An estimated 250,000 veterans transition out of the military every year, and many struggle to re-enter civilian life. While some of their training is highly specialized, much of it is transferable to the civilian job market. After all, today’s veterans possess extraordinary technical acumen and thrive in challenging environments, making them world-class learners and valuable additions to high-growth companies.
At Springboard, we strive to make 21st-century skills accessible to as many people as possible through affordable, mentor-led online courses. And we’re stepping up our commitment to help veterans launch fulfilling post-military careers.
All Springboard courses offer job guarantees—if you don’t land a job after graduation, we’ll refund your tuition. And while the courses are self-paced and flexible (allowing people to continue working, for example), they’re also structured, most notably through regular one-on-one video calls with a personal mentor. This guidance is key to keeping students accountable and on track to meet their goals.
But the transition from a military to a civilian role is a unique experience, so we’ve recruited an exceptional group of veteran fellows to provide additional support.
Our veteran fellows are available to guide you as you build a career in the tech industry, just like they did.
Meet them:
Aaron Mund, U.S. Marine Corps
After high school, Aaron didn’t want to spend another minute in a classroom. His sense of service and dedication to his country led him to the U.S. Marine Corps. After four years serving all over the world, Aaron earned his bachelor’s degree in finance. Even though he swore he’d never attend another bootcamp, Aaron’s passion for improvement led him to enroll in Springboard’s UX Design Course. He’s also working toward an MBA in strategic management. Aaron enjoys providing veterans with career advice during the transition to civilian life, advocating for suicide prevention, and lending fellow veterans a helping hand or a compassionate ear.
Keith Snyder, U.S. Army Reserve
Keith was in the U.S. Army Reserves between 2004 and 2012, an experience that taught him innumerable lessons, not the least of which were patience and discipline. After earning his bachelor’s degree online (in game and simulation programming), Keith enrolled in the UX Career Track so he could expand his skill set. He’s eager to give back to his fellow veterans.
Marshall Davidson, U.S. Marine Corps
Marshall joined the U.S. Marine Corps shortly after high school and spent a little over eight years on active duty in the logistics field. Today, he continues to work in the logistics and supply chain Industry, mainly on the transportation side of things. In addition to his full-time job, Marshall enrolled in Springboard’s Business Analytics course so he could pick up the skills he noticed that many employers across all industries were looking for.
Prescott Paulin, U.S. Marine Corps
Prescott is a U.S. Marine Corps officer who earned a bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurial business administration while also studying user-oriented collaborative design. He currently leads a 50-year-old family business in cryogenic technology focused on making metals stronger and cheaper. Since leaving the military, he has continued supporting the defense industry, attracting government grants for military-related research and development. He recently patented a data-driven emergency response platform.
Jon Shepard, U.S. Army Reserve
Jon served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 2011 to 2017 in military intelligence. After graduating from college in 2010, he worked for the New York State Senate before deploying to Afghanistan for a 12-month tour in 2013. Following his deployment, Jon joined JPMorgan Chase, where he currently works as a business manager. Jon completed Springboard’s Business Analytics course to sharpen his analytical skill set, given the importance of data-driven decision-making in his role.
Courtney Wilson, U.S. Army
In addition to our five fellows, we’re proud to partner on veterans-focused work with Courtney Wilson, a former Army engineer captain who received a Bronze Star Medal for her service in Afghanistan. A creative writing major turned engineer turned MBA candidate, Courtney founded DropZone For Veterans, a directory of high-impact veteran benefits, to support post-military transitions.
If you’re interested in speaking with a fellow about how you can transition to a career in tech, email partnerships@springboard.com.
