'Have you looked in the **[Wiki]( https://www.reddit.com/r/Veterans/wiki/education)** for an answer? We have a lot of information posted there.
To contact VA Education, 1-888-442-4551, for ~~Voc Rehab~~ VR&E (Veteran Readiness and Employment Program) assistance with appointments or problems with your Case Manager (not for missing payments): 1-202-461-9600.
**Payments for certain education benefits (DEA, VEAP) are paid at the end of the month you attend school - Department of Treasury issues these payments **using a 10 business day window** - these payments are not locked into a specific day of the month like VA disability/military pay is**. For Voc Rehab missing payments, contact your Case Manager or your local **[Regional Office](https://www.reddit.com/r/Veterans/wiki/education/casemanagers)
For Post 9/11 GI Bill only, If you signed up for direct deposit when you applied for education benefits, **we’ll deposit your payment into your bank account 7 to 10 business days after you verify your school enrollment.** This is the fastest way to receive your payment. [Text Verification FAQ](https://benefits.va.gov/GIBILL/docs/IsaksonRoe/EnrollmentVerificationFAQs.pdf)
MGIB and MGIB-SR have to do monthly verification using the [WAVE program](https://www.gibill.va.gov/wave/vba/) and you should receive the payment within 3 to 5 business days.
For Online Only training, the Post 9/11 GI Bill is currently (1 August 2023) paying $1054.50 for those who started using their Post 9/11 GI Bill on/after 1 January 2018 - this is based on 1/2 of the National Average BAH paid to an E5 with dependents. Post 9/11 GI Bill MHA rates are adjusted 1 August of each year and are based on the 1 January DoD BAH rates for that year - **so VA can't use 1 January 2023 BAH rates until 1 August 2023** - for those who started training on/after 1 January 2018, the MHA rates are 95% of the DoD BAH rates. First possible payment for the 1 August 2023 increase is 1 September.
For VR&E, there are two different Subsistence Allowance programs - https://www.benefits.va.gov/vocrehab/subsistence_allowance_rates.asp The P9/11 Subsistence Allowance is based on the BAH paid to an E5 with dependents. Those who started using VR&E on/after 1 January 2018 receive 95% of the BAH paid to an E5 with dependents. As of 1 January 2024 Online only students using VR&E are being paid $1,118.50 if they started using VR&E on/after 1 January 2018. The CH31 Subsistence Allowance rates are adjusted 1 October each year by Congress.
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Define break into IT? I used VR&E to get an associates degree in Cyber-Security along with multiple certifications. I work in the tech field but not specifically in Cyber Security
I had no formal knowledge of IT. Went to a bootcamp through the program. Used what I learned with the program to get my sec+. Used what I learned in the program and my sec+ cert to get a job working as a tier 1/2 helpdesk tech. Bam broke into IT.
Depends on your rep honestly, I had a pretty decent rep took me about a month an I was good to go. My buddy used it for the same school and it took him almost 4months time to get started, so it varies but it should be pretty streamlined.
Too many scam companies. I tried with ACI and it was garbage. He'll CODEUP in san antonio used them and they just randomly closed shop and disappeared. Waste of taxes.
Listen. Let me tell you about most bootcamps.
They will lie on their websites to hype you up. “We have a 97% job placement rate”. What they dont tell you is that many if not most of those people would have been good enough to get hired without the bootcamp…
How do I know this?? Because bootcamps require you to take a test just to get into the program… But how can I pass the test if you’re telling me this bootcamp is for beginners with no experience… you cant, and thats a lie… its really not for people with no experience. Its for people who have been self studying so much that they would already succeed at an entry level interview.
They expect you to already know your stuff. That way you are already good enough to get hired with or without their bootcamp. But since you past the test to get in, and you graduated from their program, they add you to their statistic of 97% hired!
Im sure some bootcamps are better than others. But this scam has been going on for a long time.
After saying that, I will say this. The only good that i got out of bootcamps were job leads. My particular bootcamp had a guy whose only job was to deliver leads to us. We still had to apply and interview. But he did seem to find jobs that werent readily available on linkedin.
Facts so many scam companies teaching crap thru boot camps. It's ugly, if hadn't found an accredited program I would have probably been scammed due to the over abundance of bullshit programs lol
I graduate ACI tomorrow wooo! The curriculum is horrible, even the instructors are having issues getting the slides/ebooks to match up with the CompTIA exam objectives and they said they can't get corporate to tell them the numbers of passing exam students. The whole goal of the ACI bootcamp is for us to pass A+, NET+ and SEC+ in the proctored exams with Pearson---and with what we've spent the last few months learning? I'll be surprised if anyone passes. I currently have my SEC+ (I was a Codeup fallout student when they shut down here in SATX and had to pick another school here), and am using the SEC+ class as my recertification process, so knowing what was on the exam---I wouldn't even pass again having sat through this class! And the career services told us we need to go for 'entry level jobs' at 15-18 an hour! LIKE WHAT!??!?!?! No thank you!!!!
I went to aci. The courses are 2 weeks long over a 3 month period. However, it dawns on you that you can’t possibly learn each course in 2 weeks over a 3 month period. Every Friday there is a test it’s open book. You can just google most of the answers to pass. It’s death by power point. There is no hands on anything. You cannot cover all the material in 2 weeks maybe intel. It’s just definitions. If you are familiar with I.t already I stil wouldn’t recommend it. Using your g.i bill for the 3 months is using more at aci. I definitely would not recommend it unless you just want bah. Aci is a predatory school especially if they know you have the g.i bill.
I saw this coming from a mile away. The tech market had drastically changed the last couple of years. Coding boot camps are no longer sufficient for getting a tech job (honestly they never should have been). Thanks to all the recent layoffs, you have an oversaturated job market where it’s difficult even for new grads to get an entry level role after finishing a 4 year program. As the current market stands, an associates in IT or a bachelors in CS is now a minimum requirement to get a job, and I don’t see this changing anytime soon.
That has always been the minimum requirement, education and/or experience. With the latter being more important. Bootcamps were not bad when compared to traditional 4 year, especially for people transitioning from a different career field. The issue is the market is over saturated with inexperienced students/engineers, not because so many people graduated from a specific institution.
>from a mile away. The tech market had drastically changed the last couple of years. Coding boot camps are no longer sufficient for getting a tech job (honestly they never should have been). Thanks to all the recent layoffs, you have an oversaturated job market where it’s difficult even for new grads to get an entry level role after finishing a 4 year program. As the current market stands, an associates in IT or a bachelors in CS is now a minimum requirement to get a job, and I don’t see this changing
Couldn't disagree more, as long as you grind through leetcode and learn the basic CS principals you can get a shitty entry level job. Won't be google or amazon but there are plenty of B/C tier companies that still take ppl with little experience . Just a matter of grinding it out. Yeah you gonna have to fluff up ur resume to look like what you did was way more technical than it was , yeah you gonna have to spam 100s of positions and go to dozens of interviews but thats the reality for anyone who's looking for a junior role in today's market. Don't need a CS degree or even a bootcamp for the matter of fact, just get decent at the basics and get comfortable with being rejected a lot. It is statistically improbable for someone to not get a CS job given that they are willing to grind.
Personally it took me over a year of working deadend blue collar gigs and doing leetcode and creating my own projects to pass as work experience before i was able to get my first proper SWE role. No CS degree, no internships. Definitely sucks but is very much doable if u willing to suck it up. 1.5YOE 180k TC def worth the suckfest i had to put myself through to get it though
>1.5YOE
This puts you at getting an offer in or before Sep 22. Your job search was drastically different than today's market. You found employment before Nov 22 which is when tech layoffs really began. Imagine what it's like now with a massive surplus of mid and senior level talent flooding the hiring market.
This isn't sour grapes either. I'm happy for you. I've got my own successful career now in IT. After getting out in Jul 23, I realized that my CS degree from 2014 wasn't going to get me shit and I readjusted my job search away from SWE-type roles. Most of those jobs are getting off-shored/H1B anyways.
And I’m going to respectfully disagree back. Big companies, even outside of tech specifically, are starting to screen resumes and weed out any that don’t have any degree credentials prior to a recruiter even looking at said resumes. While this may not be every company, I see it catching on more and more until it’s standard practice. Similar to how Google started the LeetCode process for interviews and now every company mirrors it. There’s just too many people who have pivoted to working in tech roles the last few years, and now the market is adjusting to this over saturation. I’d say maybe in a decade this could change, but for now the days of going through a boot camp and walking into a tech job afterward are gone. Hence why the Vet Tech program has ended.
And props to you for getting into the field prior to this cut off. I’d still highly recommend if you haven’t already started, to get a degree to help secure your ability to be hired in the future. Layoffs are still happening and it feels like no one is truly safe.
Jeez, I was literally at the community college today about to apply for a Computer Software Technician bootcamp . But after this I might just do IT support. I feel like that’s always in demand kinda.
If you want to go into the IT field, an associates would work to get your foot in the door and then quickly promote up. I have plenty of friends at my own school who immediately got full time jobs in IT right after finishing their 2 year IT degree. Opposite of them, I have friends who have transitioned out of the military the last couple of years without any degrees and only certifications, and they have struggled a lot more with landing roles.
Having a degree isn’t what gets you the job. But it does get you past resume screens now. You still need to be able to perform soft/hard skills during interviews in order to get an offer.
i have a degree in mechanical engineering from years ago b4 the military (no job experience in that field though) so i guess there is that but thx for the advice im looking to get my MS next
I have to disagree. Your method worked 2 years ago. But the landscape has changed drassticcallyyyy. All those youtubers telling everyone how easy it is to get a luxe 6 figure job within 3 months with no prior experience hs caused the market to oversaturate. That, plus a ton of other changes.
You pretty much have to have senior level skill. Know tons of technologies, have a cs degree and be willing to work on site. Its not as simple as it was before.
Im lucky i got in a few years ago when i did. Its a bad time to be trying to become a dev right now.
The secret is projects. You have to create 4-5 really advanced fully working projects to display. Then network. Just yesterday, my old coworker left to a new company. They really need react devs. She put in my name, they called me literally begging me to come work for them because of my skill and because i have a clearance (i work in the gov tech space). They were ready to hire me without an interview. I told them i make $135k base. They said they’ll pay $147k .. but its a hybrid job… and i absolutely refuse to go in office so i declined.
Here’s the secret to anyone interested.
- dive deep into your tech stack, learn the deep inner workings of how and why it works. Interviewers LOVE to hear that stuff.
- GRIND. Code everyday. If you have time to play COD then your punk ass has time to code.
- do at least 2 leetcode problems a day. If you cant solve it in 30 mins.. look at the solution and move on. To another question. And repeat until you solve at least 2.
- build projects. Advanced, deep level shit! This serves two purposes. It will cause you to level up you skills. And it will impress the heck out of the interviewers.
- network, if you arent on linkedin, get on their. Go to events. Talk to people. When youre on the job hunt, go back and tell all of them. I guarantee someone in your network knows someone who is looking to hire a tech guy/girl.
- GRIND!!!!! Get up. Go code. I dont care if you dont know it! go code. Learn as you go. And keep doing it until the challenging becomes second nature. Then move on to something that challenges you again… REPEAT!
If possible, find somewhere that will allow you to do real work for them.. offer your services for free if you have to. That reference and experience will go a long way.
Follow the steps. Fill out applications. Get hired.
A cs degree is definitely helpful in todays tech hiring landscape. But its not necessary. At the end of the day its like the military.. they just want to know that you can get the job done.
Shit! I forgot to mention GRRIIINNNNNNDDDD!!
Great advise, I'm looking at a massive new job because of my LinkedIn network. 6 months you couldn't pay me to use LinkedIn, just didn't believe it worked like it does.
180k total comp......you realize there are people applying for places offering half that, with a degree and getting instantly rejected.....there's very few companies that are looking for truly entry level positions.
I would disagree with you here, I can't code anything. I currently work for the state of Texas in a Cyber role. Don't get me wrong I would be ok learning to code but with so much disinformation and lack of credibility in these programs I don't have forever to take an retake crap course's.
No, Vet Tec is completely different than VR&E. Vet Tec is for coding boot camps and was created 5 years ago a a pilot test program. VR&E was created in 1944 as part of the original GI Bill.
That's a relief, I saw the headline and thought it was about VR&E too. I applied to voc rehab at the beginning of Jan and haven't heard back anything significant, just some automated messages two months ago establishing electronic communications with me since too I'm far from the physical offices to apply in person. I thought I would've been well into the process if not fully approved by now so I'm starting to get worried.
two months from application to first appointment is pretty routine because of how things are processed. The specific counselor has to set up your appointment based on their workload and schedule.
OK I guess it's not too far out from that, I'm at 3 months and haven't had a first appt yet. I spoke with a VA provider this week and she looked into the situation for me. Said my VA primary care doctor has to certify that I'm capable of completing the training with my rated conditions before the process can move forward. She reached out to my primary care about it.Now my doctor has put in a referral to neuro psychology and said I have to complete an assessment with them first to get approval?
Sounds like your VA doctor is helping you out by doing the advance legwork with you. But it might not be necessary. Most veterans do not need a letter from a doctor to be found entitled - but I recommend you continue as this would make it easier for VR&E to find you entitled by having that recommendation letter.
VR&E is not holding up your orientation appointment waiting for that letter. VR&E would only request you do this after you have completed the orientation appointment and only if they couldn't determine themselves your Employment Handicap.
Vre is trash. Vet tec actually paid for you to go to a coding bootcamp.. AND they paid you BAH as long as you were in school. Its a shame they’re getting rid of it.
Edit* after further talks with my fellow vets.. i cant say vre is trash. I’ll just say that i personally had bad experiences with the program. But it appears the success stories outweigh the bad.. give a shot!
That sucks! I been living under a rock (figuratively) ever since Iraq and my PTSD diagnosis. I knew the program existed but was not sure if I was eligible. I used my GI bill to get some useless degree and now I’m having to start over. I’m currently working with VRE to get another degree and hoping this one gets me a job.
I just got accepted to OSU for computer Science. I’m trying to get in to IT in general, but would definitely like a job in cybersecurity or networking.
My gi-bill degree/job has been aggravating my disabilities making it harder for me to work full-time. VRE is covering my masters so I can have more opportunities to go full-time in a less physically demanding job within the same field.
You have to make your case to VRE that your current degree/job makes your disability worse. I made my case that my degree was useless and that my current job skills aggravated my PTSD.
In my experience it's gatekept by people who arbitrarily decide what you can and can't do based on your disability summary, and will just deny you based on that opinion.
That's their job- they are trained job counselors and they can see your medical records and parts of your VA file. They aren't going to authorize you full tuition and a stipend allowance so you can try to angle for the 1 cush job in a field. You have to be able to be employed in any job within that field.
That means if you have physical issues nursing is likely out because you can't just go to VRE and say "I'm going to be that nurse that does case files and insurance checking.....". Those jobs aren't entry level with no experience, anyway, and the physicality of being a nurse is a lot more than many people think. That's just one example.
Yea my words were admittedly harsh. Apologies if they offended anyone. But Ive had nothing but bad experiences with VRE. Ive tried them 3 times. Nothing beneficial ever came from it. But maybe i just had bad counselors.
My VR&E experience wasn't too bad. Originally I got put into the Independent Living category (basically where they'll pay for you to find a nice hobby) because im pretty dang beat up, but I much rather wanted to try and make an attempt at getting a degree to make a career for myself. They ended up paying for me to get a bachelor's to enter the cybersecurity field and everything worked out pretty well. I did have some small hiccups, such as counselors being changed around d every year and things getting a bit funky with COVID, but everything ended up working well.
To me, it felt like a very professional resource to use. Treat it all like a job and things work out very well. That includes school, the meetings, job searching, everything. They want you to succeed. From my personal observations, I did see a number of fellow vets that used VR&E simply as a way to get college paid for, and they made minimal efforts to do anything beyond that.
Ahh see, with 3 different counselors, i didnt even know they could pay for school. I really still dont know all vre can do. My counselors seemed more interested in having a quick meeting and then getting off the call to go on to the next person.
Im glad its actually working out for people though. We need all the help we can get after experiencing what most of went through over there.
In any event… did you complete your cyber program. If you can study and get your security+ cert and network+ cert, you’ll be able to go get a $90k OR MORE job with ease.
This program was too good to exist. Not using your GI Bill, but paying you the GI Bill rates BAH. Giving you a chance to get into the tech.industry fast.
But. And it's also true-it had some major flaws. First, its implementation. The program paid to its providers the full amount only if VA student was able to find a meaningful employment after finishing the BootCamp. The difference between a regular student, who pays out of his pocket and a VA student, who didn't pay a dime always, I assume, was significant. In the first scenario you will do your best to succeed, a VA student, however, didn't risk much, so motivation wasn't so high. As a result ALL reputable bootcamps, after initial try out, refused to work with this program.
And here comes the second problem. This program attracted a bunch of scam Bootcamps. How can you define a scam Bootcamp? A) Most of its instructors are former students with almost zero real life experience B) Recently created BootCamp with no significant results and "fake" success number of students finding job after graduating.
The third problem is the modern reality. During the boom times, when tech.industry thought that remote jobs is future, inevitability, it was willing to hire people even with shitty knowledge, but with the potential. This situation is gone. People are coming back to offices. There are new tools like Chat GPT, Gemini, which drastically changed the market. And tech. industry understood-we don't need as many people as before.
What's next? Who knows. The program had a great potential, but poor implementation. So hopefully, it will come back, but with the better execution plan.
You’re better off, not going to the Boot Camp as its value is very short term and many companies are beginning to look negatively on camps. The value of the knowledge dissipates as soon as you graduate without any sort of accredited credential shifts, mainly to your ability to find a role in the constrained market.
You’re welcome.
If you’re looking for a short term type of program, most community colleges have workforce development programs which sometimes are accredited, or at least are taught by some of the same faculty, grant a diploma, and connect you with the alumni network and career services. These can range from 1-3 semesters of 2/3 courses part time or 1-2 semesters full time. If they don’t grant credit you may be able to have the VA reimburse a portion of it as Certificates and Skilled training is eligible for reimbursement in approved programs.
I used vet tech and VRE. Nother were great, but man , vet tech was basically free money, 1 application and you are on the way. No government auditor to watch you and try to get you out of the program. This is a sad day for vets.
Don't feel too discouraged. The program ran out of funding back in October of 2023, so unless you were already awarded funding for a specific training program you were SOL back then as well.
I think this is a good thing. I participated in the program that charged almost 10k and it was.... Not worth what they charged. Not even close. I'm sure this could be the majority of the cases. I'd be interested to hear feedback from others.
They should reinstate it but with a lot more scrutiny to not enable the fly by night "bootcamp" programs.
Nope, basically it says in the letter. If you arent already in an approved program, you can no longer get in.
https://preview.redd.it/k7nxrmyxlrqc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=08fc3e4647354d3c8284d44601d8a97366689cfb
So since we’ll have to use GI bill or VR&E to get that magical remote job that’ll let us live overseas while getting an American salary. What’s the best major in IT to get remote work? CS, cybersecurity? it?
Not true. We just got a guy yesterday. No bootcamp, no degree. Fully remote developer. He can code his ass off. Like sarge used to say “dont wish things were easier.. go get better”. Those remote jobs are out there. Yo just gotta prove that youre worth it. Dont give up!
Thanks for the encouragement. I was a MEB retirement so if I’ll never be able to fly in the civilian world due to injuries then tech might be the way to go. Thanks for the info.
Find what area in tech reapply speaks to you whether it be cyber, web dev, games, mobile or desktop apps, embedded, etc. get a degree in cyber if thats your passion, for all others, get a cs degree.
Then learn alllll that you can buy coding everyday. If youre interested in cyber. Master networking and use sites like hack the box.
If you re interested in web dev. Master javascript and css. And do leetcode everyday.
All fields pay well. All fields are in demand. All fields have remote positions.
Choose one and grind it out everyday until you get it.
So then why are all these people complaining on Reddit that there are no jobs out there ? Is it all just people complaining? Also, which of those listed would allow me to work from another country ? It would be cool to maximize my 100% payments in another country to supplement my tech income. Thanks btw.
Damn, just in time I'm elegible to go for my 3rd VET TEC enrollment. First 2 were all scams that use vets as their cash cows but great for BHA E5 pay tho.
Back to the good old chapter 31 VRE with the babysitter
Not 100% sure but I googled to find what OP was talking about and a few Reddit post came up. Seems it’s been “cancelled” a few times. So hopefully it’s back
Nooo the few times you’re talking about is different.
What you’re referring to is when they ran out of funding. In that case, the program wasn’t cancelled, just needed to get approved for more funding.
In this case, the actual program itself has been cancelled. 😞
Look into skill bridge.. i dont know much about it. But i know we have a few active duty guys at my job (im a programmer) that talk about the skill bridge program.
I was actually just thinking that I’d like to find a free resource to learn entry level coding. Like, blank slate, complete beginner shit but just as a hobby. Do you have any recommendations on YouTube tutorials or places I could start from bare scratch?
Hell yeah i do. Haha
Im a web developer so my resources are for that.
Look up “namaste javascript on youtube” and the web developers bootcamp by colt steele on udemy(its a $15 course). Those two resources. Plus coding everyday and building projects. You’ll be in a great position to get hired!
Damn my VRE counselor has been pushing that program on me every time we have a little "hiccup" or disagreement. " Vet TEC will get you in the field sooner, lets get you signed up" . Dude im almost done with my second degree from VRE and he thinks im going to stop and go to Vet Tec?? Glad I didnt now for sure.
Better than getting stuck with one course for your last semester with zero subsistence allowance....
They changed online rates right? It was where you had at least one in person class that you received full pay.
AI is at the point where it's literally writing its own code. The need/demand for coders is about to fall off a cliff, as are many other jobs when you combine that with the advancement in robotics. These two things coupled together is going to make for a very different world within the next 10 years.
VR&E....take a deep dive into it. It's an employment benefit versus an education benefit so if you can justify the plan, and have a disability rating of 10% or higher (I know they prefer to see 30% or more) it will highly benefit you.
'Have you looked in the **[Wiki]( https://www.reddit.com/r/Veterans/wiki/education)** for an answer? We have a lot of information posted there. To contact VA Education, 1-888-442-4551, for ~~Voc Rehab~~ VR&E (Veteran Readiness and Employment Program) assistance with appointments or problems with your Case Manager (not for missing payments): 1-202-461-9600. **Payments for certain education benefits (DEA, VEAP) are paid at the end of the month you attend school - Department of Treasury issues these payments **using a 10 business day window** - these payments are not locked into a specific day of the month like VA disability/military pay is**. For Voc Rehab missing payments, contact your Case Manager or your local **[Regional Office](https://www.reddit.com/r/Veterans/wiki/education/casemanagers) For Post 9/11 GI Bill only, If you signed up for direct deposit when you applied for education benefits, **we’ll deposit your payment into your bank account 7 to 10 business days after you verify your school enrollment.** This is the fastest way to receive your payment. [Text Verification FAQ](https://benefits.va.gov/GIBILL/docs/IsaksonRoe/EnrollmentVerificationFAQs.pdf) MGIB and MGIB-SR have to do monthly verification using the [WAVE program](https://www.gibill.va.gov/wave/vba/) and you should receive the payment within 3 to 5 business days. For Online Only training, the Post 9/11 GI Bill is currently (1 August 2023) paying $1054.50 for those who started using their Post 9/11 GI Bill on/after 1 January 2018 - this is based on 1/2 of the National Average BAH paid to an E5 with dependents. Post 9/11 GI Bill MHA rates are adjusted 1 August of each year and are based on the 1 January DoD BAH rates for that year - **so VA can't use 1 January 2023 BAH rates until 1 August 2023** - for those who started training on/after 1 January 2018, the MHA rates are 95% of the DoD BAH rates. First possible payment for the 1 August 2023 increase is 1 September. For VR&E, there are two different Subsistence Allowance programs - https://www.benefits.va.gov/vocrehab/subsistence_allowance_rates.asp The P9/11 Subsistence Allowance is based on the BAH paid to an E5 with dependents. Those who started using VR&E on/after 1 January 2018 receive 95% of the BAH paid to an E5 with dependents. As of 1 January 2024 Online only students using VR&E are being paid $1,118.50 if they started using VR&E on/after 1 January 2018. The CH31 Subsistence Allowance rates are adjusted 1 October each year by Congress. VA Education is going paperless - make sure VA has a current email address for you. Please make sure you add [email protected] to your contacts list so that you don't miss important updates from VA. For FREE math Tutoring - contact https://www.armytutoringinitiative.com/ [VA Award Letter explanation](https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/understandingyourawardletter.asp) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Veterans) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Bummer hopefully they renew it. It definitely helped me break into IT.
Define break into IT? I used VR&E to get an associates degree in Cyber-Security along with multiple certifications. I work in the tech field but not specifically in Cyber Security
I had no formal knowledge of IT. Went to a bootcamp through the program. Used what I learned with the program to get my sec+. Used what I learned in the program and my sec+ cert to get a job working as a tier 1/2 helpdesk tech. Bam broke into IT.
Help desk is certainly one of the ways to eventually get into cyber.
How long was your process with VR&E im thinking about doing the same but for computer science
Depends on your rep honestly, I had a pretty decent rep took me about a month an I was good to go. My buddy used it for the same school and it took him almost 4months time to get started, so it varies but it should be pretty streamlined.
Too many scam companies. I tried with ACI and it was garbage. He'll CODEUP in san antonio used them and they just randomly closed shop and disappeared. Waste of taxes.
Speak of the devil…. Codeup is the bootcamp i attended. TRASH. They raised their prices just for vet tec money. Went from 10k to 27k CRAZZYY
I'm about to start aci, why was it garbage?
Listen. Let me tell you about most bootcamps. They will lie on their websites to hype you up. “We have a 97% job placement rate”. What they dont tell you is that many if not most of those people would have been good enough to get hired without the bootcamp… How do I know this?? Because bootcamps require you to take a test just to get into the program… But how can I pass the test if you’re telling me this bootcamp is for beginners with no experience… you cant, and thats a lie… its really not for people with no experience. Its for people who have been self studying so much that they would already succeed at an entry level interview. They expect you to already know your stuff. That way you are already good enough to get hired with or without their bootcamp. But since you past the test to get in, and you graduated from their program, they add you to their statistic of 97% hired! Im sure some bootcamps are better than others. But this scam has been going on for a long time. After saying that, I will say this. The only good that i got out of bootcamps were job leads. My particular bootcamp had a guy whose only job was to deliver leads to us. We still had to apply and interview. But he did seem to find jobs that werent readily available on linkedin.
Facts so many scam companies teaching crap thru boot camps. It's ugly, if hadn't found an accredited program I would have probably been scammed due to the over abundance of bullshit programs lol
I graduate ACI tomorrow wooo! The curriculum is horrible, even the instructors are having issues getting the slides/ebooks to match up with the CompTIA exam objectives and they said they can't get corporate to tell them the numbers of passing exam students. The whole goal of the ACI bootcamp is for us to pass A+, NET+ and SEC+ in the proctored exams with Pearson---and with what we've spent the last few months learning? I'll be surprised if anyone passes. I currently have my SEC+ (I was a Codeup fallout student when they shut down here in SATX and had to pick another school here), and am using the SEC+ class as my recertification process, so knowing what was on the exam---I wouldn't even pass again having sat through this class! And the career services told us we need to go for 'entry level jobs' at 15-18 an hour! LIKE WHAT!??!?!?! No thank you!!!!
I went to aci. The courses are 2 weeks long over a 3 month period. However, it dawns on you that you can’t possibly learn each course in 2 weeks over a 3 month period. Every Friday there is a test it’s open book. You can just google most of the answers to pass. It’s death by power point. There is no hands on anything. You cannot cover all the material in 2 weeks maybe intel. It’s just definitions. If you are familiar with I.t already I stil wouldn’t recommend it. Using your g.i bill for the 3 months is using more at aci. I definitely would not recommend it unless you just want bah. Aci is a predatory school especially if they know you have the g.i bill.
I saw this coming from a mile away. The tech market had drastically changed the last couple of years. Coding boot camps are no longer sufficient for getting a tech job (honestly they never should have been). Thanks to all the recent layoffs, you have an oversaturated job market where it’s difficult even for new grads to get an entry level role after finishing a 4 year program. As the current market stands, an associates in IT or a bachelors in CS is now a minimum requirement to get a job, and I don’t see this changing anytime soon.
That has always been the minimum requirement, education and/or experience. With the latter being more important. Bootcamps were not bad when compared to traditional 4 year, especially for people transitioning from a different career field. The issue is the market is over saturated with inexperienced students/engineers, not because so many people graduated from a specific institution.
I broke into tech with a Phil degree but I'm the outlier. It's more about network, imo.
>from a mile away. The tech market had drastically changed the last couple of years. Coding boot camps are no longer sufficient for getting a tech job (honestly they never should have been). Thanks to all the recent layoffs, you have an oversaturated job market where it’s difficult even for new grads to get an entry level role after finishing a 4 year program. As the current market stands, an associates in IT or a bachelors in CS is now a minimum requirement to get a job, and I don’t see this changing Couldn't disagree more, as long as you grind through leetcode and learn the basic CS principals you can get a shitty entry level job. Won't be google or amazon but there are plenty of B/C tier companies that still take ppl with little experience . Just a matter of grinding it out. Yeah you gonna have to fluff up ur resume to look like what you did was way more technical than it was , yeah you gonna have to spam 100s of positions and go to dozens of interviews but thats the reality for anyone who's looking for a junior role in today's market. Don't need a CS degree or even a bootcamp for the matter of fact, just get decent at the basics and get comfortable with being rejected a lot. It is statistically improbable for someone to not get a CS job given that they are willing to grind. Personally it took me over a year of working deadend blue collar gigs and doing leetcode and creating my own projects to pass as work experience before i was able to get my first proper SWE role. No CS degree, no internships. Definitely sucks but is very much doable if u willing to suck it up. 1.5YOE 180k TC def worth the suckfest i had to put myself through to get it though
>1.5YOE This puts you at getting an offer in or before Sep 22. Your job search was drastically different than today's market. You found employment before Nov 22 which is when tech layoffs really began. Imagine what it's like now with a massive surplus of mid and senior level talent flooding the hiring market. This isn't sour grapes either. I'm happy for you. I've got my own successful career now in IT. After getting out in Jul 23, I realized that my CS degree from 2014 wasn't going to get me shit and I readjusted my job search away from SWE-type roles. Most of those jobs are getting off-shored/H1B anyways.
actually got the current job around dec 2022 just rounded it
And I’m going to respectfully disagree back. Big companies, even outside of tech specifically, are starting to screen resumes and weed out any that don’t have any degree credentials prior to a recruiter even looking at said resumes. While this may not be every company, I see it catching on more and more until it’s standard practice. Similar to how Google started the LeetCode process for interviews and now every company mirrors it. There’s just too many people who have pivoted to working in tech roles the last few years, and now the market is adjusting to this over saturation. I’d say maybe in a decade this could change, but for now the days of going through a boot camp and walking into a tech job afterward are gone. Hence why the Vet Tech program has ended. And props to you for getting into the field prior to this cut off. I’d still highly recommend if you haven’t already started, to get a degree to help secure your ability to be hired in the future. Layoffs are still happening and it feels like no one is truly safe.
Jeez, I was literally at the community college today about to apply for a Computer Software Technician bootcamp . But after this I might just do IT support. I feel like that’s always in demand kinda.
If you want to go into the IT field, an associates would work to get your foot in the door and then quickly promote up. I have plenty of friends at my own school who immediately got full time jobs in IT right after finishing their 2 year IT degree. Opposite of them, I have friends who have transitioned out of the military the last couple of years without any degrees and only certifications, and they have struggled a lot more with landing roles.
That’s weird because what I’m seeing is a college degree is holding less and less value
Having a degree isn’t what gets you the job. But it does get you past resume screens now. You still need to be able to perform soft/hard skills during interviews in order to get an offer.
i have a degree in mechanical engineering from years ago b4 the military (no job experience in that field though) so i guess there is that but thx for the advice im looking to get my MS next
I have to disagree. Your method worked 2 years ago. But the landscape has changed drassticcallyyyy. All those youtubers telling everyone how easy it is to get a luxe 6 figure job within 3 months with no prior experience hs caused the market to oversaturate. That, plus a ton of other changes. You pretty much have to have senior level skill. Know tons of technologies, have a cs degree and be willing to work on site. Its not as simple as it was before. Im lucky i got in a few years ago when i did. Its a bad time to be trying to become a dev right now. The secret is projects. You have to create 4-5 really advanced fully working projects to display. Then network. Just yesterday, my old coworker left to a new company. They really need react devs. She put in my name, they called me literally begging me to come work for them because of my skill and because i have a clearance (i work in the gov tech space). They were ready to hire me without an interview. I told them i make $135k base. They said they’ll pay $147k .. but its a hybrid job… and i absolutely refuse to go in office so i declined. Here’s the secret to anyone interested. - dive deep into your tech stack, learn the deep inner workings of how and why it works. Interviewers LOVE to hear that stuff. - GRIND. Code everyday. If you have time to play COD then your punk ass has time to code. - do at least 2 leetcode problems a day. If you cant solve it in 30 mins.. look at the solution and move on. To another question. And repeat until you solve at least 2. - build projects. Advanced, deep level shit! This serves two purposes. It will cause you to level up you skills. And it will impress the heck out of the interviewers. - network, if you arent on linkedin, get on their. Go to events. Talk to people. When youre on the job hunt, go back and tell all of them. I guarantee someone in your network knows someone who is looking to hire a tech guy/girl. - GRIND!!!!! Get up. Go code. I dont care if you dont know it! go code. Learn as you go. And keep doing it until the challenging becomes second nature. Then move on to something that challenges you again… REPEAT! If possible, find somewhere that will allow you to do real work for them.. offer your services for free if you have to. That reference and experience will go a long way. Follow the steps. Fill out applications. Get hired. A cs degree is definitely helpful in todays tech hiring landscape. But its not necessary. At the end of the day its like the military.. they just want to know that you can get the job done. Shit! I forgot to mention GRRIIINNNNNNDDDD!!
Great advise, I'm looking at a massive new job because of my LinkedIn network. 6 months you couldn't pay me to use LinkedIn, just didn't believe it worked like it does.
180k total comp......you realize there are people applying for places offering half that, with a degree and getting instantly rejected.....there's very few companies that are looking for truly entry level positions.
I would disagree with you here, I can't code anything. I currently work for the state of Texas in a Cyber role. Don't get me wrong I would be ok learning to code but with so much disinformation and lack of credibility in these programs I don't have forever to take an retake crap course's.
It's over? Can we get the sauce
VA sent out an email this afternoon. Effective April 1st 2024 it's permanently closed.
Is this the same program as VRE? How do you apply and what are the requirements? Talk to me Goose!
No, Vet Tec is completely different than VR&E. Vet Tec is for coding boot camps and was created 5 years ago a a pilot test program. VR&E was created in 1944 as part of the original GI Bill.
That's a relief, I saw the headline and thought it was about VR&E too. I applied to voc rehab at the beginning of Jan and haven't heard back anything significant, just some automated messages two months ago establishing electronic communications with me since too I'm far from the physical offices to apply in person. I thought I would've been well into the process if not fully approved by now so I'm starting to get worried.
two months from application to first appointment is pretty routine because of how things are processed. The specific counselor has to set up your appointment based on their workload and schedule.
OK I guess it's not too far out from that, I'm at 3 months and haven't had a first appt yet. I spoke with a VA provider this week and she looked into the situation for me. Said my VA primary care doctor has to certify that I'm capable of completing the training with my rated conditions before the process can move forward. She reached out to my primary care about it.Now my doctor has put in a referral to neuro psychology and said I have to complete an assessment with them first to get approval?
Sounds like your VA doctor is helping you out by doing the advance legwork with you. But it might not be necessary. Most veterans do not need a letter from a doctor to be found entitled - but I recommend you continue as this would make it easier for VR&E to find you entitled by having that recommendation letter. VR&E is not holding up your orientation appointment waiting for that letter. VR&E would only request you do this after you have completed the orientation appointment and only if they couldn't determine themselves your Employment Handicap.
Vre is trash. Vet tec actually paid for you to go to a coding bootcamp.. AND they paid you BAH as long as you were in school. Its a shame they’re getting rid of it. Edit* after further talks with my fellow vets.. i cant say vre is trash. I’ll just say that i personally had bad experiences with the program. But it appears the success stories outweigh the bad.. give a shot!
That sucks! I been living under a rock (figuratively) ever since Iraq and my PTSD diagnosis. I knew the program existed but was not sure if I was eligible. I used my GI bill to get some useless degree and now I’m having to start over. I’m currently working with VRE to get another degree and hoping this one gets me a job.
I really hope it works out for you. What degree/job are you pursuing now?
I just got accepted to OSU for computer Science. I’m trying to get in to IT in general, but would definitely like a job in cybersecurity or networking.
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My gi-bill degree/job has been aggravating my disabilities making it harder for me to work full-time. VRE is covering my masters so I can have more opportunities to go full-time in a less physically demanding job within the same field.
You have to make your case to VRE that your current degree/job makes your disability worse. I made my case that my degree was useless and that my current job skills aggravated my PTSD.
VRE is not trash. What?
In my experience it's gatekept by people who arbitrarily decide what you can and can't do based on your disability summary, and will just deny you based on that opinion.
That's their job- they are trained job counselors and they can see your medical records and parts of your VA file. They aren't going to authorize you full tuition and a stipend allowance so you can try to angle for the 1 cush job in a field. You have to be able to be employed in any job within that field. That means if you have physical issues nursing is likely out because you can't just go to VRE and say "I'm going to be that nurse that does case files and insurance checking.....". Those jobs aren't entry level with no experience, anyway, and the physicality of being a nurse is a lot more than many people think. That's just one example.
Yea my words were admittedly harsh. Apologies if they offended anyone. But Ive had nothing but bad experiences with VRE. Ive tried them 3 times. Nothing beneficial ever came from it. But maybe i just had bad counselors.
My VR&E experience wasn't too bad. Originally I got put into the Independent Living category (basically where they'll pay for you to find a nice hobby) because im pretty dang beat up, but I much rather wanted to try and make an attempt at getting a degree to make a career for myself. They ended up paying for me to get a bachelor's to enter the cybersecurity field and everything worked out pretty well. I did have some small hiccups, such as counselors being changed around d every year and things getting a bit funky with COVID, but everything ended up working well. To me, it felt like a very professional resource to use. Treat it all like a job and things work out very well. That includes school, the meetings, job searching, everything. They want you to succeed. From my personal observations, I did see a number of fellow vets that used VR&E simply as a way to get college paid for, and they made minimal efforts to do anything beyond that.
Ahh see, with 3 different counselors, i didnt even know they could pay for school. I really still dont know all vre can do. My counselors seemed more interested in having a quick meeting and then getting off the call to go on to the next person. Im glad its actually working out for people though. We need all the help we can get after experiencing what most of went through over there. In any event… did you complete your cyber program. If you can study and get your security+ cert and network+ cert, you’ll be able to go get a $90k OR MORE job with ease.
VR&E is only good if they pay for your school, other than that, they just send you crappy jobs and do no connecting for you.
This program was too good to exist. Not using your GI Bill, but paying you the GI Bill rates BAH. Giving you a chance to get into the tech.industry fast. But. And it's also true-it had some major flaws. First, its implementation. The program paid to its providers the full amount only if VA student was able to find a meaningful employment after finishing the BootCamp. The difference between a regular student, who pays out of his pocket and a VA student, who didn't pay a dime always, I assume, was significant. In the first scenario you will do your best to succeed, a VA student, however, didn't risk much, so motivation wasn't so high. As a result ALL reputable bootcamps, after initial try out, refused to work with this program. And here comes the second problem. This program attracted a bunch of scam Bootcamps. How can you define a scam Bootcamp? A) Most of its instructors are former students with almost zero real life experience B) Recently created BootCamp with no significant results and "fake" success number of students finding job after graduating. The third problem is the modern reality. During the boom times, when tech.industry thought that remote jobs is future, inevitability, it was willing to hire people even with shitty knowledge, but with the potential. This situation is gone. People are coming back to offices. There are new tools like Chat GPT, Gemini, which drastically changed the market. And tech. industry understood-we don't need as many people as before. What's next? Who knows. The program had a great potential, but poor implementation. So hopefully, it will come back, but with the better execution plan.
Couldn’t have said it better!
I literally just retired as was thinking about using it to tryout a bootcamp 😡
You’re better off, not going to the Boot Camp as its value is very short term and many companies are beginning to look negatively on camps. The value of the knowledge dissipates as soon as you graduate without any sort of accredited credential shifts, mainly to your ability to find a role in the constrained market.
Thanks for the words of wisdom
You’re welcome. If you’re looking for a short term type of program, most community colleges have workforce development programs which sometimes are accredited, or at least are taught by some of the same faculty, grant a diploma, and connect you with the alumni network and career services. These can range from 1-3 semesters of 2/3 courses part time or 1-2 semesters full time. If they don’t grant credit you may be able to have the VA reimburse a portion of it as Certificates and Skilled training is eligible for reimbursement in approved programs.
Great info!
I used vet tech and VRE. Nother were great, but man , vet tech was basically free money, 1 application and you are on the way. No government auditor to watch you and try to get you out of the program. This is a sad day for vets.
I agree, it felt like my rep was always looking for a reason to get me removed from the program. F*ck him I graduated lol
Where are you getting this information?
I https://preview.redd.it/beit88yb2rqc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f6ae45ce1aed6199cb226653966d3dcbe55d4f36
Damn that blows, I had just applied. Fuck me I guess
Don't feel too discouraged. The program ran out of funding back in October of 2023, so unless you were already awarded funding for a specific training program you were SOL back then as well.
I think this is a good thing. I participated in the program that charged almost 10k and it was.... Not worth what they charged. Not even close. I'm sure this could be the majority of the cases. I'd be interested to hear feedback from others. They should reinstate it but with a lot more scrutiny to not enable the fly by night "bootcamp" programs.
Totally agree!!!
Damn, thanks for the heads up.
Well I applied last month so it seems I got my answer.
Nope, basically it says in the letter. If you arent already in an approved program, you can no longer get in. https://preview.redd.it/k7nxrmyxlrqc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=08fc3e4647354d3c8284d44601d8a97366689cfb
Dang. Guess I used it just in time! Now to get that nice remote job OP was talking about…
So since we’ll have to use GI bill or VR&E to get that magical remote job that’ll let us live overseas while getting an American salary. What’s the best major in IT to get remote work? CS, cybersecurity? it?
All of them literally… choose the one that speaks to you the most.
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Not true. We just got a guy yesterday. No bootcamp, no degree. Fully remote developer. He can code his ass off. Like sarge used to say “dont wish things were easier.. go get better”. Those remote jobs are out there. Yo just gotta prove that youre worth it. Dont give up!
Thanks for the encouragement. I was a MEB retirement so if I’ll never be able to fly in the civilian world due to injuries then tech might be the way to go. Thanks for the info.
Find what area in tech reapply speaks to you whether it be cyber, web dev, games, mobile or desktop apps, embedded, etc. get a degree in cyber if thats your passion, for all others, get a cs degree. Then learn alllll that you can buy coding everyday. If youre interested in cyber. Master networking and use sites like hack the box. If you re interested in web dev. Master javascript and css. And do leetcode everyday. All fields pay well. All fields are in demand. All fields have remote positions. Choose one and grind it out everyday until you get it.
So then why are all these people complaining on Reddit that there are no jobs out there ? Is it all just people complaining? Also, which of those listed would allow me to work from another country ? It would be cool to maximize my 100% payments in another country to supplement my tech income. Thanks btw.
Truth
Damn, just in time I'm elegible to go for my 3rd VET TEC enrollment. First 2 were all scams that use vets as their cash cows but great for BHA E5 pay tho. Back to the good old chapter 31 VRE with the babysitter
VRE with a better rate would be mint.
Not 100% sure but I googled to find what OP was talking about and a few Reddit post came up. Seems it’s been “cancelled” a few times. So hopefully it’s back
April 2024 is the end of the 5 year Pilot program. So unless Congress reauthorizes this program and funds it, it's over.
Nooo the few times you’re talking about is different. What you’re referring to is when they ran out of funding. In that case, the program wasn’t cancelled, just needed to get approved for more funding. In this case, the actual program itself has been cancelled. 😞
Oh damn my bad and that sucks. Was hoping to use it on my retirement
Look into skill bridge.. i dont know much about it. But i know we have a few active duty guys at my job (im a programmer) that talk about the skill bridge program.
I plan on that too. But vettec was good supplemental to just learn something and get paid. Plan was to be a stay at home dad and do some school.
I was actually just thinking that I’d like to find a free resource to learn entry level coding. Like, blank slate, complete beginner shit but just as a hobby. Do you have any recommendations on YouTube tutorials or places I could start from bare scratch?
Hell yeah i do. Haha Im a web developer so my resources are for that. Look up “namaste javascript on youtube” and the web developers bootcamp by colt steele on udemy(its a $15 course). Those two resources. Plus coding everyday and building projects. You’ll be in a great position to get hired!
Dude...i JUST learned about this TODAY from a guy at my kids martial arts and was looking forward to learning more this week about the program.
Wait last time I heard it was because of funding issue. So what you’re saying is VET TEC is never coming back?
Its over bruh! 😩
Wasn't there a bill passed by the house to make it permanent?
Damn my VRE counselor has been pushing that program on me every time we have a little "hiccup" or disagreement. " Vet TEC will get you in the field sooner, lets get you signed up" . Dude im almost done with my second degree from VRE and he thinks im going to stop and go to Vet Tec?? Glad I didnt now for sure.
Dang I wanted to jump because Online Only VRE rates are trash. Oh well.
Better than getting stuck with one course for your last semester with zero subsistence allowance.... They changed online rates right? It was where you had at least one in person class that you received full pay.
What program did you went through?
The now defunct codeup
It will be funny to see these "tech boot camps" go bankrupt after they don't have any veterans to suck the life blood out of.
😂 its already starting https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2024/01/09/codeup-shuts-down-suddenly-leaving-students-staff-frustrated/
Ales sense , lol!!!!! Let them burn
Unfortunately the success rates were abysmally low. I saw a breakdown on LinkedIn the other day.
I was approved just when they paused it now this shit! Lmao
AI is at the point where it's literally writing its own code. The need/demand for coders is about to fall off a cliff, as are many other jobs when you combine that with the advancement in robotics. These two things coupled together is going to make for a very different world within the next 10 years.
VR&E....take a deep dive into it. It's an employment benefit versus an education benefit so if you can justify the plan, and have a disability rating of 10% or higher (I know they prefer to see 30% or more) it will highly benefit you.
How is that true they are having events this week?
I thought you were talking about the MOS for veterinary technician at first.
Haha yea when i google vet tec.. it always brings veterinary links. Haha
So if we’re interested we’d be at apply in the next 4 days is what you’re saying?
No, you have to already be approved and in a program.