Funding Options for Veterans in Tech

Veteran Service Members have a variety of different options to consider when thinking about their next step. While many Service Members think that a career in software development is out of their reach because they lack experience in tech, a critical need for talent suggests otherwise. The great news is that software professionals are in demand, and many employers are willing to hire and develop entry level talent that demonstrates drive and initiative. With demand rising, and employers willing to hire professionals without extensive prior experience, now is a great time for veterans to break into tech. As an added bonus, there are a number of strong funding options for veterans in tech. In this article, we’re sharing one of the ways Veterans can fund their bootcamp experience, and learn in-demand tech skills!

The Veterans Technology Education Program

One popular option is an innovative pilot program called The Veterans Technology Education Program, most commonly known as the Vet Tec program.

As detailed on the VA website, the goal of the Vet Tec pilot program is to help military veterans “gain computer experience to start or advance [a] career in the high-technology industry”.

The VA website also details that “VET TEC is a five-year pilot program. You can participate as long as the funding is available.” This fact is of key importance because as long as the program is active, the VA will send inquiring students a Certificate of Eligibility, supporting their participation, if eligible.

Sabio Coding Bootcamp became a preferred training provider for The Vet Tec program in the Summer of 2019 for the 2018-2019 fiscal year, and we enrolled our first students the following September. The first cohort graduated in December 2019, and our first VET TEC Fellow secured a job in January 2020.

Currently, funding for the 2020 fiscal year has been paid out; however, funding for the 2020-2021 fiscal year has been appropriated in the amount of $15,000,000.

At Sabio, we're excited to help bootcamp students who find us during their 2020-2021 Vet Tec experience, and we recommend the following steps to prepare for our bootcamp!

1. Register to attend a free online info session - We have them weekly, three times per week at 7pm PST / 10pm EST. Attending an info session will allow you to learn how our full time program works. (VET TEC approved our Full Time Program Only). RSVP here!
2. Enroll in our Free Intro to JavaScript Class - This class is free, online, and self-paced, which means you can code from anywhere in the world that you have WIFI access. Enroll here!
3. Enroll in our Free PreWork Class - This course covers amazing concepts like Null Checks, and Bootstrap. Enroll here!
4. Once you complete both our JavaScript class and our PreWork class you can request an assessment, and you can secure an academic approval for our program.

Other popular financing options for Veterans include:

• The Post 911 Forever GI Bill
• Military Scholarships
• Scholarships for Military families

While many Veterans exit their service with little tech experience, programs like Vet Tec, the Post 911 Forever GI Bill, and various scholarships offer invaluable opportunities to skill up! At Sabio, our Vet Tec Fellows have had great success so far, and we are excited to watch the growing impact, and continued success of Veterans in Tech!

This post was sponsored by Sabio. To learn more about Sabio, visit sabio.la or check out their reviews on SwitchUp.