Though we hear media reports about casualties of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan there is no spotlight shining on the thousands of U.S. soldiers who are unable to return to the jobs and careers that they had before the war. Even less well understood are the steps that government and corporations are taking to help retrain or prepare these brave men and women for the next phases of their professional lives.
Even as the injured veterans undergo treatment or therapy, the Walter Reed Equal Employment Opportunity Office (EEOO) offers classes to help prepare them for careers in information technology (IT) and tech support. As a part of the Assistive Technology Training Program (ATTP), educators guide participants to develop the knowledge and skills they need to become Microsoft and Network + certified technicians or even engineers.
Early on, the program was a huge success with a number of men and women passing their first level of certification and, more importantly, gaining needed confidence to excel in a new career. However, many in the program were discharged from the hospital before they were able to complete the program. They were unable to learn the full set of skills necessary to pass certification exams.
Carl Stephenson, the primary educator for the Walter Reed program, began looking for an “on-demand” solution to continue training those who could not be present in the physical classroom. After evaluating a few collaboration tools, Stephenson chose WebEx Training Center Online Classroom to help extend the reach of the training program.
Today, with the help of WebEx Training Center, educators are able to work with injured soldiers no matter where they are recovering, ensuring that they are able to gain the skills and knowledge they need to pass certification exams. In addition, WebEx enables participants to continue on with the program to expand their skill set and qualifications by allowing access to advanced new training classes with educators around the country.
Karl Unbehagen is one of the soldiers who have benefited from the program. One of the original students, Unbehagen suffered from TBI (traumatic brain injury) and worked with Stephenson to gain new skills as well as to meet his goal of returning to active duty. Today, Unbehagen has 8 IT certifications, is back on active duty and is currently at Fort Hood in Texas preparing to return to Iraq.
Stephen Holden is still in training with Stephenson and plans to leverage the skills and training he has received to start a new career after he retires from the military. Holden noted that there will come a time when it will be difficult for him to commute to work every day and he values the ability to have a sustainable career from anywhere.
That online collaboration tools have transformed the way millions of people approach their jobs is no secret or surprise; however, it is exciting and inspiring to see the ways it helps injured veterans discover new career opportunities and options.
Bob Lee is senior product marketing manager of WebEx Learning Solutions, Cisco WebEx
