Military Personnel and Veterans to Benefit from Two New Courses Launched by Institute for Defense & Business

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Mar 26, 2015, 04:04 ET

CHAPEL HILL, N.C., March 26, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Institute for Defense and Business (IDB - www.IDB.org), in partnership with Indiana University (www.IU.edu), has announced the creation of two new training and education programs designed specifically for early career and second career workers from the defense enterprise. The IU-IDB Strategic Studies Fellows Program (www.IU-IDBfellows.org) provides strategic security and leadership training, strengthening the individuals who will continue to grow their career within the military, while IDB's Military Transition Program (www.IDB.org/veterans) is designed to provide veterans transitioning out of the military the tools they need to launch new careers in the private sector.

Military personnel and veterans look to Institute for Defense and Business' training and education programs for career growth opportunities. Photo: IDB.org

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Given the complex contemporary security environment, it is vital for the military to broaden and develop the force to think more strategically at an earlier stage of career. This August, the IDB is launching the IU-IDB Strategic Studies Fellows Program (IU-IDB SSFP), a three week campus immersion at Indiana University focused on a strategic global look at national security, decision making, communication, negotiations, and developing a broader outlook. The IU-IDB SSFP grew out of the UNC-IDB Strategic Studies Fellows Program (www.UNC-IDBfellows.org), which began in 2012 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The course is a part of an initiative launched by U.S. Army Chief of Staff General Raymond Odierno calling for an earlier investment in our future strategic leaders. To date, 103 U.S. Army students have graduated from IDB's SSFPs, an audience IDB hopes will soon include members of all military services and non-governmental organizations.

IDB President Jim Hodge, himself a retired U.S. Army Major General, noted the large impact SSFPs will have for our armed forces. "Often, our military's senior leaders and commanders develop and master the skills that best serve them in complex and ambiguous environments too late in their careers. This course introduces vitally needed concepts and skills much earlier in the officers' careers, thereby allowing them to practice and master the skills before they are required in an environment that could have strategic level consequences."

While the SSFP offerings aim to better prepare those still in active government service, over the next few years we can expect to see a large influx in the number of veterans transitioning from the military to the civilian workforce as they face the downsizing of the U.S. Armed Forces. These veterans face a particular challenge in translating their experience and skills in a way that resonates with a corporate hiring manager. Private organizations are struggling equally to understand how to best employ veterans and interpret their qualifications. IDB's Military Transition Program (IDB's MTP) aims to meet this challenge head-on so veterans can more easily launch their post-service careers.

IDB's MTP is a rigorous 12 week program, using a combination of classroom and virtual learning. The first eight weeks will take place at University of North Carolina facilities near IDB's headquarters in Chapel Hill, NC, followed by online coursework. The curriculum is focused on interpreting military-acquired skills in the private sector, polishing student's executive skill sets, and providing a focused track in business analytics to help graduates qualify for high-demand careers in the data analytics field across industries. The program is a collaborative effort between IDB and Indiana University's Kelley School of Business (www.kelley.iu.edu). IDB is currently accepting applicants as well as recruiting corporate allies interested in helping students through the transition process. Corporate allies support students in various ways, including mock interviews, career coaching, internships, or even job placement.

Dr. Rich Magjuka is the Faculty Chair of Executive Degree Programs at the Kelley School of Business and is helping to shape the curriculum of IDB's Military Transition Program. "The practical experience a person receives through military service is remarkable. This caliber of leadership, problem solving, and teaming skills is a tremendous asset to any organization. However, far too many veterans struggle to find a clear path between the military and civilian workforces. The challenge we must help them overcome is translating those military skills and then arming them with the certifications that industry needs. We want to help both veterans and corporations realize the vast potential of a veteran employee."

About the Institute for Defense and Business
The IDB is a non-profit research and education institute formed in 1997 by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the state of North Carolina. The institute provides custom executive and degree-granting education programs for all career levels from the military and government, non-governmental organizations, private sector, and international governments. IDB features curriculum in the areas of logistics and technology, life cycle systems, leadership and organizational transformation, strategic studies, stabilization and economic reconstruction.

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SOURCE Institute for Defense and Business