Veteran Success Story: Kaden Godinez

Veterans are resilient, adaptive, and mission-driven. They are highly skilled and trained on today’s most cutting-edge technologies and also often hold security clearances, which are heavily desired by employers.

Veterans are also among some of the most overlooked talent pools in the nation, with competencies that don’t easily translate to the civilian world of work. SkillStorm aims to change this, one veteran at a time.

Meet Kaden Godinez

After attending the University of Pennsylvania, Kaden served in the U.S. Army and Marine Corps for 12 years before settling down with his family in San Jose, California. With some background in tech from his experience as a Marine Corps Communications Officer and a desire for a family-sustaining career post-separation, Kaden looked to the civilian tech industry:

“I knew that I enjoyed the technical things I had learned [in Marine Corps training], so I realized I needed to have more credibility than basic certifications. That’s where SkillStorm came onto my radar,” said Kaden.

SkillStorm’s VET TEC (Veterans Technology Education Courses) Preferred Provider status and advanced curriculum attracted Kaden: “I really saw that SkillStorm was a great stepping stone to be first role as a civilian technologist.”

In 16 weeks and at no personal cost, Kaden completed SkillStorm’s AWS DevOps Immersive Training Program, gaining the AWS Cloud Practitioner and Solutions Architect Associate certifications. During the course, Kaden found camaraderie with the other veterans in his cohort, who were also in the midst of their own transitions to the civilian workforce. “I can’t believe that, in such a short time, I was able to learn all of this stuff, and that I enjoyed it as much as I did. It blew me away. It gave me hope that I could really do this in the real world.”

Following the completion of his credentials, Kaden landed a Program Manager role at enterprise Cloud-based solutions provider Workday. According to Kaden, Workday selected him due to his Cloud competencies, the leadership and managerial skills he developed in the military, and his confidence in interviews after preparing with SkillStorm. This role also enables Kaden to care for his family without worry, one of his top goals for his transition to the civilian workforce: “For me and my family, just being able to get this first job makes me feel like I have a step now into the civilian world and can continue my career is really huge.”

Kaden plans to earn a certificate in CompTIA SOC Analyst with SkillStorm within the next several months to continue stacking his tech skills and enhancing his future career prospects. With SkillStorm’s Stormer for Life Program, Kaden is able to reach his career potential at no cost to him.

“Having the support of SkillStorm in terms of a great curriculum combined with a really excellent instructor, and learning with a cohort of supportive and professional veterans – it was honestly the perfect way to make this transition. SkillStorm sets you up for success.”

Interested in hiring veterans like Kaden? Since 2022, SkillStorm has helped advance the tech careers of more than 500 veterans using federal dollars available through VET TEC. Learn more about how SkillStorm can help connect your organization to veterans proficient in your tech stack here.