Video: Veterans Sought for Job-Training Program

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ITAWAMBA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Unemployed Veterans who are 35-60 years of age and looking for new careers are encouraged to apply for the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program, according to Bob Walker, director of financial aid at Itawamba Community College.

The program allows qualifying Veterans between the ages of 35 and 60 to receive up to 12 months of education assistance, Walker said. Maximum payments are equal to the full-time rate for the Montgomery GI Bill – Active Duty, currently $1,473 monthly.

Under VRAP, Veterans apply on a first-come, first-served basis for the program. Up to 54,000 Veterans can participate nationwide through Mar. 31, 2014.

To qualify, Veterans must be 35-60 years old, unemployed on the day of application and have been issued discharges under conditions other than dishonorable; be enrolled in education or training after July 1 in a VA-approved program of education offered by a community college or technical school leading to an associate’s degree, non-college degree or a certificate for a high-demand occupation as defined by the Department of Labor; not be eligible for any other VA education benefit, such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the Montgomery GI Bill or Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment; not have participated in a federal or state job training program within the last 180 days; and not receive VA compensation at the 100-percent rate due to individual unemployability.

Itawamba Community College offers opportunities in academic, career and technical and online classes.

Veterans may access the VRAP application online at https://www.ebenefits.va.gov through eBenefits, a joint project between VA and the Department of Defense.

For more information, contact Bob Walker at ICC, rdwalker@iccms.edu, or call (662) 862-8223 or Mandy Walker at (662) 862-8283. ICC also participates in the Yellow Ribbon program.