{"id":78081,"date":"2023-03-27T19:45:54","date_gmt":"2023-03-27T19:45:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2023\/03\/27\/lawmakers-move-to-save-vas-high-tech-job-training-program\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T14:53:36","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T14:53:36","slug":"lawmakers-move-to-save-vas-high-tech-job-training-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/education-transition\/2023\/03\/27\/lawmakers-move-to-save-vas-high-tech-job-training-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Lawmakers move to save VA\u2019s high-tech job training program"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

House Republican leaders want to extend a job training program<\/a> focused on helping veterans get employment in high-tech fields before it expires at the end of this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses<\/a> (VET TEC) program was launched in 2019 as a five-year pilot. It covers tuition costs and a monthly housing stipend to veterans who qualify, to study subjects like software development, data science, network security and web development skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than 12,000 veterans have taken part in the program, with about 8,000 finding full-time jobs<\/a> in the technology industry, according to data from the Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. The training is so popular that applications regularly outpace available slots. Originally allotted only $15 million annually, lawmakers boosted that amount to $110 million because of that increased demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A proposal introduced Monday by Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., would permanently extend and expand the program, allowing 8,000 veterans to enroll annually.<\/p>\n\n\n\t