The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Department of Labor have joined forces to offer a program that is dedicated to helping unemployed veterans get jobs. It is primarily focused on assisting veterans between the ages of 35 and 60. The program also makes benefits available that will cover the cost of education for up to a year.

Known as the Veteran Retraining Assistance Program, which was formed under the Veteran's Opportunity to Work to Hire Heroes Act of 2011, enables veterans to get up to one year of assistance that is equal to the full-time Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty rate. Currently, the rate is about $1,473 per month, according to information obtained from the U.S. Department of Labor. 

Eric K. Shinseki, Secretary of Veterans Affairs stated that the program is an "important tool will help those who served our country receive the education and training they need to find meaningful employment in a high-demand field." He added that "Veterans are disciplined, hardworking, goal-oriented team members who can play a vital role in helping businesses and the economy grow."

Applications will be taken for curriculums that start on or after July 1, 2012. Aid for this program will conclude on March 31, 2014. 

Once training is completed, the Labor Department will interview those veterans and work to find them employment within 30 days. They will look at their skills and expertise so that they can match them to an appropriate position. 

According to Ismael Ortiz, deputy assistant secretary for the Labor Department's Veterans' Employment and Training Service, "This is a true example of interagency collaboration, and we are committed to the full and speedy implementation of this program to ensure the success of our veterans in the civilian labor market."

In order for a veteran to qualify for this program, they have to be between the ages of 35 and 60, unemployed the day an application is completed, and they should never have been dishonorably discharged. In addition, they must be able to begin their training after July 1, 2012, in a VA-approved curriculum provided by a community college or technical school. The program must result in an associate's degree, non-college degree or a certificate involving a high-demand profession that will be determined by the Department of Labor.

The website for the program can be found at www.benefits.va.gov/VOW/.