SQL Training for Veterans

A military career offers many benefits, including the opportunity to serve the American public, build skills, and enhance a vet's confidence. However, some veterans leave after serving for four or more years and have no idea what they want to do with their lives. That’s an unfortunate situation that may lead to years of menial labor and lost time. However, former soldiers can learn skills like SQL to improve their employability and find a very rewarding position. 

SQL (or structured query language) is one of the oldest still-used coding languages in the world. Its no-nonsense syntax makes it easy to learn and use in a variety of high-earning markets. Veterans who want to know it could try asynchronous courses and self-directed education or sign up for live online SQL classes to bolster their abilities. Many of these programs allow them to use their military benefits to finance their training and improve their lives in powerful ways.

For instance, Noble Desktop works with 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) to help former soldiers pay for their SQL education. These programs also work well for financing data-related education to prepare for diverse and exciting careers. Here’s what veterans interested in mastering SQL should know about this unique topic.

Important SQL Key Insights for Veterans to Consider

With so many potential career opportunities available for veterans, there’s one big question they need to answer before signing up for a bootcamp: “Why learn SQL?” Well, this robust and adaptable language helps lay the foundation for exciting and high-earning careers in multiple fields. In this way, vets fascinated by data industries and other markets may find SQL a wise first step in their careers. Here are a few different things vets should know about this topic.

Very Easy to Learn

Veterans interested in learning coding languages might look at C++, Java, and even the relatively easy Python and find themselves baffled by the syntax. Even though they’re likely more than bright enough to master it, that initial bad impression can be hard to shake. Thankfully, SQL uses a simple and no-nonsense syntax that makes it easier to master. In fact, it might give former soldiers enough confidence to try learning other related languages later!

In Demand in Many Industries

While SQL is most heavily in demand throughout the data science industry, there are many other fields that may need it. For example, database architecture, data analytics, software engineering, statistics, financing, and even healthcare companies need SQL experts to gather information from databases using SQL. That market diversity gives veterans the opportunity to pick and choose what kind of work they’d like to do after mastering this simple tool.

Adaptable With Many Other Tools

SQL adapts easily to other similar tools to help users produce powerful databases and visualizations for their projects. For example, things like ManageEngine, DBVisualizer, Site24x7s Database Monitoring, DbSchema, and SysTools all help SQL experts produce effective and clean databases. Just as importantly, SQL works well with related products, such as MySQL and SQL Query, to ensure proper data management for various projects.

Simple Financing Opportunities

Since SQL is so straightforward compared to other coding languages, it rarely requires extensive or expensive training. In fact, classes might cost as little as a few hundred dollars, helping to lay the foundation for better data-related careers. That said, a single SQL course is probably just the first step toward a higher-earning position. Thankfully, veterans should have plenty of financing options available after completing their training (more on those later).

What is SQL? A Quick Guide

Vets reading this article so far might be asking, “What is SQL, and why should I learn it?” Put simply, SQL is a robust back end programming language that helps people use relational database management systems (RDBMS) to build and manage databases effectively. Using common-sense syntax and phrasing, SQL lets users create databases and tables, manage their records, add attributes to data points, join tables, filter and sort data, and export info properly.

In today’s data-oriented world, SQL is used in multiple database management systems, including Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Microsoft Access, and Oracle. In fact, it was accepted as the standard data language in 1986 by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 1987. As a result, vets who learn it lay the foundation for a career in data-related fields and markets.

That said, former soldiers interested in mastering SQL must also study related subjects to expand their knowledge and become more skilled. For example, they should understand spreadsheets, know how to string information across multiple tables, and master graphs and charts to improve their chances of beginning a rewarding career in related fields. Thankfully, most bootcamps provide extra training opportunities to expand their education exponentially.

Why Is Learning SQL Great for Veterans?

Clearly, SQL offers former soldiers many unique benefits that give it the edge over similar skills. But why is it such a great skill for veterans, in particular, to master? Well, this powerful coding tool often feels natural to vets, especially those who did a lot of tech-related work in their careers. However, even combat-focused individuals might find themselves digging into SQL and all that it has to offer. Here are a few reasons why vets will likely find this a wise investment.

Easy to Master

Several times so far throughout this article, vets have read that SQL is easy to understand. That’s one of its biggest strengths! While it’s powerful enough to handle just about any data-related task, its straightforward syntax should take no more than a few months to master fully. As a result, veterans who want to transition into a rewarding career quickly may find SQL particularly rewarding to learn and may even use it to catapult their coding career even further.

Adaptable to Many Jobs

SQL’s wide use in the data field makes it adaptable to just about any position in this market. For example, database managers likely use it daily to help manage their information. Furthermore, data architects must know SQL to construct physical and digital databases properly. That benefit is enormous for vets who aren’t sure what they want to do after completing their service. Opening themselves up to as many careers as possible improves their employability chances.

Transferable to Military Positions 

Though vets leaving the military may never return to service, others may find positions as contractors in various fields. For example, data-based careers, including logistics and planning, need SQL experts to carefully gather field information, organize it, and create charts and graphs highlighting spending, material distribution, and much more. As a result, people who want to work with the military again after completing their service will find this language useful to learn.

Surprisingly Creative 

Data careers might not seem that creative to veterans. However, knowing how to cleverly use SQL syntax to collect, organize, and present information requires an adaptable mind and an innovative approach. As a result, veterans who want to work in fun, engaging, and productive careers might find SQL a great skill to learn. They might even find it helps them in personal projects at home, which will be covered in more depth in the next section below.

Fits the Military Mind Well

Many veterans find themselves thriving in coding-related courses and feeling very comfortable mastering things like SQL. Why is that the case? Well, coding typically requires a logical and structured approach that is often reinforced by the military. After all, soldiers must follow strict rules, guidelines, and procedures that SQL and other coding languages mimic. As a result, it’s often easier for many vets to understand this tool than it might be for non-military individuals.

What Can Veterans Do with SQL Skills? 

Mastering SQL skills is just the first step for most veterans interested in data-related jobs. For example, learning SQL helps lay the foundation for those trying to learn data analytics, as so much of this field focuses on this coding language. But what exactly can veterans do with all these abilities after they master them? Many will transition into high-earning and rewarding jobs, while others will use SQL for personal projects. These can be very diverse and interesting.

Collect Family Information 

Four years or more in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard might cause many former soldiers to fall out of touch with their families. For example, aunts, uncles, and even cousins might have moved on in life and could be harder to reconnect with later. However, SQL lets veterans craft intricate databases that collect all this information for easier sharing and presentation. They can even send this information to loved ones in valuable charts and tables!

Budget Properly 

Vets often come home from service with a nice nest egg built from their salaries and bonuses. However, they may have little experience properly budgeting their spending after those years in the military and need to plan their spending and investing better. Thankfully, SQL makes it easier to collect these details from spreadsheets and present them in finely-tuned graphs and charts. In this way, vets can ensure that they don’t spend too much of their savings.

Inventory Their Home

After being gone from home during their tour of duty, many veterans may return home uncertain of themselves. For instance, they may not even know what they have in their house anymore and need help collecting and sorting these details. Thankfully, SQL helps them not only craft databases but easily label all their items into basic categories. In this way, they can prepare their home insurance policy more effectively and gauge what they might need for their homes.

Are Their SQL Support Options for Veterans?

Trying to pay for SQL training isn’t necessarily incredibly expensive because this is such a focused and specific skill. In other words, most bootcamps last less than 24 hours and rarely cost more than $500 to $1,000. That said, more extensive courses might cover a diverse array of subjects and cost thousands to complete. Veterans on a tight budget deserve financing options that help them pay for their learning. Thankfully, specialized sources are available.

These include things like the GI Bill, the Forever GI Bill, the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and VET TEC. These tools help learners pay for their classes and even identify programs that feel right for them. Skilled vets can use this financing to cover not only their SQL training but also expand into related subjects, such as Python, Java, JavaScript, and React. Mastering these techniques can help former soldiers prepare themselves for truly rewarding and exciting civilian careers.

What Are the GI and Forever GI Bills?

The GI Bill laid the foundation for veteran training and education after the horrific events of World War II. Many of our finest returning veterans had no idea how to transition into a civilian landscape that had changed so heavily since the war began. The GI Bill provided tuition stipends for training, alongside cash for vet hospitals and affordable mortgages. In this way, it and the Post-9/11 GI Bill have helped thousands of vets start a new and better life.

Passed after the terrorist event of September 11, 2001, this bill greatly expanded the GI Bill’s scope and range. It started by offering funding to their families and children rather than just the soldiers. Since so many brave fighters didn’t come back from the Afghanistan wars, offering financial support to their families (specifically for education and training) helped mothers, husbands, and children of passed soldiers get back on their feet in exciting careers. 

In 2017, they further expanded benefits with the Forever GI Bill. Before this law, benefits expired after 15 years, which could leave veterans without the chance to improve their lives. However, they’re now available indefinitely, meaning vets who want to master SQL 20 years or more after completing their training can get some cash. Furthermore, these laws have helped establish the VET TEC pilot program that helps pair veterans with high-quality SQL training programs.

How Does VET TEC Help Veterans?

The Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses (VET TEC) program helps veterans find specialized tech training teams to help them master various skills. It works with tech schools, universities, and private trainers to not only help vets find great places to learn but also streamline their payment process with the GI and Forever GI Bill. In this way, this beneficial program helps former soldiers around the nation get the support that they need for their careers.

These days, the VET TEC covers topics like data processing, coding, software development, media production, and information science. SQL definitely falls under this heading, meaning that veterans who want to learn it in a GI Bill-approved setting have that opportunity. Noble Desktop and other schools work very closely with VET TEC and also accept the GI and Forever GI bills, meaning that vets in New York City and beyond can quickly master this skill and stand proud.

What Are the Benefits of Learning SQL?

Vets who learn SQL receive many fantastic benefits for their lives and careers, including:

• Improve Job Opportunities: Veterans looking to move beyond menial labor and boring jobs might find SQL a great skill to learn. It will make it easier for them to seek out higher-earning positions and potentially improve their earning opportunities.
• Make Good Money: While learning SQL isn’t enough to fully prepare a learner for a data scientist job, it’s a great first step. This career field is worth pursuing as, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, they earn a median pay of $108,000 annually.
• Use It In Countless Situations: While SQL is mainly used in data-related positions, it’s also valuable for web design, quality assurance, business analysis, server engineering, full stack development, and even software engineering, thanks to its powerful uses.
• Learn Other Coding Languages: Since SQL is so easy to learn compared to other coding languages, it’s an excellent opportunity for veterans to dip their foot into this skill set. They might find HTML and Python much easier to learn after finishing SQL training.
• Transferable Skills: Mastering SQL offers more than just the ability to tackle data- and information-related tasks. Its focus on visualization, creative thinking, and problem-solving help build abilities that learners will use for their whole lives.
• SQL is Future-Proof: Since the 1970s, SQL has been used for database management. The fantastic thing is that all evidence points to it sticking around for a long time! As a result, learning it now helps veterans stay safe against the onslaught of AI.
• Surprisingly Powerful: Just because SQL is streamlined and easy to learn, that doesn’t mean it lacks power and adaptability. For example, applications like window functions, common table expressions, and recursive queries offer very advanced uses.

Why Should Veterans Choose an SQL Skills Bootcamp?

Serious ex-soldiers who want to master SQL and data-related careers might find SQL skills workshops work best for their needs. After all, these courses often include focused curriculums that help learners master topics quickly and efficiently. They’ll not only work alongside expert professors but also meet unique peers with whom they can build study groups. Just as importantly, these courses eliminate the unrelated subjects common in college data programs. 

As a result, veterans can master SQL quickly without spending a ton of money in the process. Some classes cost just a few hundred dollars and help learners master SQL and other related subjects rapidly. By the time they’re done, they should feel competent enough to start an entry-level data science career using SQL. These positions often include high-earning potential and the chance to advance to even better roles. Just a few jobs to consider include:

• Data Scientist specialists who focus on analyzing large sets of data for decision-making 
• Business Analyst experts using SQL to analyze costs and help companies invest smartly
• Data Analysts drawing conclusions from large data sets to drive innovative thinking
• Machine Learning Engineers who need SQL to track learning algorithms in data sets
• Database Administrator utilizing SQL to safely and securely store information 
• Data Engineer professionals who can track information and format it properly 
• And much more

Is SQL Hard for Veterans to Learn?

By now, veterans should understand that SQL is one of the easier tech-related skills to master. Its simple and common-sense syntax is easy to understand and master and many people can handle basic tasks with it after just a few lessons. However, advanced topics like temporary functions, query tuning, and self-joins will challenge vets and require a little more work to manage. Thankfully, bootcamps and structured practice can make this process a lot easier.

How Long Will It Take Veterans to Learn SQL?

Vets studying SQL will find themselves comfortable with basic processes in a handful of lessons, though it may take a few weeks to grasp all of this language’s essential functions. More advanced skills could take a couple of months to master, as these require a stronger understanding of database concepts and skills. Thankfully, most veterans should get plenty of support in their bootcamps, including extra training modules, to bolster their skills further.

What Skills Will Veterans Learn in SQL Bootcamps?

The best SQL bootcamps for veterans will cover multiple topics and skills and help them build their knowledge in powerful ways. Just a few things that they’ll learn include:

• Querying using basic syntax, such as drawing, collecting, and presenting information 
• Database management, such as backing up your information successfully
• PHP, another popular scripting language that helps build info-based websites
• Join skills that help combine various sets of data to make them easier to access
• Indexing information or ordering data to mitigate waste or performance issues 
• Systems like MySQL and PostgreSQL that help expand storage space for databases
• Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) to produce more efficient data collections
• Database architecture skills, including building and managing data structures

Learn SQL at Noble Desktop

Veterans serious about learning SQL and other related skills to bolster their careers can try out one of the many high-quality Noble Desktop vet-friendly training courses. These classes bring the same effectiveness and attention to detail offered in all Noble programs, including professors with real-world experience, hands-on projects, portfolio-building exercises, and 1-on-1 mentoring. Few other schools provide this kind of exciting and practical education.

Beyond these benefits, Noble also works closely with The GI Bill, the Forever GI Bill, and VET TEC to offer high-quality education focused on veteran needs. Former soldiers who want a quick and effective training experience will find themselves thriving with this school’s many high-quality courses. With sessions available in person in New York City and elsewhere in innovative live online sessions, Noble Desktop provides SQL training that vets can trust.

SQL Bootcamp

SQL Bootcamp teaches beginner-level skills to help learners master SQL and its essential functions. They’ll also study more advanced ideas to progress towards complete expertise, including tools like PostgreSQL, SQL Server, and MySQL. Costing just $1,000, this class takes 18 hours in three six-hour sessions. When they’re done, learners will have a portfolio of work that shows off their skills at their finest. They’ll also have a completion certificate to share.

Data Science & AI Certificate

Data Science & AI Certificate is a four-week class on the full-time schedule and a 20-week one on the part-time schedule on evenings or Saturdays. Vets pay just $4,000 (easily covered by their GI Bill payments) to learn SQL, Python, automation, and machine learning skills to become experts in data science. They’ll also practice SQL querying and predictive modeling to gain entry-level abilities that can help them join this career on the ground floor and work their way up.

Data Analytics Certificate 

Data Analytics Certificate covers SQL and other related topics to help a veteran become a Data Analyst or Business Analyst. Like other Noble classes, learners will study using real-world projects to build their knowledge and create a strong and meaningful portfolio. Just as importantly, they’ll master critical skills like Python to understand database architecture better. Classes cost just $5,000 and last six weeks in a full-time schedule or 24 weeks part-time.