April 12, 2017, by Dixie Somers – Thousands of veterans come off of deployment every year and find that they struggle to be useful in their new civilian lives. Not only must they reestablish lost connections with loved ones and learn how to live in the everyday world but also they must find jobs that use the skills they have. If you are a veteran struggling to find a job, consider adding a degree to your list of accomplishments. The following three degrees to consider after military service are in high demand and perfectly use many of the skills that you have probably already gained in the military
Nursing
Nursing as well as other related two-year degrees, such as EMT, are great for veterans because of the wide demand across the healthcare field and because all military personnel receive basic medical training for use on the field. Plus, nursing uses the love of service that military personnel have by allowing you to serve others in a non-9-to-5 job. While you can become a nurse with a two-year degree, consider a four-year bachelor’s degree that will ready you for future managerial and leadership positions.
Health Informatics
Health informatics could be the perfect blend of health care-related work mixed with information technology. This degree could be perfect for you if you worked with computer systems in the military. If you get this degree, you will be trained in plenty of computer and IT-related skills and will be able to help healthcare organizations manage, organize, code and disseminate patient information. Health informatics is key to making changes in the health care industry and in changing how practitioners and patients communicate. This is typically a four-year degree, but if you pursue a master’s in health informatics degree, you will be poised to make lasting changes in this field rather than merely doing the desk work.
Anyone who has been in the military is poised to start a criminal justice degree because of all the practical knowledge they have received about criminals and warfare in the military. It is a practical degree that uses a lot of street knowledge. While you could consider getting a criminal justice job in a local police force without a degree, a two or four-year degree will help you advance to a position where you have others under your leadership, which will lead to higher job satisfaction and a higher salary.
As someone who has given many years of service to the military, you probably have more practical experience than most recent college graduates do. However, without a degree behind your name, you may find it difficult to land a job in the civilian world that pays a livable wage. Each of these three degrees are in high demand and are perfect for veterans because of the experience and skills that you gained in the military.
AUTHOR BIO: This article was written by Dixie Somers, a freelance writer who loves to write about business, finance, careers, and education. She lives in Arizona with her husband and three beautiful daughters.