As a trained infantryman, you may see your civilian career options as limited by your military training and experience. However, that very training and experience makes you a perfect match for these three unlikely career areas:
- Trades
- Information Technology/Cybersecurity
- Teaching
Trades
Here’s why this is a good career match for infantrymen: They are not only used to doing things with their mind, but also with their hands. An 11B, or a 0311 Rifleman in the Marine Corps, must know how to operate, maintain and troubleshoot a variety of equipment from basic weaponry to sophisticated radio and electronic systems. Much of this work requires good use of their hands.
Working in one of the trade occupations makes use of this skill and in many cases is a natural transition from carrying a weapon to going into construction, auto mechanics, plumbing, electrical or project management just to name a few of the options out of many in the trades field.
On average, skilled trade workers earn an median salary of $47,788 per year with a maximum wage of $81,240 per year in the field. But these numbers can grow significantly depending upon the supply and demand in your region, your willingness to travel – and your security clearance. The projected demand out to 2028 in construction alone, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), ranges from 471,800 jobs for construction managers (10% projected growth/ $93,370 median salary) to 1,006,500 for carpenters (8% projected growth/ $46,590 median salary).
The education requirement to qualify for a trades job ranges from an apprenticeship/trade school to be a carpenter, for example, to a bachelor’s degree for construction managers. One program designed to get veterans hired in the construction field is Helmets to Hardhats. Within their umbrella are individual programs for veterans that want to work in specifically in sheet metal, piping or millwright.
Information Security Analyst/Cybersecurity
Another area where infantryman excel is problem solving. They are trained to maneuver over or around obstacles and do whatever is necessary to secure the objective. This experience at overcoming obstacles can also be used in this job whether those obstacles are physical, like fixing a server or hardwiring a building, or ones that require more thinking to come up with a solution, like troubleshooting a computer network security issue.
The demand for IS/cybersecurity jobs is estimated to keep growing out to at least 2028 with 546,200 new jobs available – a projected growth of 12% (much faster than average). According to the BLS, the median salary in 2018 for all IS jobs was $86,320 per year compared to $38,640 for all other occupations. For example, an information security analyst’s median salary is $98,350, with 112,300 new jobs projected out to 2028 – a 32% projected job growth. Most entry-level jobs in this area require at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field.
Teaching
Because infantrymen are trained to lead an element varying in size from a two-person team to a 60-person platoon, they are very good at managing groups of people. It is the same type of skill needed when managing a group of students in a classroom environment. Plus, veterans are experienced at teaching soldiers how to do things, from creating a teaching plan to execution of the plan. Creating teaching plans for students and presenting those plans is not much different, only with a younger group of people.
As far as jobs, the outlook is good. BLS is projecting a 4% growth which equates to 1,072,500 new jobs out through 2028. Median pay in 2018 was $60,320 per year. A bachelor’s degree is needed for entry-level positions.
Two programs that exist to help veterans transition to the field of teaching are the Troops to Teachers Program and Teach for America Military Initiative. Each program is very different from the other however both have the same mission – getting veterans into the classroom as teachers.
Many Infantry types come out of the military with thinking their civilian work option are limited because of their job in the military. However, the opposite is true – they have many options, including these three unlikely ones, available to them because of their training and experience in the infantry.
