Skills Translate

Your military background is in demand when it comes to IT security. We turn active duty and military veterans into top-level information technology professionals.

Clearance is a Breeze

Security Clearance is in high demand. Even if you have lost it you will still have a leg up on others!

Career Coaching

Our program gives you a collegiate learning experience that helps with the transition to civilian terminology and gets you paid!

IT Programs for Veterans and Active Military

While most employers hire skilled workers with advanced technical degrees, a growing number of firms recognize the value of military training. As a veteran or service member, expanding your skills with a career in Information Technology doubles the chances of securing a job in your transition to civilian life while still contributing to national security.

At Divergence Academy (DA), we create adaptive learning solutions to empower veterans and active military to pursue the work they love using the most relevant skills of tomorrow. We are located in Addison, Texas, and we specialize in emerging tech training and certifications. Our courses, however, are not limited to Texas, nor are the expansive career opportunities. We have options for both in-person and online learning and a vast network of employers across the nation ready to add you to their team.

Our vocational trade school offers IT training to veterans and active military and helps them secure a job after certification. The following article will cover more about our IT courses that veterans and active military members can join.

Our Courses in Technology

The main courses offered by Divergence Academy include:

  • Cybersecurity Professional Penetration Tester
  • Data Science Immersive
  • Security Operations Management Immersive
  • Cloud Engineering Immersive
  • Credentialing Path

Below is a brief overview of these courses.

Cybersecurity Professional Penetration Tester

We train veterans and active military to be ethical hackers and be on the front line in the war against malicious threats. Our programs are a combination of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. This helps us equip our students with well sought-after knowledge, making them experts in security engineers, threat analysts, and pen testers.

The programs also enhance them with essential tools used by ethical hackers to defend internet users from malicious activities, decrypt cryptographic messages, and detect threat vectors.

Our career coaches help the students create a winning portfolio and train them on effective technical interview tactics to secure a job quickly. We have also teamed up with partners from different fields to ensure that our program curriculum is up to date and meets today’s job requirements.

The Cybersecurity Professional Penetration Tester consists of three modules, 160 hours of learning, and 240 hours of labs.

Data Science Immersive

The course equips our students with vital tools data practitioners use, including data at scale, machine learning, and statistical inference. Our students are also trained to use database management tools such as SQL and NoSQL as they advance in their studies.

Before graduating, the learners are expected to have built multiple data science applications and have a good grasp of the vital and modern tools or techniques used in data science.

The comprehensive course is covered in two different models and consists of 180 hours of instruction and 220 hours of labs.

Credentialing Path (Net+ Online)

This program was initiated primarily for the Army COOL program. Eric Foulkrod, the course designer, has been training ambitious tech workers for more than ten years. He has also trained aspiring active duty military and veterans for around seven years.

This extensive training experience has enabled him to create a course where beginning students can flourish. Knowledgeable students can use the technique to enhance their understanding and succeed on their Net+ exam or careers.

The course is tailored to career paths and focuses more on the essential tools that will benefit students in the real world. In the traditional certification, students are trained on basic, advanced, and super-advanced tools simultaneously. Learning all these things together at the beginning may seem easy, but things might get hard as the training advances.

The Credentialing Path course involves five modules, 40 hours, and 40 hours of labs.

Funding

Eligible veterans and active military receive multiple educational benefits from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The two main VA education benefits include:

  • Military GI Bill
  • VET TEC

The Military GI BILL

Veterans in Texas can use the Gi Bill to expand their data science and cybersecurity pentesting skills. The Divergence Academy accepts the following bills:

  • Post-9/11 GI Bill (Ch.33)
  • Veteran Readiness & Employment (Ch.31)

The payment on each bill varies. Typically, VA bases the monthly benefits on the time you spend in vocational training; the amount to receive is based on the number of clock hours you attend each week. In addition, the department pays the GI Bill benefits at different levels depending on the length of service. You may be eligible for the 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, or 100% benefit level.

If your eligibility is not 100% or the remaining benefits are not enough to cater to your tuition fee, our admission team will advise you on our other acceptable financing options.

You may also receive a housing allowance under the Post-9/11 Gi Bill. The amount to receive as a house allowance depends on the location of the school you are enrolled in. VA pays the funding on the first of the month for the month before. For example, if you start classes on April first, VA will issue a house allowance on May first. However, those students on active duty are not eligible for the monthly housing allowance.

To receive the benefits, first, acquire your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the VA. After obtaining the COE, fill out VA Form 22-1990 if it is your first application or form VAF 22-0994 if you had previously applied for VA Education Benefits. Finally, apply for either the Cybersecurity Professional Pentester program or Data Science immersive program in our institution.

VET TEC

You may be eligible for VET TEC if:

  • You are not on active duty, and
  • You are eligible for VA education under the GI Bill, and
  • You qualify for a program in a VA-approved training center, and
  • You have at least one day of unexpired GI bill entitlement.

You can still receive VET TEC funding if you are still receiving GI Bill benefits. VET TEC covers courses such as information science, computer software, media applications, and computer software. The program offers tuition for a high-tech training course and a housing allowance while on training.

You can apply for the VET TEC program online. The program runs for five straight years.

Cyber and Data Science Skills Training in Texas

At Divergence Academy, we are creating adaptive learning solutions to empower veterans and active military members to pursue the career of their dreams in the most modern, relevant skills-from cybersecurity and data science to cloud management and IOT infrastructure.

As the first data science-focused institution in the DFW area, our almost 50% military staff offers meaningful and transformative conversations to ensure our veterans and service members feel at home. We listen and share our experiences with our students to help smoothen their transformation into the civilian workforce.

Got any questions? Contact us to learn more about our cyber and data courses, including their funding options.

Funding

GI BILL®

Invest in Yourself: Put Your GI Bill® Benefit to Work

Take the first steps toward a new career in tech through courses in Dallas. Veterans can now use their GI Bill® benefit to learn Cybersecurity Penetration Testing and Data Science.
For those who are eligible to receive G.I. Bill® benefits, Divergence Academy is proud to accept the following bills:

  • Post-9/11 GI Bill (Ch. 33)
  • Vocational Rehab (Ch. 31)

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

VET TEC

VET TEC is a tuition and housing assistance pilot program focused on advancing your IT career by offering high-tech training and skills development sought by employers. If you have at least one day of unexpired G.I. Bill® entitlement, then you may be eligible for VET TEC. We are currently unable to accept VET TEC funds for part-time programs.

The following bootcamps are eligible for VET TEC:

  • Data Science Immersive
  • Cybersecurity Professional Penetration Tester

How to Receive Your Benefits:

  1. Apply to VA to obtain your Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
  2. Complete the VONAPP application on the VA website using the VAF 22-0994 (The VAF 22-1990 is only required if you have never applied for any VA Education Benefit in the past.
    Note: If you already receive VA education benefits, you don’t need to fill out VA Form 22-1990 again)
  3. Apply for Divergence Academy’s Data Science immersive program or Cybersecurity Professional Pentester program

More Information – VetTec Veteran

Vet Tec FAQ

You may be eligible for VET TEC if you meet all of the requirements listed below.

All of these must be true. You:

  • Aren’t on active duty, and
  • Qualify for VA education assistance under the GI Bill, and
  • Have at least one day of unexpired GI Bill entitlement, and
  • Are accepted into a program by a VA-approved training provider

Note: Your VET TEC training won’t count against your GI Bill entitlement, and you need only one day of unexpired GI Bill benefits to participate.

You can get training in one of these high-demand training areas:

  • Computer software
  • Computer programming
  • Data processing
  • Information science
  • Media applications

With VET TEC, you can get:

  • Tuition for a full-time high-tech training program
  • Money for housing during your training

If you attend your training program in person, your housing stipend will be equal to the monthly military Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for an E-5 with dependents. This is based on the zip code where you attend your training.

If you participate in an online program, your stipend will be half of the BAH national average for an E-5 with dependents.

Note: If you don’t attend a training for a full month, we’ll prorate your housing payment for the days you train.00

You can apply for the VET TEC program online.

If we determine that you’re eligible for VET TEC, you’ll then apply to the VA-approved training provider of your choice. Your training provider may review your qualifications to assess whether they think you’ll be able to successfully complete their training program and find meaningful, relevant employment.

VET TEC is a five-year pilot program. You can participate as long as the funding is available.

Note: If you haven’t already applied for VA education benefits, you’ll also need to fill out an Application for VA Education Benefits (VA Form 22-1990) or apply online.

Please visit our Vet Tec FAQs knowledge base article.

GI Bill FAQ

If you aren’t eligible at the 100 percent benefit level, it’s a prorated percent. For example, an individual with 40 percent benefit eligibility could receive 40 percent of the tuition benefit, 40 percent of the monthly housing allowance, and a maximum $400 stipend for books and supplies.

Our admissions team will guide you through DA’s additional financing options if you need to pay an amount not covered by your GI Bill® benefit. Also, please note that exhausting your benefits during a course will impact your housing allowance.

Your benefits will depend on a few different factors. We encourage you to contact the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) for more information and to learn about your education benefits eligibility.

For non-college degree programs that are based on clock hours, GI Bill® usage depends on the cost of tuition, which is billed as a percentage of the annual cap. For example, the VA’s calculator takes the annual cap and divides it by number of days in the year to determine a daily cost of GI Bill® benefits. (Note: The VA uses a 30-day month formula regardless of how many days are in the current month). For non-degree schools like DA, the annual cap is $24,477 from August 1, 2019–July 31, 2020. This translates to the VA equating $67.99 per one day of GI Bill® education benefits.

To calculate the cost of your GI Bill® for the Immersive course you’re considering, the VA divides the total tuition costs by the daily costs ($67.99) to determine how many days of a GI Bill® education benefit a program uses.

If you use your GI Bill® for an eligible Immersive program, you’ll receive a monthly housing allowance (MHA).* An MHA is based on the ZIP code for the campus where you’re enrolled. The housing allowance is usually paid on the first of the month for the month prior (e.g., March 1 if you started classes February 5). However, if you start classes late in the month (e.g., after March 16), your housing allowance may be delayed.

Note: The only exception to this rule is for GI Bill® students who are on active duty. Active duty service members will not receive MHA. Recently discharged veterans must submit the DD Form 214 (Member Copy 4) to confirm their military release date before being paid a housing allowance. GI Bill® students are eligible for an MHA the day after their official release date.

Please visit our GI Bill FAQs knowledge base article.

The best thing about Divergence Academy is their ability to bring all cybersecurity students, no matter the experience level, together. The network you build at Divergence will be the men and women who hold you accountable, push you to get certified, and share job opportunities long after you graduate.

David Ratcliff, Cybersecurity Analyst, US Marine Corps Veteran

My experience at Divergence Academy was amazing. The instructors are some of the most knowledgeable, friendly and willing to help I have seen. This [Cybersecurity Professional Penetration Tester course] is not an easy course or show up and pass. You will put in the work on the nights and weekends to succeed. You will receive the required knowledge to complete the certifications as well as be prepared to contribute to the IT position you are working towards.

Charles Gilpin, Systems Administrator, US Army Veteran

I want to thank Divergence Academy for guiding me through the Data Science Immersive program. Initially, I was very intimidated by the course material because my knowledge of computer science was limited, but Sravan reassured me I could take on this challenge with help from the instructors and by having confidence in myself. I am forever grateful for the mentorship I received throughout the program — Divergence Academy truly equipped me with the tools to succeed in my new Data & A.I. career.

Ryan Ceniceros, Data & AI Consultant, US Army Veteran

If you are like me, you are researching to find the best IT Training Program possible.  I wanted to make sure that the program I chose was worth my time, and money.  Well I “chose wisely”. Divergence has some of the best instructors I have ever seen, ever.  They have the technical knowledge that is both real and valuable, and they make sure they are teaching to all levels, no matter what your experience.  And that’s just the instructors.  All of the staff, from top to bottom, showed me that they cared about my success both within the program and after.

Anthony Hunter, Security Analyst, US Air Force

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