Last week we began looking at a recent Rand Corporation study on how military personnel can better use the skills learned from their military service – both technical and non-technical – to get a civilian job more closely matched to the one they were trained to do while in the military. With a planned end strength in the Army of 450,000 by the end of FY2018, the influx of military personnel transitioning into the civilian world will continue to grow for the next two years at least. While some veterans will choose to go to school, many will enter the civilian job market looking for work right away.
Last week we looked at the background behind the report, the reason for it, and compared one Army MOS in the report – the 11B Infantryman – as far as its compatibility with two specific jobs in the civilian world. In this part, we look at the other nine Army MOSs surveyed to see how they match civilian jobs. The other nine MOSs are:
- 12B (Combat Engineer)
- 13B (Cannon Crewmember)
- 19D (Calvary Scout)
- 19K (M1 Armor Crewman)
- 31B Military Police)
- 35F (Intelligence Analyst)
- 68W (Healthcare Specialist)
- 91B (Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic)
- 92Y (Unit Supply Specialist)
These MOSs surveyed, along with the 11B Infantryman, were the largest MOSs density-wise and accounted for 40% of Army enlisted personnel.
| MOS | Top 3 Specific Jobs
(Distance Metric) |
Median Pay | Recommended
Education |
| 11B | Firefighter (93)
Boat Captain/Mate (88) First Line Supervisor – Firefighting/Prevention (86) |
$45,970
$72,340 $70,670 |
High School Diploma
Certification High School Diploma |
| 12B | Commercial Diver (87)
Electro-Mechanical Technician (85) Elevator Installer/Repair (84) |
$45,890
$53,070 $78,620 |
Certification
AA Degree High School Diploma |
| 13B | Electrical Powerline Installer (86)
Rail-Track Laying (83) Solar Installer (82) |
$65,930
$51,840 $40,020 |
Certification
High School Diploma High School Diploma |
| 19D | Railroad Conductor/Yardmaster (84)
Carpenter (83) Rail-Track Laying (83) |
$54,770
$40,820 $51,840 |
High School Diploma
High School Diploma High School Diploma |
| 19K | Firefighter (92)
Boat Captain/Mate (88) First Line Supervisor – Mechanic/Installer/ Repairer (87) |
$45,970
$72,340 $70,670 |
High School Diploma
Certification High School Diploma |
| 31B | Transit/Railroad Police (84)
Gaming Manager (82) Animal Control Worker (81) |
$51,690
$67,310 $32,560 |
AA Degree
High School Diploma High School Diploma |
| 35F | Manager – General/ Operations (89)
Power Distributor/Dispatcher (86) Real Estate Agent (85) |
$97,270
$78,240 $40,990 |
AA Degree
AA Degree High School Diploma |
| 68W | Surgical Technician (83)
Diagnostic Sonographer (82) Physical Therapist Assistant (81) |
$43,350
$67,530 $54,410 |
AA Degree
AA Degree AA Degree |
| 91B | Heavy Equipment Mechanic (92)
Farm Equipment Mechanic (87) Rail-Track Laying Equipment Mechanic (86) |
$47,580
$36,150 $51,840 |
Certification
High School Diploma High School Diploma |
| 92Y | Supervisor – Transportation (97)
Detective/Investigator (95) First Line Supervisor – Police (95) |
$54,930
$79,870 $80,930 |
High School Diploma
High School Diploma High School Diploma |
The suggested jobs listed here differ greatly with the ones listed in the O*NET and My Next Move for Veterans crosswalks. For example, in those two crosswalks, the jobs listed for 68W are:
- Medical and Health Service Manager, Health Educator, Emergency Medical Technician
- Emergency Medical Technician, Medical Secretary and Medical Assistant
By using the suggestions in the RAND report, employment opportunities expand based on skills learned while in the military.
Next week we’ll look at how the education required to hold some of the positions (like a certification or college degree) affect the number of matches. Then we’ll put it all together and show how this information can better help prepare military personnel transition to the civilian world and into a job better matched to with their skills.
