Every year, approximately 200,000 men and women leave U.S. military service and return to life as civilians, a process known as the military to civilian transition.
The Transition Assistance Program (TAP) provides information, tools, and training to ensure service members, and their spouses, are prepared for the next step in civilian life.
TAP, provided under 10 U.S.C. 1144, is a cooperative effort among the Department of Labor, and the Departments of Defense, Education, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs, the Small Business Administration, and the Office of Personnel Management.
VETS administers a one-day employment preparation workshop that is mandatory for all transitioning service members, and two optional two-day workshops for career exploration and technical career preparation, or general employment preparation.
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Employment Navigator and Partnership Pilot
VETS has launched the Employment Navigator and Partnership Pilot (ENPP) at 13 pilot sites worldwide. Employment Navigators (EN) are available at these sites to provide one-on-one employment assistance with transitioning service members (TSM), and their spouses, outside of the formal TAP classroom instruction.
TAP Online Curriculum
This TAP online curriculum is designed to provide service members who are unable to attend the TAP in-person due to military necessity with the ability to fulfill their TAP obligations. The full, online TAP curriculum is available to veterans and spouses of service members through the Transition Online Learning (TOL) system.
Access the TAP Online Curriculum
Specific Branch Information
TAP Training Resources
Employment Fundamentals of Career Transition (EFCT)
Designed to lay the foundation of the transition from military to civilian life. The 1-day workshop provides an introduction to the essential tools and resources needed to evaluate career options, gain information for civilian employment, and understand the fundamentals of the employment process.
EFCT Participant Guide (PDF) | EFCT Presentation (PDF)
Department of Labor Employment Workshop (DOLEW)
A comprehensive 2-day workshop that covers emerging best practices in career employment, including in-depth training to learn interview skills, build effective resumes, and use emerging technology to network and search for employment.
DOLEW Participant Guide (PDF) | DOLEW Presentation (PDF)
Career and Credential Exploration (C2E)
A track that offers a unique opportunity for participants to complete a personalized career development assessment of occupational interest and ability. Participants will also be guided through a variety of career considerations, including labor market projections, education, apprenticeships, certifications, and licensure requirements.
Also known as: Vocational Training Track (DOLVT)
C2E Participant Guide (PDF) | C2E Presentation (PDF)