Excel Training for Veterans

Veterans and their family members have access to a variety of educational benefits that ease the burden of shifting from active duty to civilian life. These benefits provide you with valuable, transferable skills for a successful career in any number of fields. If you are considering entering the world of finance, business, or data analytics, you will likely have to learn Microsoft Excel. This spreadsheet application is one of the most widely used across the world, in virtually any industry. Whether you are starting from scratch or building upon previous knowledge, you can find all kinds of learning options that fit your goals and needs.

Noble Desktop offers VA-approved programs that cover topics ranging from programming languages and digital design applications to data analytics and financial modeling. With the assistance of the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33), the Veteran Readiness and Employment Program (Chapter 31), and the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 35), you can make the transition back to civilian life as seamless as possible.

What is Excel?

Microsoft Excel is an incredibly versatile spreadsheet tool that is used to organize, analyze, and visualize data of all kinds. It is probably most famous for its role in business but is also essential for personal finance, education, and anything that assists with handling numerical information or complex data. Excel is made for tracking expenses, creating reports, and analyzing trends seamlessly, and helps you make sense of data without all the hassle. It is an essential tool for anyone who wants to manage or work with large amounts of data that need to be organized and analyzed in a clear, productive, and meaningful way.

Because Excel is so versatile, you can use it to do all kinds of tasks. For instance, you could build budgets and track your company’s spending habits. You can specifically manage finances with built-in formulas and functions. Likewise, if you are working with big datasets, Excel has features like Pivot Tables and filters that let you organize everything with the click of a few buttons. For more advanced users, Excel provides tools for forecasting, regression analysis, and task automation. Excel can run simple calculations and complex data analysis alike, so it’s worth learning if you want to enter a relevant profession.

 Microsoft first introduced Excel as part of its Office Suite in 1985. It quickly became an industry-standard tool for handling spreadsheets and has only grown in popularity since then. Not only has it become more common in the workplace, but it has evolved considerably with new features and capabilities. Today, Excel has advanced charting and analytics features. In the future, who knows what Microsoft may add? As data continues to be more heavily relied upon, companies need more Excel professionals for predictive analytics and decision-making. This means there are more opportunities than ever before if you choose to learn Excel.

What Can You Do with Excel Skills?

With Excel skills, you can complete tasks involving data management and analysis as well as manage finances. Professionally speaking, this is an invaluable skill that can be used in all kinds of industries and positions. After analyzing data, Excel makes it easy to identify trends and generate insights using Pivot Tables, data visualizations, and other complex formulas. You can also create and manage budgets, track expenses, forecast financial outcomes for the company, and determine what the next, best course of action is when building the business. Moreover, you can create timelines and assign tasks with tools like Gantt charts and task lists. Excel has powerful capabilities that make it necessary for fields like business, sales, finance, marketing, and data management, so the professional paths you could take with these skills are virtually endless.

Although Excel is an incredibly professional platform, you can use it for all kinds of personal tasks and responsibilities. If businesses can use it to track their finances, imagine what you can do with it! Excel helps manage everyday tasks and organize important information. You could use it to set up a budget and track your spending throughout the week. This helps you stay on top of your finances and reach your savings goals so you can worry less in the future. Furthermore, Excel is also great for managing household tasks. You can plan meals, track workouts, and create travel plans on this versatile spreadsheet application. With Excel’s beginner-friendly layout and ability to create clear data visualizations, it’s an incredibly useful tool to have when planning future goals or taking charge of your life.

What Will I Learn in an Excel Class?

In an Excel class, you can expect to study a wide range of functions, features, and skills. Learning Excel is a valuable skill that extends beyond the financial world; in truth, it can afford you a career in almost any field if you have the right training. While the exact content and depth of the class will vary based on the provider and purpose, you can usually expect to learn essential tasks, like working with functions, formats, and cells. You will also learn how to use formulas and sort through data. In addition, you may learn useful keyboard shortcuts and practice using Pivot Tables. Mastering Excel can be especially useful for a veteran who wants transferrable, practical skills that can take them places in their civilian career.

Essential Spreadsheet Functions

You will start an Excel class by learning how to navigate the interface and find all the tools and features you may need. This includes navigating the cells, rows, and columns and using basic functions like SUM, AVERAGE, and COUNT. This allows you to perform simple calculations and analyze data quickly. Once you have learned how to navigate Excel, you can really start using it for practical reasons.

Formatting and Cells

Next, you may learn how to present data clearly in formatted cells. This involves adjusting the text alignment, changing font styles, applying color schemes, and using any other tactic for keeping information organized and where it should be. This means you may practice formatting numbers as well since currency, percentages, and dates are all valid and important insights to maintain.

Formulas

At the core of Excel’s capabilities are its strong formulas. You may start with basic formulas that perform addition, subtraction, and division. Once you dive into a more advanced Excel class, you’ll go beyond the basics and dive into formulas like VLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, and SUMIF. These allow you to easily search for data, perform conditional calculations, and look up values across larger datasets.

Data Sorting and Filtering

Excel stores data into columns and rows, which requires you to learn data sorting and filtering. This part of the class focuses on applying filters to narrow down information and find relevant information as quickly as possible. This is not only a time-saving method but it keeps things tidy and allows you to ensure information is where it needs to be.

Pivot Tables

You will also practice using Pivot Tables in more advanced Excel courses. These are powerful tools that help users summarize and analyze data with ease. Through projects, you may use Pivot Charts to create data visualizations and make it easier to make informed decisions based on said data.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Many Excel classes will share useful keyboard shortcuts that make navigating and using the spreadsheet application much easier. These will save time and make you a more efficient Excel user when completing tasks like copying, pasting, selecting ranges, and moving from sheet to sheet. Mastering these shortcuts makes using Excel a breeze.

Support for Veterans

As your time in the military comes to a close, you are likely wondering about the next time. Taking the jump from service to civilian life is a huge endeavor, so it’s understandable to feel overwhelmed. Luckily, you have resources and benefits designed to help make that transition easier. One of the best benefits you can take advantage of includes the educational benefits from the GI Bill. Since 1944, this bill has provided veterans with educational opportunities that help reduce the stress of returning to school and civilian life.

You may not qualify for these benefits; however, you still have options. The Forever GI Bill expands the benefits to even more veterans by ensuring those who have served at least 90 days of active duty since September 10, 2001, received an honorable discharge or incurred a service-related disability have access to education as well. This expansion makes all the difference in giving veterans the benefits they deserve.

These bills cover everything from tuition and books to additional fees and even housing costs if you opt for an in-person, full-time program. If you are interested in a certificate program instead, numerous training centers across the country offer comprehensive training in a variety of skills. Noble Desktop, for example, offers VA-approved certificate programs that come with even more benefits outside of those you already have through the Forever GI Bill and the GI Bill. If you’re ready to take the plunge and acquire new skills for a civilian career, consider your options today.

Why Learn Excel?

Veterans transitioning back to civilian life may want to learn Excel since it opens doors to new, rewarding career opportunities. Excel is used everywhere, so this transferable skill will come in handy no matter what industry you are interested in. Plus, most jobs where Excel is used extensively offer a healthy work-life balance, giving you time to adjust back to civilian life. From finance to project management and business to data analytics, Excel can help you secure a job, raise your employability, and increase your earning potential all while boosting your technical expertise.

Job Availability

Excel is one of the most widely used tools across industries, meaning that knowing how to use it is incredibly beneficial. This opens doors for careers in fields that you may have never considered before and gives you plenty of options. Many positions, even those outside of the traditional office or finance role, require Excel skills for tasks like data management, reporting, and analysis. In short, Excel skills give you an advantage in the job search since you will have more opportunities than ever before. Having options as a veteran is important since you are deciding which path would be best for you.

Employability

Learning Excel makes you highly employable. For veterans re-entering the workforce after time on active duty, Excel is an essential skill that allows you to be seen as a valuable candidate even more than before. Your unique perspective as a veteran is a bonus, but knowing how to manage data and analyze information in Excel gives you a competitive edge against other candidates. This skill makes you stand out in a competitive job market and improves your chances of landing a job.

Salary Expectations

Most career paths that use Excel extensively earn rewarding salaries. For instance, Data Analysts in the United States earn an average salary of $81,000, according to Indeed. They use Excel frequently to perform basic and complex data analysis. Likewise, Indeed shares that Financial Managers can expect to take home $116,000. Without Excel’s useful financial tools, their jobs could be incredibly challenging. Even Project Managers use Excel and Indeed reports that their expected salary is closer to $91,000. Of course, all these salaries are contingent upon a few things, such as location and expertise. For instance, New York City-based Project Managers earn nearly $10,000 higher than the national average. Similarly, some junior-level Data Analyst careers start at $52,000 per year but by working your way through the ranks, you could earn $100,000 as a Senior Data Analyst. It’s important to consider these factors as well as the cost of living in your area and what you want to do with your career in the grand scheme of things.

Work-Life Balance

The work-life balance for many Excel-relevant jobs is remarkable and something that veterans will appreciate. Since returning home, you’re likely looking for a career that accommodates your personal life so you can spend time with family and friends and work towards other personal goals. With so many careers to choose from, you could find remote opportunities or freelance work. In addition, you could find traditional nine-to-five office jobs that allow you to fully check out and relax at home during the weekends.

Honing Technical Skills

Excel is a highly technical skill that most employers love to see because it implies that you can think critically, analytically, and practically. It also shows that you can handle technology well and understand the importance of troubleshooting. Some veterans may already feel comfortable using technology, so mastering Excel will build upon your previous skills or give you a solid foundation that you can build upon with other skills.

Why Choose an Excel Bootcamp or Certificate?

Veterans may opt for a bootcamp or certificate course for several reasons. First, they are an excellent way to gain practical skills in less time. Plus, they often are far more flexible learning options than others out there. In addition, they offer other benefits that certain training methods cannot. In addition to all the benefits you receive from your time in the military, this makes bootcamps and certificates a smart choice. These programs are designed to help you succeed and thrive once you complete the lessons and enter the workforce, providing you with assistance and confidence every step of the way.

Hands-On, Practical Experience

Excel bootcamps and certificate programs are hands-on and immersive, meaning you leave with a more comprehensive understanding of not only how to navigate Excel but how to put your skills to work. This project-based approach gives you interactive training with the material, your instructor, and any virtual peers who may complete projects alongside you. For veterans, this learn-by-doing approach may be preferable.

Flexible Scheduling

Many bootcamps and certificate programs offer flexible schedules that university programs simply cannot. This allows you to learn at a pace that suits your needs and lifestyle so you won’t feel overwhelmed. Veterans likely have other obligations, such as family or work, so a program that works with your needs is essential. You can often opt for weekend or evening instruction as well as part-time or remote instruction.

Career-Ready in Less Time

Unlike traditional degree programs, bootcamps and certificate programs focus on preparing you for the workplace. Skipping over unrelated information or electives will save you time (and any incurred costs) while giving you practical skills. For veterans using their educational benefits, this can be the most efficient way to acquire skills that help them find a new career path as a civilian.

Job Assistance and Other Benefits

In addition to the myriad benefits veterans receive through the GI Bill and other educational resources, bootcamps and certificate programs offer benefits like job assistance, interview preparation, portfolio development, career counseling, and networking opportunities. These benefits sweeten the deal and help veterans navigate the job market with even less strain. It makes it easy to find a job that suits their skills and interests while making the transition more rewarding.

Learn Excel at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop is a renowned training provider offering courses in Excel, machine learning, AI, data analytics, digital marketing, design, and various other skills. They offer certificate programs approved by the VA that are a fantastic option for the recent veteran returning to the classroom after time away. The best part of these programs is that they are hands-on, immersive, and interactive, so you won’t just sit through lectures and take quizzes. You will get direct guidance from the instructor and confer with peers over the projects and subject matter. In addition to that, Noble Desktop offers additional benefits like flexible payment plans, a free course retake, and one-on-one mentoring outside of the classroom. They also provide support with things like resume and portfolio development as well as interview preparation. You will also earn a certificate of completion once the course ends. This leads to an ideal transition back to civilian life and gives you skills that you can expand and build upon for years to come.

If you are curious about diving deeper into the world of data science and artificial intelligence (AI), Excel is a complementary skill that would benefit you greatly. Noble Desktop hosts a Data Science and AI Certificate that spans 114 hours and would be a great fit for anyone interested in learning more about programming languages, machine learning, and data analytics. This intensive program takes you through using Python and SQL, which are essential for modern data science tasks. You will also explore machine learning and learn to apply algorithms to data. This leads to actionable insights and ways to improve the business over time. The course also focuses on data preparation techniques where you will use Python libraries such as Pandas to clean and balance data. One of the best parts of this program is that you receive practical experience with the tools and can build your portfolio as you learn. Furthermore, you can enroll in the Python for AI course at no additional cost to expand your abilities to build web applications using Flask, create user-friendly interfaces with HTML and CSS, and make OpenAI API requests for sentiment analysis. This certificate gives you a broad range of skills that can serve you well in all kinds of job positions ranging from data science, machine learning, data analytics, and AI.

If you are more focused on analyzing data and making important business decisions, the Data Analytics Certificate from Noble Desktop could be the best option. The 156-hour course teaches you everything you need to know to turn raw data into actionable insights. Throughout the program, you will gain proficiency in tools like Tableau and Excel as well as programming languages like Python and SQL. Each of these tools plays a huge role in managing, cleaning, and analyzing data efficiently. As part of your training, you will also complete projects rooted in a realistic data analytics situation so you can know what to expect before you search for a new job. You’ll also have the option to take the Python for AI course for free with this certificate, which provides a comprehensive understanding of how to use tools like Flask and OpenAI for application creation. By the end of the course, well-versed in data analytics and AI, making you ready to tackle most roles that require data management, analysis, and visualization.