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SkillBridge provider application under review

Spend your last 180 days of service earning your next career.

Through DoD SkillBridge you keep your military pay and benefits while you train full time with us for an IT certification. Tuition, materials and your exam voucher cost you nothing.

Your final year of service
SkillBridge · up to 180 days
365 days out180ETS
$0tuition, materials and exam voucher
Full paymilitary pay and benefits continue
Liveonline over Cisco WebEx, or in person
24 monthsretake the class, in part or full, free
How it works

From your first TAP brief to your first certification

SkillBridge is service member initiated and needs your commander's approval, so the order matters. Most delays come from starting the packet too late.

  1. STEP 1

    Check your window

    You can train during your last 180 days of service. Use the calculator below to see when yours opens.

  2. STEP 2

    Start TAP

    Your service's Transition Assistance Program comes first. SkillBridge packets generally need TAP underway.

  3. STEP 3

    Pick a pathway

    Choose the certifications that match the job you want. The pathway matcher below gives you a starting point.

  4. STEP 4

    Get your program letter

    Register interest and we send the training plan, schedule and program details your packet needs.

  5. STEP 5

    Get command approval

    Your first field-grade commander approves the packet. Your TAP counselor helps you route it.

  6. STEP 6

    Train, certify, transition

    Train full time, sit your exams, and work with us on career strategy before you separate.

Planning tools

Plan your SkillBridge in five minutes

Free tools for service members and TAP counselors. Nothing you enter here is sent to us; it stays in your browser.

Tool 1

SkillBridge window calculator

Planning estimate only. Lead times vary by service and installation, so confirm dates with your TAP counselor.

Tool 2

Pathway matcher

Tool 3

Packet checklist

0 of 7 done

Career pathways

Stack certifications toward a real job title

Each pathway stacks courses from our catalog. We fit the stack to your window, so you might take one course or all three.

Network Engineer

Cisco and CompTIA
  1. CompTIA Network+Foundations: how networks actually work
  2. Cisco CCNARouting, switching, wireless and security
  3. Cisco CCNP Enterprise CoreEnterprise design, automation and troubleshooting

Roles: network administrator, network engineer, NOC engineer

See CCNA dates →

Cybersecurity Analyst

CompTIA and ISC2
  1. CompTIA Security+The baseline DoD cyber workforce credential
  2. CompTIA CySA+Threat detection, analysis and response
  3. ISC2 CISSPEarn Associate of ISC2 until you meet the experience requirement

Roles: SOC analyst, cybersecurity analyst, ISSO

See Security+ dates →

Penetration Tester

CompTIA and EC-Council
  1. CompTIA Security+Security fundamentals every tester needs
  2. CompTIA PenTest+Planning, scoping and running a test
  3. EC-Council CEHAttack tools and techniques, hands on

Roles: penetration tester, vulnerability analyst, red team member

See PenTest+ dates →
Who it's for

Service members, commands and employers

Transitioning service members

  • Any branch, any rank, enlisted or officer
  • Within your last 180 days of service, with command approval
  • No IT background needed for the entry courses
  • Spouses: see MyCAA. Veterans: see VET TEC 2.0

Commands and TAP counselors

  • Program letter and training plan for each packet
  • Class schedules up front so you can plan release dates
  • Attendance updates to the unit on request
  • On-base cohorts where enrollment supports it

Employers

  • Hire graduates who arrive certified and mission tested
  • Many already hold security clearances
  • Interview candidates before they separate
  • Become a hiring partner using the form below
Get started

Register interest

Tell us your dates and goals. We'll reply with a training plan and the program details for your packet.

855-868-4467Toll free
sales@thinqtanklearning.comWe reply within one business day

We use your details only to reply about SkillBridge training.

Questions

SkillBridge FAQ

Does it cost me anything?

No. SkillBridge students pay nothing for tuition, course materials or exam vouchers. The Department of War keeps paying your salary and benefits while you train.

Is thinQtank an approved SkillBridge provider?

Our provider application is submitted and under review by the Department of War. Register interest now and we'll contact you as soon as we're approved, so your packet is ready when your window opens.

Can I train online?

Yes. Our classes are taught live by an instructor over Cisco WebEx, which meets SkillBridge's requirement for live, synchronous training. In-person classes run on and off base when enrollment supports them.

How long does it take?

It depends on the pathway and your window. A single course fits easily inside 180 days. We build the plan around your dates, and it never runs past your window.

Can veterans or military spouses use SkillBridge?

No, SkillBridge is only for service members still on active duty. Spouses may qualify for MyCAA and veterans for VET TEC 2.0. See all our funding options.

What if I fail an exam?

You can retake the class, in part or in full, in person or online, free for 24 months.

Will you help me find a job?

Career strategy and coaching is part of what we do. We work with you on your résumé, interviews and job search before you separate, and we're building a network of hiring partners for our graduates.

SkillBridge is a Department of War program. Participation is voluntary and requires approval from your chain of command. thinQtank Learning is a private training provider and is not endorsed by the Department of War. Planning tools are estimates; your installation's TAP office has the final word on dates and requirements.