I just separated from the USAF in September due to the QFRB, so I was a few months short of 3 years service. I'm an intelligence analyst that's only been stationed at Ft Meade after tech school, so I don't have much experience, but i was a top analyst at a high priority office. I'm also just a high school graduate and only get 90% of benefits. My husband is stationed here as well as SrA, and we have a two year old. I would love to switch careers to Korean linguist, it's a similar job to mine, but i can't afford the school, also daycare for my son. I've received offers, but they are too far away for not enough money.
Answers
Kayman,
Please invest some time to review what Walmart may be able to offer you. While they may not be able to offer you exactly what you are looking for in your area, they may be able to provide you employment so that you can save for school. I am more than willing to review your resume if needed.
http://walmartcareerswithamission.com/why-walmart/veterans-welcome-home-commitment/
Thanks,
David Walker
"Localization" services for marketing/ad agencies. Online language tutor for Korean students hoping to get into US schools (they have to pass language tests). I can put you in touch with resources if you want to message me.
Hello Kayman --
Great responses so far . . .
I might also suggest on-line college level study, some of which is for free (may or may not get credit, but you'll learn): try Coursera (www.coursera.org/), and/or University of Phoenix (www.phoenix.edu).
Good luck, and don't give up! If you already have Korean language skills, THAT'S a rare ticket in an area critical to geo-political and trade realities. If you can fine tune your abilities, it seems translation and interpreting jobs could open up for you.
I am most grateful for folks like you and your husband; thanks for volunteering to keep us all safe.
Hi Kayman,
First, thank you for your service. The other responder, Neil, had good advice. Go to a community college for your first two years. That's what I did. If there isn't one close enough, look into an online program. I am currently in an online program with a reputable state college working towards my B.S. degree. And as he said, go for a non-profit college. You should also speak to your college advisor about getting scholarships and you can probably get college loans. The better your GPA, the more options you have.
You might do some research on the internet to see if there are any translation companies that are in need of Korean translators. It would bring in some income for the short run. For the long run, Neil's suggestion is a great idea. I'm not familiar with where you live, but if you have a lot of military contractors around you, it's worth reaching out to them to see if they could use someone with your background.
Good Luck!
You are surrounded by DOD vendors. We tax payers have been making their accounting department very happy since World War II. Perhaps your Korean language ability would be a plus for these contractors. The Koreans have been buying our military hardware since about 1950. Try atk-jobs.com
On the college/university side, start with a local non-profit community college for the first 60 credit hours of college and then go to a State University for the final 60 or so credit hours. That will keep your costs down. Stay away from colleges that are for profit, they will just leave you with debt.
One possible Private University near you is American University (AU). AU has a great foreign relations tradition. They might have a special program for vets that could be as low as a State University in cost.
One final note, if you are looking for a "job", try Comcast. They have call centers that need Korean Speakers. Look at the Comcast job site.
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