Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., leads a discussion during a House Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
WASHINGTON — High-demand jobs in commercial trucking, skilled trades and other employment that do not require a college degree were examined by lawmakers as potential career paths for the 200,000 service members exiting the military each year.
Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R.-Wis., said at a hearing of the House Veterans’ Affairs subcommittee on economic opportunity that it is critical for veterans to understand the career opportunities offered in many “non-traditional, high-paying industries.”
Many veterans do not fully realize they can use benefits from the GI Bill for non-college degree programs that result in well-paying jobs, he said.
They can complete a course for a commercial driver’s license to be a trucker, train as an emergency medical technician or attend barber and cosmetology school.
But the number of veterans using the post-9/11 GI Bill to pursue on-the-job training or apprenticeships as a way to gain experience continues to decline, said Van Orden, chairman of the subcommittee.
The purpose of the hearing was to look at how the VA can increase veteran participation in on-the-job training programs and apprenticeships sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Veterans acquire career skills and earn wages while receiving their GI benefits to help cover living expenses, according to the VA.
Individuals using post-9/11 GI Bill benefits can use the assistance to buy books and supplies for training, according to the VA.
In 2023, there were 1,008 apprenticeships and 776 on-the-job training participants, representing less than 1% of the post-9/11 GI Bill population.
Van Orden said the VA is “spending around $241 million a year on administrative expenses, which include staff salaries and counseling services for such a low success rate.”
Both of the programs require a training contract with an approved employer or union, and at the end of the program, participants earn a job certification or journeyman status.
“I cannot tell you enough how badly America needs to reenergize defense manufacturing so that we are always ready — for today and tomorrow — to defend our way of life,” Van Orden said. “One of the best ways to do that is to show these companies that have jobs available that there are thousands of veterans ready and willing to fill them.”
Kenneth Smith, executive director of education services at the Veterans Benefits Administration, testifies during a House Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
Kenneth Smith, executive director of education services at the Veterans Benefits Administration, said 20,000 briefings were conducted this past fiscal year with transitioning service members about their options for participating in apprenticeships and on-the-job training programs.
“Non-college degree training is a growing priority,” Smith said.
A recent executive order signed by President Donald Trump prioritizes workforce development for high-paying jobs in the skilled trade industries, Smith said.
Smith also discussed the early success of the VET-TEC program.
Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses, or VET-TEC, was launched as a pilot program in 2019. The courses helped veterans gain technology skills in computer programming, coding, cybersecurity and other areas.
The pilot ended in April 2024, but the program was reauthorized by Congress.
Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., discusses the TRANSPORT Jobs Act during a House Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., said he introduced the TRANSPORT Jobs Act, which seeks to connect veterans with jobs in the supply chain industry. Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Mich., is a co-sponsor.
The bill, which recently passed the House, directs the Transportation Department to create a strategy for increasing veteran employment in high-demand jobs in transportation and logistics. The bill was referred to the Senate for consideration.
“The TRANSPORT Jobs Act achieves two goals at once — supporting our veterans and strengthening our nation’s supply chain,” Barrett said.
Veterans often performed jobs in transportation and logistics during military service, said Barrett, who served in the Army for 22 years.
But Barrett, a former chief warrant officer who flew advanced helicopters, said that he noticed some of his former “battle buddies” struggled to find employment after military service.
“These veterans were qualified but needed the licensing to be employed at the supply chain jobs they performed in the military,” Barrett said. “This bill helps them find their next mission in life.”
