Separating from the military can be a daunting experience, especially for servicemembers who have decided to step out of their comfort zone and dive into a brand-new industry. Fortunately for servicemembers on JBLM, there's a technical college nearby that delivers a practical, quality education that's perfect for veterans: Bates Technical College.

"One thing that really attracts people to Bates is how ‘hands-on' the training is," said Andy Hall, the Veterans Affairs (VA) certifying official at Bates. "Everything is geared toward getting students jobs in their industry. From day one, you're doing things, rather than just sitting in a classroom learning theory."

More than 500 students currently attending Bates identify as military-affiliated. Of those, 240 are VA certified, meaning they receive educational benefits from the VA while enrolled in school, according to Chelsea Lindquist, a public information and communications specialist at Bates.

In Bates' Broadcast/Video Production (BVP) program alone, more than 30 percent of students are veterans. Hall, who served nine years as an aviation technician in the U.S. Air Force, graduated from the BVP program himself in 2008.

"I was always interested in working the broadcast field," he said, "so, I thought it would be a good idea to get a formal certification in that field and see how far I could go with it. Since Bates had a great reputation, I checked the school's program out beforehand, then decided to take (the BVP) route."

Bates' BVP program, which is certified by the Society of Broadcast Engineers, prepares students for work across a broad range of broadcast specialties, including broadcast engineering, broadcast operations and video production. Students in the program are commonly involved in professional film, music, news, sports and television productions across the Puget Sound.

"What really draws people to Bates' (BVP) program is its reputation in the (broadcast) industry," Hall said. "I've worked at Safeco Field, where a number of people who went through Bates now work, and I've worked in other venues in the region ... and they all highly regard Bates."

The BVP program is led by longtime instructors Roland Robinson and Ken Witkoe. It consists of six quarters of full-time instruction and intensive participation in student and instructor-led productions. Much of the students' work can be seen on College Vision, an in-house local public television station managed at Bates' Central/Mohler Campus.

BVP students are also given opportunities to participate in KBTC Public Television productions, which are also based out of the Central/Mohler Campus. The PBS-member station serves 4.3 million viewers and has been owned and operated by Bates since 1992. BVP students often assist with setup, teardown, lighting, audio, camera work, and production or direction of weekly KBTC productions, all in preparation for a career in the broadcast industry.

For many veterans, the chance to gain hands-on experience in a highly technical and competitive field prior to graduation -- and subsequent to reentry into the workforce -- is key. The high ratio of hands-on training to classroom instruction, the emphasis on the practical application of skills, and a high level of autonomy for adult learners at Bates are all familiar aspects of training with which most veterans can relate.

Together, these learning strategies contribute to the overall success of veterans at Bates, where approximately 200 military-affiliated students graduate from each year.

Broadcast/Video Production Program at Bates Technical School, 7:15 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday-Friday, Central Mohler Campus, 2320 S. 19th St., Tacoma, 253.680.7002, bates.ctc.edu/broadcasting