According to the Department of Labor (DOL), there are almost two million women Veterans living in the United States. Women Veterans continue to make positive strides in education, career and entrepreneurship, with many turning to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields for their career choices.
As we acknowledge the accomplishments of Women Veterans during Women’s History Month, let’s look at how GI Bill® benefits can help others start creating their own history, or rather “HER-story.”
According to the census, women make up approximately 27% of STEM workers1. And of those, women Veterans pursue STEM-related occupations at double the rate of their non-Veteran counterparts2.
These women Veterans are making wise choices as, last year, 18 of the 20 highest paying careers were in STEM3. The field is expected to grow by eight percent between 2019 and 20294. These careers can be pursued using the GI Bill and other benefits.
STEM options for Veterans
If you are currently pursuing or interested in pursuing a career in STEM, the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship is a promising option that allows some eligible Veterans and dependents in high-demand fields to extend their Post-9/11 GI Bill or Fry Scholarship benefits.
For those specifically interested in high-technology careers, the Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses (VET TEC) program may be an option. The program offers training in high demand areas, including computer software, computer programming, data processing, information science and media application.
VA is committed to ensuring that all Veterans have access to the education benefits that they’ve earned.
If you are ready to begin your GI Bill education journey, visit the VA education and training benefits webpage to learn about available benefits, how to manage your benefits and available resources to help you make the most of your education experience.
- https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2021/01/women-making-gains-in-stem-occupations-but-still-underrepresented.html
- https://ivmf.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/IVMF_Veterans-in-STEM_Tech-Full-Report_Dec-2018_FinalV2.pdf
- https://www.bls.gov/ooh/highest-paying.htm
- https://www.bls.gov/opub/btn/volume-10/why-computer-occupations-are-behind-strong-stem-employment-growth.htm#:~:text=The%20U.S.%20Bureau%20of%20Labor,3.7%20percent%20for%20all%20occupations.
Louiseza Sanderson is a management and program analyst with VA’s Education Service’s Stakeholder Engagement.
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