From tech companies to NGOs to the White House, more and more organizations are realizing that training veterans in IT and programming jobs is a no-brainer solution to the need for more software developers across the U.S.
Career Paths for Veterans
Their work ethic and soft skills make veterans very attractive employees. U.S. Air Force veteran and Code Fellows graduate John Leonard, who works as an iOS Developer at Interloc Solutions, credited his time in the military for skills he still uses in his career today.
“I learned quite a few things in the military that paid off in later years. The biggest was attention to detail. I worked in positions where a mistake could possibly cause an aircraft to go off course… So we checked and double-checked our work and then checked again, just for fun,” he said.
Some of the largest organizations in America place a high priority on attracting and retaining veterans. IT Specialist is the top job for military veterans, with over 12k software engineering and 32k+ information technology jobs in G.I. Jobs’ database alone.
Tech Jobs in the Military
Military veterans aren’t the only ones who can benefit from training in tech. New technology spurs new careers for current servicemen and women. Some of the top (and growing) tech jobs in the military are:
- Information Technology Specialist
- Cyber Terrorism Specialist
- Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Pilot
- Application Developer
Financial Assistance
Scholarships and grants for technical training from code schools and colleges are also becoming more available.
Course Report, one of the industry’s best source for information on code schools across the U.S., lists 22 schools that offer automatic and application-based scholarships specifically for veterans.
Operation Code is a non-profit organization that provides scholarships to veterans and is actively working for veterans to be able to use the G.I. Bill for intensive code school programs.
Two- and four-year online and in-person colleges also accept scholarships for current military members and veterans.
Getting Started
So what are the next steps for veterans who want to explore the possibility of joining the tech work force and get ramped up quickly? Check out Course Report’s comprehensive list of code schools across the country.
Want an in-person way to find out if this career is for you? Join us at Camp Murray this Saturday, Nov. 14, for Code 101 to explore the potential of a career in software development.
