Benefits of Offering Army CA Credentials at Your Institution
Our needs as a society are changing, and the landscape of career education continues to change along with it. People continue to pursue four-year and two-year college degrees but are often looking for a faster way to advance in their careers or upskill to qualify for new careers.
According to a recent report from Strada Education Network, key findings showed that certificates and certifications boosted employability and earnings premiums for veterans without degrees. To this end, the military has recently started the Army Credentialing Assistance (CA) program. The Army CA program offers funding for Soldiers to pursue additional credentials both within their time in service and as they transition into civilian careers. As Partners, you have a chance to create new opportunities for Soldiers while expanding your enrollments.
What is the Army Credentialing Assistance (CA) Program?
The Army CA program provides Active Duty, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard Soldiers an opportunity to pursue technical and industry-recognized professional credentials, completely online, with funding from the military. It is a voluntary program that provides financial assistance for off-duty training to pursue and earn credentials. Some popular choices are information technology (IT), cybersecurity, project management, and medical billing and coding. According to the U.S. Army, credentialing assistance keeps the Army competitive with its counterparts in the civilian community and develops a Soldier’s skills. The program is a result of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2012. At that time, it began offering Army credentialing assistance in pilot programs at the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command. Those pilots are now well-established, helping the Army live up to its goal of contributing to Total Army readiness. The Army says the program also helps retain quality Soldiers and prepare them for meaningful employment when they transition from service in the military.
Take Advantage of a New Funding Opportunity
An increase in credentialing strengthens the military as well as the broader community. Improved qualifications help combat veterans’ unemployment levels when they leave the service. The Army will fund up to $4,000 to qualifying soldiers per fiscal year to increase their skills, credentials, and professionalism. This funding covers various educational needs like fees, textbooks, materials, training, study guides, textbooks, and the cost of certification exams. With those tools, you have another group of interested students you can serve at your institution.
Increase Enrollments
Due to the growing need for educational alternatives among Soldiers, you can enter a newer, untapped market that can provide renewable annual enrollments. Soldiers seeking additional credentialing, both within their military occupation specialty (MOS) and outside of it, have quite a bit to draw them to the Army CA program. Tuition assistance makes education more accessible; the hybrid nature of online coursework with on-the-job training is especially valuable to military members, including those with dependents they are supporting through their service. Also, they can study at their own pace while deployed from anywhere and work around their schedule.
Your institution can add to its enrollment by taking advantage of the flexible, online instruction in the Army CA program through offering coursework as an ed2go Partner. We can guide you through the process of becoming an Army CA-approved vendor and choosing the courses most likely to attract military members using the Army credentialing assistance option.
Unlock New Opportunities as an Army CA-Approved Partner
Getting an Army credential through the Army CA program creates an opportunity for military members to improve their educational qualifications both during military service and when transitioning out of service—even part-time online.
As previously mentioned, the Army CA program covers up to $4,000 per fiscal year to pursue professional certification and credentials. That additional funding helps you, an ed2go Partner, offer more coursework and increase your student enrollments.
To learn more about how ed2go Partners can help you become an Army CA–approved vendor, please see the flyer, ARMY CA PROVIDES RENEWABLE ANNUAL ENROLLMENTS. Students receive a certificate of course completion through their selected school and a certificate through the certifying body after passing their course exam. You can also view our recent Army CA Webinar, on the ed2go Partner site for additional information.