Department of State Asks Veterans to Complete Survey on Transition to Civilian Employment

Harrisburg, PA – The Department of State (DOS) has launched a Veterans’ Licensure SurveyOpens In A New Window as part of a broader three-year study the department is conducting with St. Francis University’s Knee Center for the Study of Occupational RegulationOpens In A New Window (KCSOR).

The voluntary surveyOpens In A New Window, on DOS’ websiteOpens In A New Window and KCSOR’s website until Nov. 11, 2020, asks current service members, veterans and their families about their experience transferring occupational licensure from the military to the private sector. Responses will be kept confidential.

“One of the biggest obstacles facing service members and veterans is how to translate the skills and education they received in the military into civilian employment,” Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar said. “Veterans and their families who have served our country deserve our strongest commitment to making their transition to civilian employment as easy as possible.”

Survey questions focus on license portability, license reciprocity policies among states and occupational licensing assessment needs. Survey data will be used to make recommendations regarding streamlining occupational licensure regulation in the commonwealth.

“We want to thank Secretary Boockvar and her team at Department of State for their outstanding work to ease the transition to the civilian workforce for our current serving military and our veterans,” said Maj. Gen. Anthony Carrelli, Pennsylvania’s adjutant general and head of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. “Easing the difficulty of transferring occupational licenses will help veterans and their families transition to the next phase of their lives.  Our veterans will get a better start to their next career and Pennsylvania employers will get highly qualified and experienced professionals into their workforce quicker.”

The surveyOpens In A New Window should take about 15 minutes to complete and is best displayed on a laptop or desktop computer. Some features may be less compatible for use on a mobile device. Respondents, who must be 18 years or older, will receive a KCSOR promotional item for their participation.

DOS also is developing a military occupational crosswalk, which is a framework for converting military duties, skills, training and certifications to fulfill Pennsylvania’s occupational licensing requirements. The 29 licensing boards and commissions of DOS’ Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs will use the crosswalk as a tool to create a consistent transition from military to civilian occupational life.

The survey and crosswalk are part of a $422,000, three-year grantOpens In A New Window Gov. Wolf secured from the U.S. Department of Labor in 2018 to reduce excessive occupational licensing requirements and explore alternative approaches, such as professional certification, that maintain public health and safety.