Pentagon officials are rolling out changes to the popular SkillBridge job training program, hoping to land more veterans in full-time jobs and improve the learning experience.
The first updates to the program in five years aim to connect active-duty troops with safe, stable workplaces that offer a clear path to employment after they separate from military service. But concerns remain that the new rules could curb the number of companies that opt to participate in SkillBridge, as well as the number of service members who rely on the program as a post-military landing pad.
Without the financial stability and professional growth that SkillBridge can offer, troops may find the difficult leap into civilian life even tougher.
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“SkillBridge is a great program. We are much better with it … than without it,” Ian Eishen, who retired from the Air Force as a chief master sergeant in 2022, told Military.com on Wednesday. “I think some of these rules may have second- and third-order effects that may or may not have been thought of.”
SkillBridge, founded in 2011, offers troops the chance to spend the last six months of their military service in unpaid job training, apprenticeships and internships at civilian employers ranging from Amazon to federal agencies. The program allows service members to try out new skills and learn whether a…
