hasn’t held a job before, check out Ideas for first jobs. He can look forward to gaining skills and experience, learning about money management, and better understanding his strengths and what he may want in a longer-term career. Another major benefit of first jobs is the confidence they build in a teenager.

Youth employment programs. Free support is available at youth employment programs across the country for youth and young adults who qualify. They can get help to find a summer or full-time job, learn about completing their high school diploma, and get 1:1 assistance to help plan their future education or career.

What are my education options?

What your teen is thinking may change dramatically day by day or over months and years. So it’s great to help them see that there are multiple ways to gain skills and develop their career.

Short-term training. A lot of options involve short-term training: examples include taking a free online English class to brush up skills; studying for an in-demand IT certification and passing the exam; enrolling in a certificate program at a local college to qualify for work in one year or less in fields such as medical assistant, solar installer, web developer, LPN, and more.

Apprenticeship. If your teen has a hands-on bent, apprenticeships can be a great way to learn skills and develop a career while earning an income at the same time. Fields that offer apprenticeships range from more traditional and in-demand fields like plumbing, electrician, and carpentry, but have also expanded to include finance and business, hospitality, transportation and manufacturing. More than 90 percent of apprentices remain employed after completing their program, and their average starting wage is more than $60,000.

College. If they are thinking about college, a great first step is just to learn about college – the types of colleges, degrees, and getting ready. With deadlines and requirements to keep in mind, it’s helpful to also learn about how to apply to college.

The conversation about how to pay for school is also an important topic. Your teen can quickly learn about how different types of financial aid work and how to obtain it.  When they are ready to start looking into specific colleges, they can search their prospects with the Local Training Finder, and collect scholarship opportunities to apply fo

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Promote workplace inclusivity and expand your hiring pool

Posted on by CareerOneStop Posted in Businesses and employers, Uncategorized
NDEAM2020 graphc
NDEAM2020 graphc

Every October, U.S. employers are reminded of the opportunity they have to hire and retain a ready workforce that is often underutilized. National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) offers events, resources, and information to support an inclusive and expanded hiring pool that includes workers who have disabilities.

Find ideas to recruit candidates, engage, and support workers who have disabilities in your organization, using these suggestions from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy:

  • Consider making a year round commitment: Check out “Beyond NDEAM: Year-Round Employer Strategies for Advancing Disability Inclusion”.
  • Review policies: NDEAM is an opportune time to review your company’s policies to ensure they convey a commitment to an inclusive workplace culture. For assistance in doing so, read Inclusion@Work (see in particular the first section, “Lead the Way: Inclusive Business Culture”).
  • Establish an employee resource group: NDEAM is a perfect time to launch a disability Employee Resource Group (ERG). Sometimes referred to as Employee Networks or Affinity Groups, ERGs offer employees an opportunity to connect and receive support from others with similar backgrounds or interests. For more information, see A Toolkit for Establishing and Maintaining Successful Employee Resource Groups.
  • Create a display: NDEAM is a great time to freshen up bulletin boards in break areas or other locations that employees frequent by posting positive messages about your company’s commitment to a disability-inclusive workforce. Start by putting up this year’s NDEAM poster, which is available in English and Spanish. Additional display materials include the “What Can YOU Do?” poster series.
  • Train supervisors: Supervisors are the individuals closest to an organization’s workforce. As part of NDEAM, consider conducting training to ensure they understand their role in fostering an inclusive workplace culture. Such training may include a review of relevant policies, including the process for providing reasonable accommodations. One easy way to provide such training is to make use of the Job Accommodation Network’s  “turn-key” training modules and available materials, such as the Building an Inclusive Workforce tabletop desk guide.
  • Educate employees: It is critical that companies committed to disability inclusion effectively and regularly reinforce that commitment to employees. NDEAM offers an opportunity to do this through disability training or informal educational events such as brown–bag lunch discussions. Several ready-to-use resources can assist in facilitating such activities, such as disability etiquette materials and the “I Can” public service announcement and accompanying workplace discussion guide. Another option is to contact local disability organizations to see if they offer workplace training programs.
  • Publish articles: NDEAM offers timely and fresh content for an employee newsletter or internal website. Articles could address a range of topics, such as general information about the company’s commitment to an inclusive workplace, the process for requesting reasonable accommodations, or perhaps recognizing the contributions of employees with disabilities – either in general or on an individual level. Your company’s top executive could also issue a message to all employees recognizing NDEAM.
  • Access the Workforce Recruitment Program: The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) connects federal and private sector employers to qualified and pre-screened college students and recent graduates with disabilities. Coordinated by ODEP and the U.S. Department of Defense, it runs year-round, with the database of participants updated each December.
  • Start a mentoring program: Consider using NDEAM to launch planning for a mentoring program for young adults and new graduates who have disabilities.

More resources

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Long-term trends in manufacturing industry jobs

Posted on by CareerOneStop Posted in Career changers, Career counselors, Entry-level workers, Job seekers, Students
Engineer using crane to lift steel in factory
Employee using crane to lift steel in factory

Like all industries, manufacturing is currently impacted by the global pandemic and recovery. But it’s also in the midst of a long-term shift. The past several decades have seen dramatic changes in the manufacturing workplace. It’s gone from a hands-on, worker-intensive enterprise with mostly unskilled workers to a high-tech workplace in which automation drives many routine tasks.

Quick facts to know:

  • Over 12.5 million people are employed in the manufacturing industry, while millions of jobs in other industries are reliant on manufactured products.
  • Manufacturers operate in every state, but are particularly important for Midwest and South regional economies, where manufacturing may account for 10 percent or more of all jobs.
  • Job candidates with a high school diploma and short-term technical training are in great demand in manufacturing, and are likely to earn higher than average wages compared to workers in other industries with similar education levels.
  • The use of artificial intelligence and automation in manufacturing continues to grow, requiring a workforce with technical skills to match.

The long-term shifts in the manufacturing industry mean that employers now require a skilled, trained workforce able to learn new technology on the job, and quickly adapt from one project to the next. Jobs in manufacturing are expected to see a slight decline over the next ten years due to automation and industry changes, but demand for workers will still be high as existing workers retire out of the labor force. In addition, high growth is expected in specialized manufacturing positions such as CNC machine tool programmers, industrial engineers, dental laboratory technicians, and medical appliance technicians.

Unlike in many industries, new hires in manufacturing are commonly expected to learn the work on the job. Therefore, many occupations have minimal education requirements—typically a high school diploma or less—and new hires can also earn a technical certificate on the job. Examples of these types of careers include welders, packaging and filling machine operators, painting workers, lathe and turning machine tool setters, slaughterers and meat packers, and food cooking machine operators.

An associate’s degree or certificate can open the door to a manufacturing career in a variety of fields, including CNC machine tool operators, machinists, dental laboratory technicians, boiler operators, or medical appliance technicians.

Apprenticeships are common in the manufacturing industry and offer wages while learning a skilled trade. Some of the occupations that may be entered through apprenticeship include CNC programmers, precision machinists, industrial maintenance repairers, mold makers, and tool and die makers.

Manufacturing careers that require a four-year degree offer more management and design tasks; these include industrial production managers and industrial engineers.

Who is a career in the manufacturing industry right for? There are several points to keep in mind:

  • Round-the-clock shifts are common—and first shift positions are usually harder to find than night shifts or weekends. In addition, some employers may require mandatory overtime to meet production demand.
  • Working conditions may include loud noise, heat or cold, and standing for long periods of time.
  • Candidates who enjoy tinkering with hand or machine tools, and are curious about mechanical systems have an advantage and are especially sought after in this industry.
  • Because of worker shortages, manufacturers may have to compete for workers by offering increased wages, benefits, and flexibility in scheduling.

Watch a video about the manufacturing industry or learn about trends and careers in other industries and career clusters in CareerOneStop’s Video Library.

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Developing a local business sector partnership?

Posted on by CareerOneStop Posted in Businesses and employers, Teachers, Uncategorized, Workforce Development Professionals
Competency Model Clearinghouse logo

If you are involved in building partnerships to expand a business sector in your community, you know that success depends on all partners getting on the same page. Partnerships typically include community and technical colleges, public and non-profit workforce programs, and local businesses to form an ideal base for sector development collaborations in their communities.  

A key element of those collaborations is a shared understanding of the skills, knowledge, and other requirements needed to successfully perform “critical work functions” in a work setting.

  • College programs and workforce educators depend on this collaboration to design their curriculum so that graduates meet the needs of local employers.
  • Local workforce and employment programs rely on the shared view of worker requirements to design programs and recruit and match program participants to available jobs.
  • And businesses need an understanding of worker requirements to develop their position descriptions and then hire and retain work-ready employees who can grow with their business needs.

CareerOneStop’s Competency Model Clearinghouse offers sets of these pre-defined competencies for workers in a wide variety of industries—from construction and manufacturing, to food service and health care (see full list of industries).

A competency model is defined as “a collection of multiple competencies that together define successful performance in a defined work setting.” It provides a clear description of what a person needs to know and be able to do—the knowledge, skills, and abilities—to perform well in a specific job, occupation, or industry.

Competency models can help address these needs:

  • Identify specific employer skill needs
  • Develop competency-based curricula and training models
  • Develop industry-defined performance indicators, skill standards, and certifications
  • Develop resources for career exploration and guidance

Here’s one example, the Food and Beverage Service Competency Model:

Food and Beverage Service Building Blocks Pyramid

The Clearinghouse also offers User Guides with background information, step-by-step directions, and resources for using competency models. These can help workforce educators and others to develop their own unique competency models.

Find detailed guidance on how to apply competency models, including these topics:

Check out the Clearinghouse Resources for guidance in developing your own competency model or for ideas on how to use existing models.

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Industry profile: careers in telecommunications

Posted on by CareerOneStop Posted in Career changers, Entry-level workers, Job seekers, Students, Teachers, Uncategorized
Telecommunication manual high worker
Telecommunication manual high worker

Telecommunications is an industry sector that includes companies that transmit data in words, voice, audio, or video around the world. It includes:

  • Wired networks that provide landline phones, cable TV, and internet to homes and businesses.
  • Wireless service providers that supply phone, internet, and other data through signals from radio tower networks directly to customers’ mobile devices.
  • Satellite communications technology that takes pictures of the earth and transmits other data.
  • Radar and radio communication networks, which aid in the navigation of trucks, boats, and planes, among other applications. 

Quick facts about the telecommunications industry

Overall decline in jobs.  As technology has boosted productivity and services have become more efficient, fewer workers are needed in this sector. A loss of nearly 100,000 jobs– about 20 percent of the industry–is expected in the next decade. 

Strong rural need. Despite an overall employment decline, growth is anticipated in rural areas, as only one-fifth of rural Americans have access to broadband networks.

Above average salaries. Many jobs in this sector pay more than the national average.

Government oversight. Although telecommunications jobs are almost exclusively in the private sector, companies are regulated by the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC.

Would a career in telecommunications be a good fit me?  

Do you enjoy technical work? Love working with your hands and your mind to solve complex problems? Then a career in the Telecommunications industry may be for you. Here are some points to keep in mind:

  • Many telecommunications careers require an unusual mix of aptitude for technology and technical problem solving along with providing friendly customer service.
  • Adaptability and willingness to learn new skills and technologies are essential for telecommunications workers.
  • Careers in the telecommunications industry can involve working in customers’ homes, tight and sometimes dirty crawl spaces, high-up on towers or poles, as well as in switch rooms and offices.
  • Changing technologies have created more efficient ways to deliver cable, wireless, and internet to homes and businesses—driving down job growth.

What are some careers in telecommunications?

There is a wide variety of careers in telecommunications. People who work in telecommunications careers design service networks, install and maintain equipment, and sell services to customers. They ensure the delivery of text, voice, audio, and video throughout the infrastructure of service networks.

Most jobs in this field require some form of technical training—that might be through an apprenticeship, or by earning an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. See some examples of careers in telecommunications below.

Careers that generally require a high school diploma or post-secondary certificate:

  • Telecommunication technicians
  • Broadband technicians
  • Central office technicians
  • Cable splicers, linemen, and cable technicians

Careers that generally require a certificate or associate’s or bachelor’s degree:

  • Telecommunications engineers
  • Network managers
  • Registered communications distribution designers

Apprenticeships,which combine on-the-job training with paid employment, are a great way to enter a career. Apprenticeships may be available for several telecommunications occupations including telecommunications tower technicians, wireless technicians, telecommunications antenna and line forepersons, and fiber optic technicians. Learn more about apprenticeships.

Want to learn more? Watch videos about careers in telecommunications and other industry and career clusters.

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Veterans: interested in a federal job?

Posted on by CareerOneStop Posted in Uncategorized, Veterans
man working on his laptop at home
man working on his laptop at home

Working for the federal government can be a great option for veterans. Depending on the circumstances, federal jobs can offer greater stability than jobs with private companies. In addition, veterans’ skills often transfer readily to federal agency work, making veterans particularly valued candidates.

How are federal civil service jobs structured?

There are three distinct areas in federal civil service:

  • Competitive Service: offers the greatest number of federal jobs, based in the executive branch of federal government, and veterans’ preference applies. Search for these on USAJOBS.gov
  • Excepted Service: jobs that are excepted from rules of competitive service – agencies may hire in this category when it’s not feasible or practical to hire under competitive service rules. Job notices may either be on USAJOBS.gov or on individual agency websites. Veterans’ preference applies.
  • Senior Executive Service: primarily executive or managerial jobs, emphasizing leading change, leading people, driving results, business acumen, and building coalitions. Some job notices are published on USAJOBS.gov; many are internal postings. Veterans’ preference does not apply.

What is veterans’ preference?

Veterans’ preference gives eligible veterans preference in hiring over many other applicants. It does not guarantee veterans a job and it does not apply to internal agency actions such as promotions and transfers. Eligibility for veterans preference is based on dates of active duty service and other specifics of service; not all active duty service qualifies. Learn more about veterans preference.

How can you find federal job openings?

Your federal job search process starts with identifying the type of job you want. Then search for titles related to that job on the USAJOBS website. There are many federal agencies and on any given day USAJOBS lists thousands of jobs available with most of these agencies. You don’t need an account on USAJOBS to search for a job, but you must register to apply for a job. 

You can apply to most federal jobs with a resume. Use the resume builder on USAJOBS to help ensure your resume is appropriate for federal job applications. Federal resumes must be targeted and tailored to the position, and are usually several pages long, compared to 1-2 page resumes for private sector jobs.

Learn how to write a resume that ensures you meet the specifics of federal job applications.

How do you ensure you qualify?

“Vacancy announcement” is the federal government’s term for a job description, and it’s critical that you read each carefully to ensure you qualify before applying. There is a difference between being eligible and qualified for federal positions; to be selected, a candidate must meet both criteria.

Eligible

Being eligible for a position means meeting basic criteria. Make sure to review the criteria listed in the “who may apply” section of the announcement. While veterans have access to many of the positions posted on USAJOBS.gov, some jobs may limit the candidate pool, for example to current employees only.

Qualified

To be qualified for a position, you must meet the specialized skills, specific experience, and any other criteria outlined in the vacancy announcement. Vacancy announcements have a special section for qualifications and evaluations. This is the most important section in determining whether you qualify for the position, so analyze this section to find the key words and specific skills to include in your resume. Be sure to follow the directions in the evaluation criteria.

Explore more details on each of these and related topics on CareerOneStop’s federal hiring for veterans.

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