Besides online degree options, there are many ways for veterans to gain access to certificate programs, credentials, and knowledge online to help them in their careers. There are easily accessible options for veterans to add targeted skills to their resume to demonstrate competencies in those areas to employers.
Or, if going the regular career route isn’t for you, there are also options for veterans to learn about starting their own business and growing as a vetrepreneur.
1. Use LinkedIn Learning for veterans
LinkedIn offers a free year of Premium membership to veterans. Included in that is access to LinkedIn Learning- a host of online courses on everything from accounting to web design, to marketing.
What I like about this is you can set yourself a weekly learning goal and hold yourself accountable. You can find courses for dozens of different areas and niches to help you narrow in your learning on the areas of focus you care about and which will help you. And since the learning platform is already tied in with LinkedIn, you can add completed courses to your profile. This can allow you to signal to potential employers your interest and knowledge in those areas.
2. Learning to code for veterans
There’s a lot more to gain from learning programming than just how to make things happen in the software world. Starting to learn this process and the important languages can help you start to think more logically, put your ideas into reality, and fix your own problems.
Even having a cursory knowledge of the main programming languages can help you understand more about how to manage software applications and their designs. For project managers, non-coders working in tech, or aspiring entrepreneurs, having this baseline knowledge can help set you apart.
Code Platoon is a non-profit focused on helping veterans and military spouses transition into the civilian workforce through teaching technical skills. They teach full web development stack, including Python (or Ruby), Django (or Rails), JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. By teaching Full-Stack, that means they provide the skills necessary to make a website look good, but also function well behind the curtains.
They have two free online options:
Self-paced program: This is designed to teach you everything you need to know to be a junior software developer. The program of instruction is the same as their 14-week live course but done at your own pace. The main difference is that in the end, you will not receive a certificate. This doesn’t have to mean you will have a useless set of skills. Especially at smaller companies or startups, you may be able to demonstrate your skills during the interview process without an official certificate.
Intro to coding: This is a series of videos available online with no registration needed. For people who don’t want to work directly as programmers, this is a great way to start learning the languages of the software world. If you think you may be managing coders as part of a cross-functional team, this is a way to boost your knowledge and skillset.
3. Start a company
Bunker Labs is an amazing organization. Focused around helping veteran entrepreneurs succeed, they host meet-ups in major cities for veterans, military spouses, and local business leaders to connect and learn from one another. I personally have been to a few of their events and what I like about them is that they offer more than just networking. Each event has a specific purpose, whether discussing a certain topic relevant to starting a company or bringing in successful entrepreneurs to share their story. (They usually have free food and beer as well.)
Through their website, they offer Launch Lab Online. This is a self-paced, gamified, online course to help you take an idea and turn it into a reality.
I really like their course because the first part is all about WHY. It’s all about thinking about a business that you actually want to run and stick with. Time and time again, the refrain for being successful in entrepreneurship is persistence. If you aren’t passionate about your idea, then you won’t be persistent with it.
And after thinking of WHY, the course is all about action- not just education. It’s really focused on helping turn your idea into a reality.
4. Learn Design Thinking
What is design thinking?
Design Thinking is an iterative process in which we seek to understand the user, challenge assumptions, and redefine problems in an attempt to identify alternative strategies and solutions that might not be instantly apparent with our initial level of understanding.
Interaction Design Foundation
Design thinking came about as a way to address problems, not find problems for solutions.
What do I mean?
Oftentimes, companies and designers will create something and THEN start looking for a problem that it might fix. Design thinking goes the opposite way. It identifies the problem first and then tries to craft a solution that best addresses that problem.
So, yeah, it’s useful.
Intuit and Bunker Labs teamed up to create this course to help you get started in understanding design thinking.
5. Already have a small business?
Try out the Google Primer App for short lessons you can use to boost your business.
6. Learn About Finances For Company Founders
Built through a partnership between Bunker Labs and USAA, this series of courses help you plan your finances for you and your family after the military. There is also a module specifically meant for military entrepreneurs.
Check it out HERE.
7. Use Google to prep for your next career
Google is doing a lot for veterans and you can use their tools to help with your next career.
Find your next job:
Simply input your MOS code and “jobs” into Google and a list of jobs based on your skills and experience in the military will be presented to you. For example, I input my first job in the military (11A-infantry officer) into a Google search and got the following results.
Google also has free classes for veterans on interviews, resumes, and workplace communication.
Are you starting the job hunt? Then you may need a wardrobe upgrade. A few years ago, I found out about State and Liberty and absolutely love their shirts. They are designed for athletic-fit men, which a lot of veterans are. I also love that the fabric feels like it’s performance wear, but looks like a dress shirt. Oh, and you can throw it in the wash and they don’t need to be ironed. Freaking awesome. Get yours HERE and use code “vetpro10” to save 10% on your order.
A lot of these options are self-paced. In order to get the most out of them, you will need to dedicate time and effort to doing so. Stay consistent and remember that it’s not just about getting the certificate; it’s about gaining valuable skills and experience that you can rely on in your career.
Related:
Top 10 Career Change Books on Amazon
100 Things Veterans Should Know Before Leaving the Military
10 Ways Google Is Helping Veterans
Johnson and Johnson Military Programs
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