Data analytics certificates and classes for veterans

If you are an active duty service member, a retired veteran looking to return to civilian life, or the dependent or survivor of a military service member, you likely qualify for financial support for professional skills development under a range of different government programs, including the Forever GI Bill. If you want to take advantage of the benefits you have earned for your time in the military, you should consider the advantages of enrolling in a professional training program aimed at helping veterans reacclimate to civilian life and become ready to enter high-paying, in-demand careers.

Recommended: Data Analytics Certificate Program
Recommended: Best data analytics classes near me
Recommended: Best data analytics classes in NYC
Recommended: Best AI classes and bootcamps in NYC

Why should veterans learn data analytics?

Data analytics is a practical, in-demand career skill that you can learn in a relatively short period of time and that qualifies you for a wide range of different professional positions. Learning how to read and interpret data builds on skills that you likely learned during your basic training, and it is applicable in most professional settings, since data collection is used in everything from retail and advertising to investment and sports management. Learning a skill that is applicable in a wide range of fields is a good way to stay competitive when returning to the civilian job market, and it is ideal for anyone looking to enter into a high-paying career quickly.

Depending on location and experience, a skilled Data Analyst can anticipate a salary of around $108,000 dollars, with higher salaries available for professionals who can work with more complex data and machine learning-related projects. These positions range from entry-level data analysis jobs to complex, coding-heavy data science roles at companies that are working on the cutting edge of data technologies, including those working with machine learning and AI technology. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, data science jobs are anticipated to grow 35% over the next decade. With just a bit of training, you can set yourself up for long-term success in a data-related field and then expand your training later to continue making strides toward a high-paying job.

Learning data analytics will also help you catch up to the cohort of non-service members who earned college degrees during your time of service. The function of these programs is to help veterans return to civilian life without having sacrificed significant opportunities in order to serve. Thus, you will be able to quickly and effectively pick up career-focused skills in an accelerated environment. You can pick up where you left off in your training and be ready to start a new job in as little as a few months through one of these accelerated career programs. Data analytics is a particularly good place to start learning in-demand career skills for veterans because it is so versatile, and you can quickly get a job working at the entry level while still building your skills up as you continue to work. For example, you can relatively easily learn to use Tableau and Excel to perform complex data analytics tasks, find a job using those skills, and then continue to master Python and SQL as part of a more robust data science curriculum (utilizing additional VA benefits) while working full-time in your new civilian career.

Support for veterans looking to learn data analytics

As a veteran, you have a wide range of support options made available to you through the Forever GI Bill and a series of associated government programs. These benefits include financial support for postsecondary education to provide veterans with a leg up once they return to the civilian workforce at the completion of their service. This includes support for tuition, materials, and even housing when enrolled in VA-approved training programs. Some of the most common variations include:

• Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill®): Can cover tuition and fees, a monthly housing allowance for in-person training, and a stipend for books (up to 36 months of benefits).
• Chapter 31 Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E): Provides up to 48 months of support, including tuition, books and materials, and a monthly allowance.
• Chapter 35 (Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance): Offers financial aid to eligible spouses and dependents of veterans for approved training programs.
• Additional support: Some may qualify for extra financial assistance through the Yellow Ribbon Program, Tuition Assistance Top-Up, or the $600 Montgomery GI Bill Buy-Up program.

All of these programs have been vetted by the VA to ensure that they are offering students comprehensive professional skills training with a proven record of success and that they are constantly keeping their materials and curricula up-to-date to support veterans with relevant and productive career training. This ensures veterans that the training they receive from these providers will be cutting-edge and ideal for anyone who is hoping to comfortably return to civilian life with a new set of in-demand career skills. The VA only provides approval to schools and courses with a proven record of success and that they are willing to endorse for the betterment of veterans. 

Veterans can also research by looking through the guide to the best data analytics classes, which covers options for learning these skills and trusted educational providers. You can use this guide as a way to compare and contrast classes that fit your goals and narrow down which ones you will present to your VA counselor as potential options.

Many of the schools approved by the VA also offer career placement support for students, including networking opportunities, job placement services, and one-on-one mentoring with seasoned industry professionals. All of these are aimed at helping veterans who are entering these programs leave with the training they need to find a job and return to civilian life as quickly as possible. These support options will vary from program to program, so you should consult with your local VA office in order to determine what benefits you qualify for and how they can be applied to your present and future training opportunities. Some courses may only be partially covered or have limitations and/or restrictions on how benefits can be applied.