Data Science Training for Veterans

Are you a veteran returning to civilian life or a member of a veteran’s family aiming to avail yourself of entitlements and benefits? This article is designed to help you navigate your options for taking advantage of these services to enter a professional skills training program and learn the data science skills you’ve always wanted to acquire. Those with data science training not only have many job options to select from, but they also receive competitive salaries for their work. Data Scientists contribute to their organizations in many ways, such as by improving efficiency, lowering costs, solving problems, and increasing revenue and employee productivity.

What is Data Science?

Data science is a broad field that encompasses the disciplines of mathematics, computer programming, and artificial intelligence (AI). Data professionals such as Data Scientists and Data Analysts use advanced techniques like machine learning algorithms to find patterns in a vast amount of information. This process can provide actionable insights to stakeholders, from Product Managers to C-suite executives.

Today nearly every sector requires data science expertise, whether public or private. Among the top sectors where data science is critical are health and wellness, retail, web and application development, banking and finance, and governmental agencies. The field continues to project dramatic growth over the next decade; Glassdoor even listed Data Scientist as number three in its 50 Best Jobs in America in 2022.

Read more about what Data Science is and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with Data Science Skills?

Data science has so many applications in different industries that a comprehensive review could fill a book. Professionals as diverse as Business Analysts, Machine Learning Engineers, and Enterprise Architects use data science in their day-to-day activities.

Top sectors for data science include banking and finance, marketing and advertising, and healthcare:

• Banking, Financial Services & Insurance (BFSI) - Business Analysts and Data Scientists use data for everything from fraud detection to customized financial advice. Machine learning algorithms can assist with risk analytics, stock trading, and other tasks.

• Marketing & Advertising - Data Analysts and Marketing Analysts use data science in advertising to create targeted ad copy, recommend products and services, and leverage social media platforms. Programming languages like Python and R, often key to data science positions, help experts analyze data and make recommendations.

• In healthcare, Data Scientists create algorithms to create care plans and improve patient services. Using data analysis in medical imaging can help care providers with diagnoses and treatment decisions.

Data science has proven crucial to many other sectors, from retail and manufacturing to the public sector. If you want to combine challenging work with job security, start with data science.

Support for Veterans

If you’re a veteran who wants to study data science, several organizations offer support to help you pursue your education. The GI Bill, also referred to as the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, was introduced to ensure that World War II veterans could take advantage of a range of benefits. Currently, the GI Bill’s educational benefits are through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, like educational grants or stipends, available to active-duty service members, veterans, and their dependents. 

If you’re interested in using the G.I. Bill to cover your education, it supports a range of training options, from associate to bachelor to advanced degrees. Non-college degree programs, such as vocational or technical training, are also covered under the G.I. Bill. Additionally, the benefits provided by the G.I. Bill can be applied toward on-the-job training, apprenticeships, licensing, and certifications. Other educational pursuits and professional training options are also covered, like flight training, correspondence training, tutorial assistance, and work-study programs.

Veterans and their dependents can also explore the VET TEC program. This program was designed to help veterans get started in a career in technology or learn computer skills. Participants in this program are eligible to receive training in fields like data processing, media applications, information science, computer software, and computer programming. (The programs offered by Noble Desktop do not currently qualify for VET TEC funding.) 

The Forever GI Bill is also available to veterans to help with education. Also known as the Harry W. Coleman Veterans Educational Assistance Act, the Forever GI Bill gets rid of the 15-year limit that had been previously imposed on veterans for using their educational benefits. The Forever Bill doesn’t expire and provides those who are eligible with indefinite access to a range of educational benefits.

If you want to learn more about VA-supported programs, you can explore Noble Desktop’s Veterans Support page to find a range of data science classes for veterans. Course offerings are available in topics like data science, full stack web development, Python, and data analytics. Noble currently offers VA-supported programs in the in-person learning environment in New York City. The VA typically supports full-time study.

Why Learn Data Science

There’s never been a better time to study data science. The Harvard Business Review recently declared that data science is the “sexiest job of the 21st century.” Learning to work with data is a valuable skill across professions and industries. Regardless of whether you’re entering or reentering the workforce after military service, data science skills are in high demand in the U.S. This is because we are surrounded by data. Every day, approximately 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are made. In 2021 alone, two trillion Google searches were performed, three million emails were sent every second, and a quarter-million kinds of malware were made daily. With our increasing reliance on streaming services, online banking, and social media, the amount of data being created will only increase.

Even with the onslaught of raw data, these numbers aren’t actionable until someone with a background in data science can make sense of this information, locate patterns or trends, and share these findings with others. This is why more organizations are interested in hiring individuals who can help them find value in the data. The insights Data Scientists provide their organization are beneficial in many ways; they can help a business reduce costs, improve operational efficiency, and generate more revenue. Even the VA uses data analytics to predict the occurrence of disease or injury in veterans. 

In addition to the many benefits Data Scientists provide their organizations, this field also offers competitive pay. Although pay rates depend on factors like job title, experience level, location, and employer, Data Scientists generally earn good salaries for their contributions. The average Data Scientist in the U.S. makes $100,000 a year. Data science is ranked as the sixth-best tech job and 22nd overall best job in the U.S. The job outlook for Data Scientists is also strong; this profession is expected to grow by 36% over the next decade, which is well above the national average. 

Why Choose a Skills Bootcamp?

If you’re a veteran looking to learn data science, you may wonder which learning format is best for you. Many colleges and universities offer coursework or a major in data science. However, enrolling in a traditional university or college can cost tens of thousands of dollars a year. In addition to the financial commitment, university study often takes four or more years to finish. This makes studying data science in this format prohibitive to some learners. Because college study typically requires completing a range of general education requirements, it’s not the most efficient way to learn data science since only a portion of your coursework would be specific to data science.

One popular alternative to studying data science in college is to learn this skill set through a certificate program. Certificates in data science offer a more focused study format, providing hands-on training in the skills, programs, and tools needed to work as a Data Scientist. Noble Desktop’s Data Science Certificate is an excellent option for those seeking to learn a range of foundational data science skills. Those enrolled in this certificate are mentored by industry experts in topics like using Python to analyze data, querying databases with SQL, and designing machine learning models and data visualizations. Certificate programs like this are typically much shorter than college study, spanning just a few weeks or months. They also cost significantly less than most four-year degrees.

Data science bootcamps are another effective way to prepare for a data career. Unlike college study, which requires completing coursework in more than one subject, bootcamps provide skill-specific training in one data science tool or programming language, like Python, Tableau, or SQL. In addition, bootcamps are usually a much shorter learning option than certificate study; most require only several days or weeks of study to learn a particular data science skill. Another benefit of bootcamps is the cost. Bootcamps usually are much less expensive than college or certificate study and range in price from several hundred to several thousand dollars. This makes them a great learning alternative for those interested in learning job-specific skills like data visualization or how to query a database but don’t want to spend years and tens of thousands of dollars on study.

Learn Data Science at Noble Desktop

Because data science is a broad field, targeted training can prepare you for a data-centered position or even help you choose a specific role. You might think you’ll need a four-year data science degree, but this isn’t necessarily so. The bootcamp or certificate educational model has become increasingly popular for data professionals, thanks to features like small class sizes, hands-on training from industry experts, and individual mentoring. Noble Desktop offers a wide range of data science programs to help get you started.

• Data Science Certificate - The comprehensive Data Science Certificate provides all the skills required for entry-level data science, data analytics, or software engineering roles. Students learn how to write complex queries and build machine learning models while preparing a portfolio on a real-world basis. Skills covered include Python, SQL, NumPy, Pandas, and Jupyter Notebook, to name a few.

• Data Analytics Certificate - The comprehensive Data Analytics Certificate program offers the perfect training ground for Data Analysts, Business Intelligence Analysts, and Marketing Analysts. With a heavy emphasis on Tableau data visualization software, you’ll learn skills like Python programming, SQL, and machine learning, among others. Registrants of the Data Analytics Certificate or Data Science Certificate can also attend Noble’s Power BI Bootcamp at no additional charge.

• Python for Data Science Bootcamp - The Python for Data Science Bootcamp covers everything from programming fundamentals to data visualization. Students can save by taking this course as part of Noble’s Data Science Certificate, Data Analytics Certificate, or FinTech Bootcamp.

Check out all the Noble data science classes and bootcamps for additional options, like the Python Data Science & Machine Learning Bootcamp, Python for Data Science Bootcamp, or Python Machine Learning Bootcamp.

Key Insights

• Data science is currently one of the most popular professions in the U.S. In addition to competitive salaries in this field, the skill set you’ll acquire as a Data Scientist can contribute greatly to your organization by saving time, improving efficiency, and even reducing costs.
• A variety of training formats are currently available for veterans interested in studying data science. Certificate programs generally span several weeks or months and provide intensive data science training. Bootcamps are much shorter and focus on one data science tool or skill, like Python or machine learning.
• If you’re a veteran interested in studying data science, you may wish to explore the various types of support available. Programs like the G.I. Bill, the Forever G.I. Bill, and VET TEC offer support for educational pursuits like learning computer skills, certifications, on-the-job training, and in-person data science coursework.
• Comprehensive data science training for veterans is available through Noble Desktop in the in-person and live online format.