FEDERALhearing transcript

Review of VA On-the-Job Training and Apprenticeship Programs

Original title: EXAMINING VA'S ON-THE-JOB TRAINING AND APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM

January 1, 2017

veterans affairs employment apprenticeship job training GI Bill government accountability

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The Frame

What this does

The hearing addresses the effectiveness of federal programs that allow veterans to earn a wage while receiving GI Bill stipends, directly impacting the economic transition and career placement of veterans.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Veterans

Veterans are the primary users of the OJT and Apprenticeship Program and are affected by the availability and promotion of these benefits.

Department of Veterans Affairs

The VA is responsible for the administration, marketing, and modernization of the OJT and Apprenticeship Program.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2017.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

A House Subcommittee held a hearing to examine why the VA's On-the-Job Training () and Apprenticeship Program is underutilized by veterans. The hearing focused on a GAO report finding that the VA fails to adequately promote these programs to transitioning service members and relies on outdated administrative processes.

Key Facts

The VA's OJT and Apprenticeship Program allows veterans to receive both employer wages and GI Bill living stipends simultaneously.
The GAO found that the program is underutilized because most veterans are unaware of its existence.
The Subcommittee identified a lack of effective promotion of the program during the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and in GI Bill marketing materials.
The GAO reported that the VA's administration of the program relies on outdated, 20th-century methods.
The hearing was held on November 18, 2015, in the Cannon House Office Building.
The hearing record is published as Serial No. 114-46.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the VA's OJT and Apprenticeship Program?

It is a program that allows veterans to receive a living stipend from the VA while earning a wage from an employer during job training or an apprenticeship.

Why is the Subcommittee concerned about this program?

The Subcommittee is concerned that the program is underutilized because the VA is not effectively informing veterans about it during their transition to civilian life.

Why It Matters

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Administrative Modernization Need

The GAO identified that the VA's administrative processes for OJT payments were significantly outdated, relying on 20th-century methods.

Department of Veterans Affairs U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)

Connected Entities

organizationSubcommittee on Economic Opportunity“The House subcommittee conducting the hearing.”Map →

organizationU.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)“Conducted the study and report on the VA's program.”Map →

personMike Coffman“Member of Congress who expressed concern regarding program utilization.”Map →

personMark Takano“Ranking Member of the Subcommittee.”Map →

personBrad Wenstrup“Chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.”Map →

organizationDepartment of Veterans Affairs (VA)“The agency responsible for administering the OJT and Apprenticeship Program.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy20
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz15
Current news / social attention level

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