Investing Training for Veterans

Veterans, service members, and their dependents looking to learn investing can use federally-funded education benefits. Investing is a highly in-demand skillset within the financial sector and learning how to invest can be the start of a new career in investment banking, corporate finance, or financial management. Many people also learn investing as a way to manage their own finances and earn money for major life events. Today, investing professionals use data analytics and predictive, machine learning models to maximize financial gains and minimize financial risks. Those wanting to learn investing will often learn about data analytics and data science as they pursue careers working in professions including Financial Advisors, Business Analysts, or Data Scientists. Read on to learn more about why you should learn to invest as a veteran and what kind of support exists to cover the costs of your tuition, housing, and other educational expenditures. 

These Noble Desktop bootcamps and certificate programs have been approved for the training of veterans and other eligible persons using the Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33), the Veteran Readiness and Employment Program (Chapter 31), and the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (Chapter 35).

Noble Desktop Finance Training Courses Approved by the VA:

• Data Science & AI Certificate
• Data Analytics Certificate

What is Investing?

Investing involves trying to earn a profit by acquiring assets. The assets that one acquires and invests in can vary, and include things like stocks, bonds, mutual funds, real estate, or even other businesses or highly sought-after goods. Unlike storing money in a savings account, investing money into assets will involve taking a calculated risk, as you are looking to assess the best ways to make money to achieve specific financial goals. You can lose money through investing, so, the best investing professionals use data analytics and statistical modeling to minimize the potential risks. 

Learning about investing will involve learning how to manage money, implement time-trusted investing strategies, use data analytics to assess risk, and employ predictive models to forecast the market. Many learn to invest to manage their own money and to grow their finances to achieve long-term goals such as saving for college, retirement, or marriage. Learning investing can also be the start to a career in banking and finance, as investing is one of the core skill sets necessary to pursue a career in such positions as a Financial Advisor, Financial Analyst, or Business Analyst. 

What Can You Do with Investing Skills? 

Learning investing will provide you with a varied skill set that you can use professionally or for your own finances. In general, one of the fundamental concepts you will learn about is how financial markets work and how you can actively cultivate stock investments. Understanding stock valuation and learning how to read financial statements will be two of the building blocks to navigating investing and starting a career in the financial sector. 

For those looking to learn investing to pursue a profession in finance, your investing skills should allow you to use financial data to do financial modeling or market analysis. This kind of modeling and analysis will allow you to predict what will happen in the market and it will allow you to minimize the risk of investing in certain stocks or other assets. Most investing courses will cover data analytics, which is one of the core skills underlying this kind of modeling and analysis, and many will also cover machine learning so that you can learn to build predictive models rather than having to do complex data analysis or computation by hand. 

Many people also learn investing to better manage their own finances or grow their assets. Most look to invest to achieve a certain goal, like growing their retirement funds and earning additional money to put into a child’s education fund. Whatever one’s financial goals, learning how investing works will help you become a more savvy manager of your own money. Even if you do end up working with another finance professional, like a Financial Advisor, to acquire or manage your assets, learning investing basics will give you a more informed perspective on the realities of the marketplace and how to achieve your financial goals. 

Support for Veterans

Veterans, former and active service members, and their dependents are eligible for financial support from the US government. The GI Bill makes funding available for all educational expenses, including tuition, housing, books, meals, and other necessary costs. The first iteration of the GI Bill was the Serviceman’s Readjustment Act of 1944, which was initially passed to provide education, employment, and housing benefits to WWII veterans. Funding for this first bill ended in 1956, but the Post-9/11 GI Bill was signed into law in 2008 which allowed those who have served since 2001 to receive education benefits. In 2017, Congress passed the Forever GI Bill which, among other things, eliminated the 15-year time limit on using one’s benefits. 

The current GI Bill and its updates allow those who meet the requirements to have the costs associated with their education or vocational training to be covered through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The goal of this funding is not only to ensure that veterans and their dependents can receive a quality education, it is also to continue to support veterans after their time in the military has ended and to ease their transition back into civilian life and the workforce. Veterans and former service members can apply to transfer their funds to a dependent, like a spouse or child, making it easy for those who served to provide an education for their family members, as well. Additionally, those currently serving can also use their education benefits, though this will usually result in a benefits reduction. 

Always check with the VA when looking to determine the current funding rates and whether your training is approved. Noble Desktop offers two VA-approved certificate programs that will allow veterans to learn about investing, analytics, and financial modeling. The Data Analytics Certificate and the Data Science & AI Certificate are both career-oriented, comprehensive training courses that veterans can enroll in to start a career in data-driven investing practices. As career-oriented training programs, students who enroll can expect to receive career-support services like help developing a portfolio or advice on navigating the job market and will receive 1-on-1 mentoring and individualized feedback on their skills and strengths. 

Why Should Veterans Learn Investing? 

One of the main reasons for veterans to consider learning about investing is that this leads to a variety of career opportunities. Those looking to learn an in-demand skillset that will allow them to build a sustainable career in the civilian section should consider learning investing as a first step. Learning investing will allow you to pursue work in financial management and analysis, which are in-demand and growing fields. Financial Analysts and Business Analysts, for instance, will need a firm understanding of investing to manage their clients’ finances and make accurate and client-specific investment recommendations. Data Scientists also frequently work in finance and this position is considered one of the hottest, most in-demand jobs of the century. 

Learning to invest is also a great way to get a hold of your own finances, your family’s finances, or finances for a small business. Even if you do not want to pursue a career in financial services, learning investing can allow you to meet your short- and long-term financial goals. Almost everyone will invest in assets at some point in their life and learning how investing works and how to approach it strategically will benefit anyone interested in financial stability. 

What Will You Learn in an Investing Course? 

Fundamentals of Stock Investing

Any course in investing will offer students a firm understanding of financial markets and asset management. This can include covering key financial terminology or the history and purpose of different kinds of investments. As part of an investing class, students can often learn how to build a sustainable investment portfolio while managing the potential risks of investment. While many courses will cover stocks, you can also find training in investing in real estate, businesses, and other assets that can be considered suitable alternatives to stock trading. 

Data Analytics

Data Analytics is an important part of working in the contemporary finance industry. Courses on investing will often cover this topic and many finance professionals will need to collect, organize, and analyze financial data. Analyzing this data will allow these professionals to make more accurate assessments of current and prospective finances and it will be an essential part of forecasting financial probabilities. Relying on data-driven decision-making is a key part of managing and monitoring a client’s or an organization’s investments. 

Python Programming & Machine Learning

It is also common for those looking to do more complex data science or analytics to learn how to program in Python. Python is a widely learned, versatile programming language that allows one to do financial modeling and analysis, automate processes, and build machine learning models. If the course you enroll in is a shorter one focused only on investing, it might not cover these topics, but learning Python and machine learning will help you to work your way into professions like Data Analyst or Data Scientist.

Tableau

Tableau is data visualization software that is commonly used in business and finance industries. This software allows you to collect, sort, analyze, and visualize data so that you can extract important insights and share them with team members, clients, and other stakeholders. You will often learn this software in courses focused on training Financial Analysts or Business Analysts, as they will want to use this software to create interactive dashboards that can be customized to their own needs and that can be distributed and shared with others. 

Problem-solving

Anyone who is learning investing and working with financial data will need to have strong problem-solving skills. Most will learn investing to solve a problem like needing to save for major life events or celebrations and your coursework and hands-on training will help you to strengthen this soft skill. Risk is a major problem when thinking of investing and you will learn how to manage and minimize risks through problem-solving strategies including financial analysis and financial modeling. 

Which Training Format is Best for Veterans?

There is no one best training format for learning investing, though you will need to consider how much a course costs, how long it is, what is included in the training, and whether the course is offered in your preferred method. Veterans, in particular, will need to look for VA-approved training, if they want to use their education benefits. Veterans should know that some training formats are more likely to be approved by the VA and how you enroll in the course can determine the benefit rate you receive. 

Should you enroll part-time or full-time? In-person or online? 

Veterans can enroll in training as part-time or full-time students. Full-time training is preferred and enrolling as a full-time student will allow you to maximize your education benefits. However, full-time training might not be an option for you, given your unique circumstances. Students enrolled for a full-time course or training program will need to attend classes during the workweek, which may not be an option for those with another job or other responsibilities to attend to. In this case, enrolling as a part-time student will be a better option and your education costs can still be covered as a part-time student. 

Additionally, funding is available for both in-person and online training. Enrolling in online training will reduce your funding. In particular, training remotely online means that your housing allowance will be reduced by 50% to account for not needing to be physically in the vicinity of a school or training facility. While in-person learning is still considered the best way to learn and retain information, instructor-led online courses are a convenient alternative. Online learning allows you to learn from home and courses are more likely to be scheduled in the evening, on the weekends, or part-time. Some do struggle to remain focused and engaged in coursework through online learning, so this training format is not for everyone. 

Certificate Programs

Certificate programs are comprehensive, career-oriented courses of study. Certificate programs offer a great alternative to a complete two- or four-year college or university degree program. These courses are shorter and focused on training students to enter the workforce knowing how to succeed with their chosen profession. Certificate program students will not have to take any additional general education courses as part of their training, they will only learn the topics and skills they need for investing. Students who complete a certificate program in investing will receive a certificate they can show potential employers to verify their training. 

During a certificate program, students will learn theoretical concepts, technical skills, and soft skills that they will need to be successful in their chosen profession. The length of a program can vary depending on the topic, as some certificate programs are only about one month long while others can be six months to a year long. Noble Desktop offers two VA-approved certificate programs for those interested in investing, the Data Analytics Certificate and the Data Science & AI Certificate. These certificate programs are the first step to learning about data-based investing, analytics, and financial modeling, which can lead to a career as a Financial Analyst, Business Analyst, Data Scientist, or a number of other data analytics, data science, banking, and investing professions.

Skills Bootcamps

Another option for veterans to consider is a skills-focused bootcamp. Bootcamps are accelerated training courses that are often focused on a particular technical skill or learning how to use a singular software program. Bootcamps, like certificate programs, can be career-oriented and offer career-support services. Unlike certificate programs, however, they usually will not provide you with a complete technical skillset and all of the soft skills you need to get started working in a particular profession. 

It is less common for the VA to provide funding for enrollment in bootcamps. While there are many skill bootcamps one can take to learn particular parts of investing, like accounting or financial modeling, these bootcamps may not be covered by your GI Bill benefits. If this is the case, a bootcamp might only be useful to you if it allows you to upskill or learn a particular aspect of your profession that you need to advance in your career or that will be useful to reposition yourself when you’re on the job market. 

What Else Should Veterans Consider When Looking for Investing Training?

Professional Skill Development

Technical skills and a command of programming, data analytics, and other software are not the only things you’ll need to start a long-term career in the financial sector. To develop professional skills, you will need the right mix of conceptual knowledge, technical skills, soft skills, and career-oriented training. You will often find professional skill development in two- and four-year college and university degree programs, vocational training, certificate programs, and some bootcamps. 

Career-Support Services

Career-support services are essential to helping you navigate the job market and enter the workforce. These services can include a number of things, such as 1-on-1 mentorship from an expert in your field, networking opportunities with training program alumni and those in the profession, help to develop a successful portfolio, CV, or LinkedIn profile, and other forms of advice and aid in following your chosen career path. You are most likely to find career-support services from the same types of education providers that offer professional skill development, like colleges, universities, and VA-approved training facilities. 

Other Resources through the VA

Use the VA’s GI Bill Comparison Tool to find VA-approved training and compare your education benefits. In addition to any career support you will receive in your vocational training, the VA offers a variety of programs and support services to help you find employment after your service has ended. These services can put you in touch with potential employers and help you leverage the skills you learned in your military career to find a fulfilling career in the civilian sector. 

Investing Careers 

Financial Advisor

A Financial Advisor will help individuals or organizations manage their finances and achieve their financial and life goals. This can involve needing to monitor financial accounts, handle taxes, come up with financial plans, and give investment advice. They need to have a background in investing and banking to advise clients on how to maintain or grow their wealth and will need to have a firm grasp on investing trends so they can offer viable advice that will match their clients’ interests. 

Financial Advisors earn an average base salary of $78,000 annually, according to Glassdoor. This base salary does not include any bonuses or commissions and a Financial Advisor’s total yearly salary is between $121,000 and $226,000. This large range represents the diversity within this role, as someone might work as an independent Financial Advisor who needs to find their own clients while others can work for larger investment, banking, and financial firms. 

Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts more directly work with clients to manage and grow their assets. These financial professionals need to do a high degree of research and need training in data analytics, as they will need to keep an eye on investing and market trends, be able to analyze financial data, and construct financial models to advise their clients. Their background in investing and data analytics allows them to work in a variety of banking and financial institutions including investment banks, mutual funds, insurance companies, and even government regulatory agencies. 

In the US, a Financial Analyst makes an average salary of $79,000 a year, not including any additional pay in the form of bonuses, commissions, or profit-sharing endeavors. One’s total pay can range from around $86,000 at the lower end to $141,000 at the higher end. What you will actually earn as a Financial Analyst can depend upon several factors including location, education, experience, and specialization. 

Data Analyst

A Data Analyst collects, organizes, and analyzes data for a variety of industry-specific purposes. Often, they are looking for data trends and to pull out valuable insights that can help a business or organization succeed. Many Data Analysts specialize in finance, where they use their analytics skills to assess financial risks and make predictions for their employers or clients. Data Analysts also work in other industries, including technology, healthcare, and retail. 

A Data Analyst earns around $86,000 on average, not including any additional pay. With any bonuses or extra pay factored in, a Data Analyst’s total salary can range from around $89,000 to $139,000. One’s pay in this role will depend on several additional factors, including one’s specialization, job location, educational background, and skill or experience level. 

Data Scientist

Data science continues to be a fast-growing and in-demand field. A Data Scientist will collect, organize, and analyze data while also building machine learning programs and statistical models that can make predictions and aid decision-making for a business or organization. Like Data Analysts, they often work in finance, though they can work in a variety of industries that are looking to use data to solve key problems, remain on-trend, or grow as a business. One of the key things that sets the role of a Data Scientist apart from that of a Data Analyst is that they often have more programming and engineering training and can often work with larger-scale databases and more complex forms of data.

The average salary for a Data Scientist in the US is around $117,000 per year, not including any bonuses, commissions, or profit sharing. With all other pay factored in, the low end of the pay range for this profession is $129,000 and the high end is around $209,000. One’s salary will depend on the industry they work in and any specialization as well as other elements including location, education, and experience. 

Learn Investing at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop offers VA-approved certificate programs for veterans looking to learn about investing, including the Data Analytics Certificate, and the Data Science & AI Certificate. Both certificates will provide comprehensive, career-oriented training so that students can leave the class with the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in their chosen careers. All Noble Desktop classes offer hands-on, real-world training from expert instructors. Students in these certificate programs will receive 1-on-1 mentoring, individualized feedback, and career support as part of their course of study. Courses are offered in-person at Noble’s Manhattan training facility or online from any location. 

The Data Analytics Certificate is a good option for those wanting to go into financial advising or analysis. Full-time students will take six weeks' worth of classes during the weekdays and part-time students will learn about data analytics over 24 weeks of evening classes. Expert instructors will teach students how to solve complex problems through data analysis and visualization. Students learn how to use Excel and SQL for data analytics, work with Python and Tableau to analyze and visualize data and build machine learning models to make predictions and problem-solve. 

Those looking for even more advanced training in data science can consider the Data Science & AI Certificate, which has a four-week, full-time option or a 20-week, part-time option. This certificate is a great way to learn everything you’ll need to start working in this in-demand field. Throughout the weeks, instructors will teach students how to program with Python, build machine learning learnings, and create interactive dashboards and do other forms of data visualization. Students will also be able to attend an additional 30-hour course, Python for AI: Create AI Apps with Flask & OpenAI, for free as part of both of these certificate programs. 

Noble Desktop has additional courses that those interested in investing can consider enrolling in. If you’re not sure whether you want to pursue a professional certificate program in investing, Noble’s short, beginner-friendly Stock Market Investing course teaches students about financial markets and trading in just six hours of class time. The 30-hour Financial Analyst Training Program is a great option for those wanting to learn the essentials of corporate finance and accounting. Students in this program will work on creating a comprehensive valuation model to put their skills into practice. Noble Desktop offers additional accelerated bootcamps for specific financial skillsets, including the Financial Modeling Bootcamp, the FinTech Bootcamp, and the Financial Accounting Bootcamp. These options may fall outside of the scope of one’s education benefits, though they can be a useful way to learn a specific skill set or upskill for greater career success.