Career Skills Program

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The Army Career Skills Program (CSP) affords transitioning Service Members the opportunity to participate in employment skills training (EST), on-the-job training (OJT), pre- apprenticeships and internships with a high probability of employment in high-demand and highly-skills jobs. Participation must occur within the last 180 days of military service, with an honorable discharge.

CSPs are offered as a COHORT or an Individual Internship. A COHORT is an approved CSP that is hosted/sponsored at an IMCOM Garrison, which follows a scheduled program offering in a group setting of 5-50+ participants.  Individual Internships are for career training opportunities with companies that do not have a COHORT approved program. Individual Internships must be approved prior to Service Member participation. Approved COHORT and Individual Internship programs must complete a rigorous approval process to ensure the best training and care will be provided to our participants.  Soldiers are authorized to attend CSPs more than 50-miles from their permanent duty station in an Administrative Absence status (see below).

CSPs are available to all transitioning Soldiers who meet eligibility requirements, with a focus on the "at-risk" Soldiers. Soldiers are considered "at-risk" if they are between ages 18-24, are first-term enlistees, medically separating, or involuntarily separating due to force shaping per AR 600-81.

Important Things to Know When Traveling More Than 50-miles From Permanent Duty Station To Attend An Approved CSP (IAW AR 600-8-10)

• Participation in an approved CSP more than 50-miles from your permanent duty station is authorized in an Administrative Absence and is non-chargeable leave on DA Form 31, Request and Authority for Leave. The following statement must be included on DA Form 31: "This absence is not directed by any official of the U.S. Government. I cannot conduct public business under this authorization. Accordingly, I will not be entitled to reimbursement for travel, per diem, or any other expenses. I may end this absence by returning to my unit and signing in, either before or on the projected end date."
• An approved CSP cannot exceed 180 days prior to the Soldier's separation or retirement date, no exceptions, and must include sufficient time for travel to the CSP location, completion of the CSP, and a return to their permanent duty station to complete physical and administrative out-processing requirements, to include unit-level and installation-level out-processing and final out, before the separation or retirement date.
• Separation or retirement dates will not be extended to allow for CSP attendance or to allow terminal leave after attending a CSP.  (Example: Soldier's separation or retirement date is 30 NOV and the CSP is scheduled to end on 10 DEC. The Soldier's separation or retirement date will NOT be extended to 10 DEC.)
• CSP attendance may not be extended with any other absence, to include ordinary leave and pass.
• Attendance at a CSP in administrative absence status is not a basis for authorizing Special Leave Accrual.

Management and execution of the Army CSP is handled by HQ IMCOM. Approved CSPs are visible in the map below. Zoom in and click on a pin for program details. Requests requiring Administrative Leave in excess of 180 days will not be considered. Service Members interested in additional information on programs and application requirements should contact their CSP Installation Administrator in their local CSP Office, Transition Services Manager in their local TAP office or their respective CSP Regional Coordinator by using the map below.