By KELLY FITZPATRICK
The kids are heading back to school! After 17 months of social distancing and at-home or virtual education, it will be so nice to see the kids back to actual in-classroom school. Many children attended summer school classes just to get caught up. Some may complain, while others may be looking forward to it. At any rate, it will mean quieter households in many cases for those parents who are either still working remotely and/or caught up in the great job search.
What about you? Are you heading back to school, too? Are you a prior military service member? Have you considered going back to school to further your education? What better time than now! As was indicated during the pandemic, certain types of jobs are considered “critical” or “essential,” while others were lost. Some jobs may never return. Maybe this would be a good time to reassess where you are and where you’d like to be. God forbid we have to deal with another pandemic in our lifetime, but there are other changes coming as well. As technology increases by leaps and bounds at a pace almost faster than the speed of light (at least it can seem that way), some industries are sliding into antiquity while others are advancing to the point where computer skills are absolutely crucial.
You don’t necessarily have to go for a 4-year college degree. Many jobs categorized as “essential” can be obtained by getting a certification or an Associate (two-year) degree. Certifications in construction, computer technology, construction management, Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training, or the utility and repair trades will often command a higher entry salary and many were considered essential in the pandemic, too. Upon completion of the program, veterans can choose to attend any school that suits their needs; 2-to-4-year colleges and universities, vocational, or technical institutions. Think about it… seriously.
If you decide that school might actually be a good move for you, New Mexico Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) is here to help. We offer free services to help you prepare for that step. VUB is 100% funded by the US Department of Education because you former military members deserve it! And using our program will not affect any VA educational benefits. Our curriculum is self-directed and self-paced so you can work on the material at your convenience. Our team of US military veterans can help with completing the documents to access VA educational benefits, college admissions, and financial aid. We provide refresher courses in English, math, financial literacy, computer and study skills, and much more.
Working with VUB before going to school saves veteran students time and money in college!
Contact us any time at (855) 357-3725 or unmvub@unm.edu. You can also complete an online referral form or an application at the URLs below (enter them into your browser). There is absolutely no obligation to enroll. One of our team members will be in touch to answer your questions and to establish how we can help you meet your goals. By the way, New Mexico Veterans Upward Bound is hosted by UNM-Taos but with this program, students can choose to go to any school.
URLs to copy and paste into your web browser: Referral form:
https://forms.office.com/r/Ei52Zsvc85
Application form: https://secure.na2.echosign.com/public/esignWidget?wid=CBFCIBAA3AAABLblqZhBayo1rlpXPZKIkLbb6DDZ-KRVC5e-afgnIGe3W40iXdVIfJk1ibSZgihu1cUMhLXY*
