Military Training for Civilian Careers
How to Gain Practical Experience While Serving Your Country

Men and women serve in the U.S. Armed Forces for a variety of reasons. Some consider military service a matter of family tradition or patriotic duty. Others want to further their education or see the world. Still others seek the kind of character-building challenges that the armed services offer.

For many people military service provides all of these things, and more. Another draw for prospective servicemembers is the chance to gain hands-on experience. The military trains people for numerous occupations that have civilian counterparts.

Career Prep, Military Style

The military trains you to be technically proficient in whatever occupation you are assigned. But you'll also learn teamwork, perseverance, leadership, and other skills widely applicable in the civilian workforce. In fact, some employers looking for workers with specific qualifications, such as security clearances, often seek out former military personnel.

Most armed services jobs have a direct civilian counterpart. If you learn how to repair and maintain vehicles, for example, you might later use these skills as a mechanic in the civilian wold. And if you learn to maintain military computer systems, you might find civilian work as a computer specialist.

In the military, you'll earn career credentials. You'll also have a chance to further your education while you serve—and afterward.

Occupational Specialties

The military has more than 140 occupational specialties, most of which relate to civilian jobs. Not all of these are available in every branch of the military. Your preferences will be considered, but the specialty you are assigned will depend on your aptitude and the needs of the armed services at the time you enlist.

The following are some examples of military occupational specialties.

Aviation. Workers in aviation, including air traffic controllers, air crew, and mechanics, often get their start in the armed services. Most people earn licenses from the Federal Aviation Administration as part of their training, and those are licenses that they can later use as civilians.

Combat operations. Enlisted servicemembers in combat operations have jobs that are among the most specific to the military: infantry, armored vehicle operation, artillery and missile crew, and Special Forces. Although these specialties do not relate closely to civilian occupations, they teach skills that civilian employers value. Among the skills servicemembers learn are how to lead others, how to operate complex equipment, and how to perform under pressure.

Computers. Servicemembers in computer specialties learn to set up and troubleshoot computer networks and systems for the military. They also learn computer security: protecting computer systems from natural disasters and defending them from hackers and other threats. And some specialists earn widely accepted certifications. Computer specialists in the armed services are often prepared for civilian jobs as computer network and systems administrators, computer support technicians, and computer programmers.

Construction. To raise buildings and construct barricades and other structures, the military trains construction specialists. These servicemembers perform a range of tasks, including carpentry, plumbing, and masonry. They also train as cabinetmakers and surveying technicians. Some complete registered apprenticeships to become journeyworkers.

Food services. Fortunately for hungry service personnel, the military trains food service specialists to order, inspect, prepare, and serve healthy food. These specialists learn about many topics, including cooking methods, food storage, and, of course, cleanup. The skills are transferable to civilian jobs in restaurants, bakeries, hospitals, and other facilities that have their own food preparation services.

Healthcare. Healthcare practitioners and technicians of all types receive training in the military. Some do laboratory tests or provide dental care, for example, and others assist physical therapists or work as x-ray or other types of technicians. Still others perform tasks similar to those of paramedics and give medical care in emergencies and in the absence of doctors. Many healthcare workers learn more than one occupation. All are either partially or fully trained for civilian healthcare jobs.

Law enforcement. Many servicemembers train in police, security, and investigative jobs. Like civilian police, they learn tasks such as collecting evidence, interviewing witnesses, and performing riot control.

Servicemembers in this specialty are prepared for civilian jobs as police officers, security guards, and intelligence analysts.

Maintenance. In the armed services, people learn to fix all types of equipment. Automotive and heavy equipment repairers, for example, learn to fix cars and trucks, and they might also maintain tanks and bulldozers.

Manufacturing and power plant operation. The military trains machinists, who create metal parts, welders, tool and die makers, and other manufacturing workers. And because the armed services need power for their bases and ships, they also train power plant electricians and power plant operators—who might later work in civilian power plants or as boiler operators.

Media and the arts. Training in media and the arts available to servicemembers includes graphic arts, broadcasting, and photography. The military's audio and broadcast technicians, for example, help to produce movies, television shows, and radio programs. The skills gained in these military jobs relate to civilian opportunities as commercial artists, musicians, and photojournalists,among others.

The Military Student

Perhaps you've heard that the military will pay for your college education, either in whole or in part, while you're serving and after—even retroactively. That's true; many of the same educational benefits that are available for veterans are offered to active-duty servicemembers and reservists. Regardless of whether you go to college, however, you receive training and education while you serve.

If you join the military, you'll spend at least some time in a classroom. The subjects you take will depend on your occupational specialty. This classroom instruction, plus on-the-job training, qualifies you for licenses, certifications, and college credit—all of which will be useful when you return to the civilian world as a jobseeker.

The military provides formal training in some technical occupations, including those in construction, manufacturing, and repair. Servicemembers who successfully complete registered apprenticeship programs earn a journeyworker certificate, recognized by civilian employers nationwide.

Also, armed-services class time and training are recognized by some professional associations as a way to qualify for occupational certifications. Each military branch offers servicemembers information about turning armed-services training into private certifications. Classroom training could continue throughout your military career, as you gain expertise in your occupation or train for others.

College options. You might be able to turn your military training into a college degree. For example, the U.S. Air Force runs its own community college, where servicemembers can earn an associate degree; the Navy's Program for Afloat College Education provides instruction for sailors at sea.

Attending a local civilian college or university might be another option. And the proliferation of online instruction and distance learning has broadened the possibilities for servicemembers stationed all over the world.

You might be able to get college credit without taking additional courses, based on your armed-services experience. Some servicemembers take equivalency exams to get college credit for what they've learned on the job. Others receive credit based on recommendations from the American Council on Education, an organization that certifies qualified training as equivalent to college coursework.

Other education benefits for active-duty servicemembers include tuition assistance, scholarships, loans, and grants for vocational and college training during or after service.

In addition, each military branch offers its own education benefits for career development. If it's important to you to get an education while you're in the service, be sure to compare programs when choosing a branch for enlistment.

Choosing and Joining a Branch

Deciding to pursue career training in the U.S. Armed Forces is the first of many steps to becoming a soldier, airman, sailor, Marine, or Coast Guardsman. There is also the decision about which branch to join. The armed services' five branches have a lot in common, but each has its own purpose. You'll need to learn what distinguishes each branch and whether it provides the kinds of opportunities you seek.

The United Services Military Apprenticeship Program allows some servicemembers to complete civilian apprenticeship requirements.

Do your research, take a few tests, and you might be ready to sign on the duty-bound line.

Doing Your Homework

To learn about the armed services and the types of jobs they offer, get input from several sources. Study written material, watch video presentations, and talk to recruiters, family, and friends. Then, analyze the facts you've gathered to make an informed decision.

A good starting point is to look at each branch of service separately. Knowing more about what each does can help you to narrow your occupational focus.

Editorial provided by the Occupational Outlook Quarterly.