Last month the Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses (VET TEC) training program received an additional $125 million as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 – enough funding that is believed to bring the program through the end of FY22 without running out of money. The additional funding more than doubles what the program received for all of last year.
The VET TEC program is in its third year of a five-year pilot program. When originally started in 2019, funding for FY20 was limited by law to $15 million. For FY21, that was increased to $45 million. But due to the popularity of the program, it ran out of money both years before the fiscal years ended.
This unique training program is designed to train veterans in high-tech skills that will qualify them for well-paid jobs in a growing high-tech industry. Training is centralized around large fields such as information science, computer programming, data processing, media applications, computer software and coding.
Not only does the VET TEC program train veterans, but they also offer employment assistance and offer help building a resume. Of the more than 2,000 graduates of this program, 1,200 have found jobs within 67 days of graduation with an average starting salary of $57,000.
Eligibility Requirements
To participate in the program, veterans must meet all these requirements:
- Either already out of the military or will be within 180
- Have at least one day of GI Bill entitlement left
- Accepted by one of the training providers
Types of Courses
For those with little computer experience, one of the training programs taught by providers is Computer User Support Specialist. The 200-hour course can be taken in either in person or online. As far as numbers, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the field will grow by 9% over the next 10 years. That translates to an additional estimate of 72,200 jobs per year. Median pay is posted at $26.69 per hour or $52,690 per year.
Other short courses include Cybersecurity Specialists (120 hours), Information Security Analyst (120 hours) and Network Support Specialist (160 hours). They also have longer courses, such as the Full Stack courses in Web Development (530 hours), Software Development (530 hours), and Immersive (440 hours).
GI Bill Benefits
While in the program, veterans with Post 9/11 GI Bill entitlement left will receive paid tuition for the program and a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA). If still on active duty, the training will be paid for, but you will not get the MHA. For in-person students, the MHA is calculated based on the location of the training; if attending online, then the MHA received is half of the national average or around $800 per month. One of the unique aspects of this program is that while remaining GI Bill entitlement is required for participation in the program, participation in the program does not reduce GI Bill entitlement.
If interested in getting into the computer field, a VET TEC training course can get you ramped up quickly. If interested, fill out an application.
