Investing 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 into a professional skills training program and learn the investing skills you’ve always wanted to explore. Learning investing is an in-demand skill that can open a range of doors to finance careers like investment banking, financial analytics, or FinTech. It’s also an excellent way to acquire training with applications for personal use in saving for retirement or other expenses. Read on to learn more about the reasons investing is a great skill to acquire and the avenues of support available to veterans interested in pursuing coursework.

What is Investing?

In the most basic sense, investing involves purchasing an asset at a lower price and selling it for more than this value. The return on this investment is a capital gain. One way to make money investing is to sell assets for profit and earn returns on them. The amount the investment gains between when it’s purchased and sold is referred to as appreciation. Another way investing operates is when individuals purchase and hold assets that generate income. In this instance, the goal isn’t to sell the asset to realize its capital gains but to purchase assets capable of generating cash flow in the long term and hang onto it. 

When they speak about investing, people often refer to financial markets in which investors come together to purchase and sell assets like bonds or stocks. It’s common for stocks to pay Investors dividends, which take the form of additional stock or cash distributed by public companies to shareholders. Those who work in income investing strive to earn a steady income flow from dividends without selling stock shares. Those who invest are looking to make compound interest on their investment. This occurs when the initial investment begins to earn returns of its own. Compound interest helps many individuals reach their investment goals for educational expenses or retirement. 

Investment takes many forms. The most common types are stocks, bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and certificates of deposit (CDs). Stocks, also known as shares or equities, are the most widely known investment type. Those who purchase stock buy ownership stakes in a publicly traded company, such as Microsoft or Apple. When purchasing bonds, individuals lend money to an entity like the government or a business. Local governments issue municipal bonds, whereas companies issue corporate bonds, and the US Treasury issues Treasury notes, bills, and bonds, all of which are debt instruments purchased by investors. Mutual funds consist of a pool of money from many investors. This pool is broadly invested in many companies and is either actively or passively managed. ETFs operate similarly to mutual funds in that they are a group of investments tracking a market index. However, unlike mutual funds bought through a fund company, ETF shares are purchased and sold on stock markets. CDs are low-risk investments in which the investor provides the bank with a specified amount of money for a determined period and receives interest. 

What Can You Do with Investing Skills?

Knowledge of investing extends well beyond the realm of stock brokers and Wall Street. Today, strategies for investing have both professional and personal applications. Unlike in the past, where investments were largely handled by finance professionals like Stock Brokers, nowadays, anyone with an internet connection can invest in the market using mobile applications. One of the essential components of investing is selecting assets that are expected to increase in value over time. This can include bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, or physical assets like real estate, cars, watches, or jewelry. 

Those who know how to make sound investments and understand core financial principles can pursue careers in many in-demand fields. Investment Bankers serve as financial advisors for corporations who issue bond shares or stock to help their company raise money or merge with other companies. Financial Analysts are hired to perform tasks like monitoring market trends, studying financial statements, and creating financial models for their organization. Stockbrokers are licensed professionals who purchase and sell securities like stocks on behalf of clients. Within the banking sector, Bankers who have investment knowledge and financial literacy meet individually with clients and help these individuals manage their financial needs. Additionally, investment knowledge is widely used in FinTech. Those who work in this industry design new financial technology, such as banking and investing applications.

Support for Veterans

Veterans who are interested in learning investing have several avenues of support available. The GI Bill was created to help veterans and their families pay for school and cover expenses while receiving job training. Since it was first established in 1944, this bill has played an important role in ensuring qualifying veterans and their families receive financial support to cover school or training costs. Those who are eligible for this program have advanced payments sent to their school. They then go to the financial aid or registrar’s office to pick up the check. Payment includes enrollment costs for the first partial month, as well as the first full month. Those who attend public school as in-state residents have 80% of their tuition covered. 

Some veterans are even eligible for full 100% coverage of their study costs under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Those who have served active duty for at least 36 months and/or received a Purple Heart from active duty on 9/11, or those who served on active duty for a minimum of 30 continuous days without a break and were discharged because of a service-related injury have full tuition coverage under this bill.

In addition to the GI Bill, the Forever GI Bill is also available for veterans interested in learning investing. In 2017, the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, which is also known as the Forever GI Bill, was signed into law. It implements a range of changes to veterans’ educational benefits that are intended to expand or enhance the educational opportunities servicemembers, veterans, survivors, and family members can pursue. Some of the main changes this bill included are eliminating the 15-year time limit in which Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits must be used, providing assistance for students whose schools closed while they were in attendance, removing the expiration date for work-study activities, and allowing veterans to transfer their entitlement to a designated dependent in the case of their death.

If you’d like to explore options for VA-supported programs, Noble Desktop offers a range of excellent learning resources that have been approved for veterans and other eligible persons under the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance and Post-9/11 GI Bil. In order to take advantage of these benefits, students must be enrolled for in-person study at Noble’s training facility in Midtown Manhattan. This means learners who are interested in exploring these options should live in or near New York City. Some learners also qualify for housing benefits; those who are interested in learning more about this option should reach out to the VA to confirm their eligibility. Because of how the VA benefits work, students should enroll in full-time coursework.

Those who are interested in learning skills that have applications in investing can pursue several related certificate programs that teach topics like Python, data science, or 

Noble offers a Python Developer Certificate for those interested in pursuing a career as a Python Developer. This intensive course teaches students how to use the popular Python web framework Django, which helps with back end web programming. All participants create a professional portfolio as part of this program. Noble also has a Data Science Certificate, which is a great option for those who want to learn the skills necessary to become a Data Scientist. This intensive program teaches students to work with Python programming, SQL querying, automation, data analytics, machine learning, and predictive modeling. Graduates of this beginner-friendly program will be ready to pursue entry-level Python engineering or data science career paths.

Noble’s Data Analytics Certificate is another popular training option for veterans interested in learning how to gather, analyze, and visualize data. In this applied, project-based course, students work on several real-world projects and case studies in prescriptive and predictive analytics. This comprehensive program teaches students how to work with Excel for data analytics and SQL to query data. Learners become familiar with how Python is used for automation, data science, machine learning, and data visualization. They also work with Tableau to create stunning data visualizations and dashboards based on their data findings.

All Noble certificate programs include the option of a free course retake for up to one year. Students also have access to private mentoring sessions, which they can use to revisit complicated course material or for professional development purposes.

Why Learn Investing?

Learning finance-related skills like investing is a skill set with personal and professional applications. Currently, 58% of households in the US have investments. This is a record-high number, and it speaks to the importance most individuals place on sound investments for their financial well-being. Today, it’s rarely enough for most individuals to have a savings account set aside for emergencies and retirement. The act of investing is an effective way to ensure your money is being put to work toward building your wealth in the long term. Those who know how to make sound investments can watch their money increase in value and outpace inflation. When investments like stocks generate dividends or earnings, they can then be reinvested to generate their own earnings. This compounding takes place when an investment generates earnings from its prior earnings.

Studying investing is a great way to acquire well-rounded financial literacy with real-world ramifications. Money that is just sitting in a savings account isn’t protected against inflation; its value typically decreases over time. Investing in the stock market is an excellent way to ensure this money will adjust with inflation over time and possibly generate revenue as well. Investing training is also a great way to help individuals set better financial goals and stay informed about any market shifts or movements. Since not everyone earns a pension at the end of their career, investment training is an essential skill for those who want to ensure they are doing all they need to do today to be able to retire comfortably down the line. It’s also a great way to diversify wealth and grow financially.

Finally, studying investing can help you secure a high-paying job in a range of finance-related career paths. Career opportunities in finance are available in several forms. Quantitative and analytical career options include Data Analyst, Data Scientist, Research Analyst, and Risk Manager. Client-facing career paths like Financial Analyst, Private Wealth Manager, and Investment Consultant are also great career options for those who have a background in investing. Additionally, transaction-focused professional roles are also available, including career paths as an Investment Strategist, Portfolio Manager, Stockbroker, Private Equity Associate, or Chief Investment Officer. The salaries for these jobs are typically competitive, regardless of where in the US you are employed.

Why Choose a Skills Bootcamp?

If you’re interested in studying investing, you may wonder which training format is best for you. Skills bootcamps and certificate programs are two great options for veterans to explore.

Certificate Programs

Learning investing through certificate study is an excellent way to acquire hands-on, career-focused training. Those enrolled in these in-person or live online courses not only benefit from real-time instructor-led training but also have the opportunity to fully immerse in their studies for an extended period of time. Because certificates provide participants with instruction on a range of investment strategies and skills, these robust classes usually take several weeks or several months to complete, which is a much shorter time commitment than college or university training. 

In addition to live instruction in the small group setting, many of these programs also provide participants with additional professional development incentives. Some certificates offer 1-on-1 mentoring sessions, career counseling, mock interview sessions, resume critiques, or access to networking events. This ensures that certificate program graduates can put their investing skills to use immediately upon graduation, either in their current job or to apply for an entirely new career path. Certificate study is generally the most expensive way to learn investing outside of a college setting. These programs can cost $3,000 or more to attend. 

While certificate training is a great option for many learners, it isn’t right for everyone. Some learners who are new to investing may not be ready to devote weeks or months to intensive training and would benefit more from a shorter skills class that provides a more focused type of instruction on one or more investing skills. On the other hand, some individuals may wish for training that extends longer than certificate study, such as university training, where they have several full years to focus on the field of finance and the tools needed to succeed as an Investor.

Skills Bootcamps

Investing bootcamps are a popular study option for aspiring learners. These courses are taught in person and live online. Unlike certificate programs, which often provide instruction on a range of investment strategies and skills, training bootcamps are usually more focused on their scope and teach one skill, such as financial accounting or how Python is used in finance. Bootcamp study is a good learning option for those who want to start with basic investing concepts and progress into more advanced-level instruction over several days. Because they are shorter in length, most bootcamps cost less than certificate study. Some schools offer bootcamps for approximately $500. This is just a small fraction of the cost of a single semester of college study.

Bootcamps are an excellent way to get started learning about investing and quickly take your skills further. Because these programs are much shorter than even one semester of college or university study, they’re an especially attractive option for those interested in learning a particular investing strategy, such as how Python’s financial libraries can help with investing. 

Noble Desktop provides bootcamps in several investment-related topics. Learners who want to explore finance-related training can opt for the Python for Finance Bootcamp. This program prepares students to analyze SEC financial statements, create risk models, work with Python’s financial libraries, manipulate financial data, and make stock price predictions using linear regression. Noble also has a Financial Accounting Bootcamp in which learners receive introductory-level training in financial accounting concepts, such as accounting statements basics, as well as more advanced instruction in topics like securities and investments. Each of these bootcamps takes just a few days to complete and includes a free course retake for up to one year.

While bootcamps can provide a great opportunity for students to receive hands-on investing training, this learning option has some potential drawbacks to consider. Most bootcamps are fairly short and provide a limited type of training. For those who want to fully immerse in investing, more intensive coursework like certificate or full-time college study may be a better option since it provides a more robust financial context for the investment strategies that are taught. 

Learn Investing at Noble Desktop

If you’re interested in learning how to invest like a pro, let Noble Desktop help. Noble offers classes in corporate finance, business investing, and stock market investing so that learners at all levels can find coursework that meets their professional needs.

In Noble’s Stock Market Investing class, participants explore the core components of the stock market, including valuation, investing, and stock movements. Students study financial statements, valuation techniques like DCF analysis and P/E ratios, and the factors that affect stock prices. Those enrolled study recent earnings releases and valuation multiples from companies like Apple and Google to establish a framework for investing. By course completion, all learners will have a robust understanding of financial markets.

Noble also offers a Financial Analyst Training Program that takes learners from basic spreadsheet skills into intermediate-level Excel training. Participants study financial accounting and corporate finance concepts and create a valuation model for a public company. This comprehensive program prepares students to work with basic Excel concepts, such as shortcuts, formulas, functions, and PivotTables. Learners then move into more complex spreadsheet skills, such as working with cash flow projection tools and financial functions. Instruction is also provided on DCF modeling techniques and corporate valuation principles.

This bootcamp is designed to prepare students for a job at a top financial firm. Those interested in enrolling will find it helpful to have prior knowledge of finance and accounting. A short pre-learning guide is sent to all students one week before class begins.

In Noble’s Financial Modeling Bootcamp, students receive hands-on training in core accounting and finance concepts. Participants study corporate valuation, finance, and accounting in this intensive program. They also build a financial DCF model based on a real company using Excel. Prior financial experience is helpful, though not required, as a prerequisite. Additionally, intermediate-level Excel for business knowledge is required, including knowledge of iF statements, PivotTables, and VLOOKUP. 

All Noble classes are taught in person in New York City and are also available live online. Tuition includes the option of a free course retake for up to a year.