5 Reasons Veterans Make Great Developers

Transitioning from soldier to civilian can offer plenty of challenges to men and women who recently served and can sometimes leave them wondering, “what’s next for me?”

According to a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report that was released in March 2021, active-duty enlisted personnel who hold engineering, science, and technical jobs across all branches equal out to 170,000+ people in those job roles. Reflecting the highest number of roles filled in a single category. According to the same report, that category is the highest for active-duty officer personnel, as well. With so many holding those jobs, finding a career in the technology field during the transitional period often makes the most sense to do.

When it comes to finding the very best option to gather the extended knowledge needed to step into a full-time job role, it could take time to narrow down the search. Coding bootcamps for veterans are usually a part of that discussion – and for good reason. With a coding bootcamp, in as short as 12-weeks, graduates are able to walk away with a full hirable skillset and knowledge needed to step into a career as a developer. For the ones who are transitioning into civilian life, the bootcamp course structure is one that attracts them due to the pace and nature of the course setup feeling familiar to them. But the learning process isn’t the only place they naturally shine. Once they have the full skillset to start their career in coding officially, they end up making phenomenal developers. We wanted to breakdown the reasons why in this blog post and also offer an encouraging answer to the infamous “what is my next step” question.

How Veterans Make Great Developers

1. Veterans Know How to Pivot in a Moment’s Notice

When it comes to coding on any level, the unexpected may pop up at any time during the process. Having the skill to pivot in a moment’s notice is an absolute must to be successful. Knowing how to expertly approach the situation and navigate around the problem is something that veterans are taught early on and is engrained in their mentality. When a veteran is a developer, that skill is still in the forefront of their daily life. When an expected problem arises – they are ready to overcome it with ease.

2. Veterans Have a Focus on the Details

When being trained to be on the frontlines, every detail matters. Veterans are detail oriented and taught to keep their eyes on the finer details to gather all the information they may need. That doesn’t change when as a developer. Making sure the work is accurately being done saves time and problems later down the road.

3. Veterans are Great Team Mates

The team work needed in some stressful situations goes without saying. Veterans are crafted to be a team player from the start. In a developer role, being able to bounce between teammates to brainstorm, create, and analyze lines of code is sometimes a crucial element. The dependency veterans offer on a team gives others that peace of mind and strength in order to “divide and conquer.” 

4. Veterans Can Handle Fast Pace

Veterans accept fast pace scenarios as an easy task. Having the ability to immediately jump into action is a huge plus for any developer to own. If a line of code breaks and the clock is ticking, veterans are able to stand up to the difficult stress and take care of the problem rapidly.

5. Veterans Accept the Learning Process

Challenges are presented to you when attempting to learn anything new. Sometimes, the number of new things you need to learn to cover every aspect of a developers’ role can be looked at as overwhelming. Veterans are able to dive headfirst into the process and soak in all the knowledge they need in order to learn and grow as a new developer.

With devCodeCamp, we have many alumni members working as developers who are veterans that went through our courses.

Why Do Veterans Chose devCodeCamp as a Coding Bootcamp?

Veterans shine in a challenge. That’s why they are usually drawn to the fast pace course structure devCodeCamp has that offers a fast pass to launching a career. That fast pace learning is usually very beneficial for veterans who are used to being able to gather a lot of information in a short amount of time. After graduation, depending on which course option you go through, our Career Services department helps take you to the finish line. Assisting you in crafting your best resume and LinkedIn profile, inviting you to show off your final project during Demo Days – full of employers searching for new talent, forwarding you new job opportunities that best fit your newly acquired skillset, and more.  And one of the best parts? We have part-time and full-time options available to you right now to best fit around your personal schedule.

If you are ready to learn more on how devCodeCamp is able to elevate your next steps, reach out to us now. We are ready to discuss details with you and answer any questions you may have specific to you.