DD-214 as an acceptable affidavit for work experience in the state of Virginia?

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cammronz

Member
Good afternoon,

I have, what I believe to be a very specific situation, and was hoping the great minds of this forum could point me in the right direction. I was an electrician in the Coast Guard for 9+ years and am currently working as a Power Plant Maintenance Electrical Technician(sounds more prestigious than it is:)). I am attempting to earn my journeyman's license through the state but I keep getting different answers with everyone I talk to. Virginia Department of Labor and Industry(DOL&I) is telling me that since the company I work for is headquarters out of state that I need to talk to that state. [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Department of Professional & Occupational Regulation(DPOR) is telling me that they don't care where I work as long as I have the required amount of OJT and related classroom training I can submit my application for approval to sit for the exam. I understand that I need 10yrs and not 9+ and am finalizing the remainder of my time with my current company. But instead of waiting several months for the possibility of DPOR to say that a dd-214 will not suffice as an adequate affidavit for past experience, I wanted to start taking related classroom training. Here's the issue, I travel about 8-9 months a year where I won't come home for this 2-3 months at a time. And this happens to be in the middle of spring and fall semesters and cross over into summer semesters, so local community colleges won't suffice, and DOL&I is saying that even if I were allowed to get my license in this state, I would have to do it at a Virginia State institution. Which I clearly am unable to do.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif] So after all of the above B.S., here are my questions. Has anyone actually seen a DD-214 be accepted by DPOR for qualifying OJT time to sit for the Journeyman examination? Not heard of but seen. And, does anyone know what online classes I can take to complete any necessary related training, that will be accepted by a local college and DOL&I? I greatly appreciate any information you can provide. I just want to be licensed! [/FONT]
 
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gk351

Senior Member
Location
IL
I'm sorry I can't help with your situation. But I feel the same way. 7 Years as an Air Force electrician, and most companies won't budge on the experience. It's very aggrevating, but thats the way it is. Good luck.
 
cadpoint

cadpoint

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
I will assume that dd-214 respesents your years in the service.

The host of this web site has the listing for the requirements of every State here.
I would find the web based page you need and read it thoroughly.

IMO, if you only qualify based only the dd-214, and what you’re doing for classes, etc. and your present employment, you’ll have to wait.
 
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gaftech

Member
Location
Sanger, Texas
DD-214 as proof of schooling

DD-214 as proof of schooling

I spent 20 years in the Navy and when I retired, there was no civilian employer that wanted a copy of my DD-214 except as verification that I really did serve my time. Instead, what employers and school will agree to at least look at are your school/training transcripts. These provide information such as dates, grades, and what the course objectives were. When evaluating how much credit to give for you taking a class, (is strictly up to each individual institution), factors such as grades, length of school (how many hours), how long ago the school was taken (what do you remember from thos schools?), and what the course objectives were (read course description). But I wouldn't hope for too much...I had over 5,000 hours of schooling over the past twenty years, but didn't get much credit at all!

So contact either the Coast Guard directly or go through BUPERS to get a copy of your entire service record. Hope this helps!

BTW, thanks for your service!
 
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Bang

Member
Location
Northern Virginia
gk351 said:
I'm sorry I can't help with your situation. But I feel the same way. 7 Years as an Air Force electrician, and most companies won't budge on the experience. It's very aggrevating, but thats the way it is. Good luck.
Click to expand...

Same here^^^

I know for sure that your DD-214 will not suffice as experience with the State of Virginia. I am originally from Il but just passed my Journeyman test last year in VA. They want as much information as possible. Hopefully you still have your OJT records and possibly a copy of VMET.
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Sounds like Virginia has some very strict licensing requirements. If that is the case there should not be any licensed people that ever get inspection failures.

10 years experience just to be a journeyman?:thumbsdown: Being a journeyman means you are no longer learning the trade. It does not mean you have worked for so long there is nothing you haven't seen before. I have been doing this for around 25 years and I'm sure I will still run into things I've never seen before at times.

If DD214 does not contain what they want then you need to ask them what form they do need that will show them your experience. Military is going to have better and more reliable records of what you did than pretty much any other employer - this is just plain stupid.
 
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cammronz

Member
I appreciate real answers

I appreciate real answers

Thanks to everybody who commented, at least now I know I need to start researching colleges. Thanks again.
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
andrewc said:
Have you seen this? http://www.dpor.virginia.gov/dporweb/con_approved tradesman training providers.pdf

The official list of approved tradesman training providers for Virginia. Some are online/correspondence.
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But how do these vocational courses count toward required experience needed to obtain a license?

I don't know VA requirements but NE requirements for a journeyman is 5 years experience in electrical field to be eligible to take journeyman exam. If you have two years vocational degree at approved institution they will count that as one year of experience. So if you go to two year trade school you could take your exam with 4 years experience. If you are working while going to school the amount of time could be less depending on circumstances, and depends on what kind of experience they award you if the work is only part time while in school.
 
zog

zog

Senior Member
Location
Charlotte, NC
The military has a (for lack of a better term) federal journeymans card, it is a program that was available to you to document your trade related hours during your service, in many states that is accepted as work experience for getting into a trade. Too bad not many take advantage of it, my CO pushed it on all of us and I am glad he did.

Or you can write to the American Council on Education, One DuPont Circle, Washington, DC 20036-1193 to request an Evaluation of Military Training and Occupations form (DD-2586) to submit with your application.
 
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