John Moody ⋅ Glen Ellyn, IL General Electric ⋅ 10 years experience

After serving on a FBM submarine as a MT2 (SS), I transitioned into the civilian world without a plan as what to do next. It was an easy decision once I found out that civilian companies didn't have nuclear missile technician or launcher supervisor roles to apply my Navy advanced electronics talents. So I attended a private college to earn an AT (Associate in Technology) degree in Electro-Mechanical Computer Engineering Technology. Colorado has college choices such as Colorado Technical University, which may suit your goals and objectives. In the latter 1980s, companies in the private sector wouldn't express any interest in what you learned or did in the military, so you basically had to earn a civilian degree and get your foot in the door at a company that would allow you to grow and reach your potential. The best companies are the ones who recruit a decent percentage of veterans or transitioning military personnel. Google this. My last company was General Electric -- GE Healthcare IITS. Best of luck to you!

James Sipprell ⋅ White Pine, TN U.S. Navy, Petty Officer Second Class ⋅ 6 years served

Ashley,
Thank you first for serving. Having walked in your footsteps many years ago facing the same issues I second the advice you've gotten so far. Your focus must be on what kind of work is in demand catagorized by industry types that have electronic components. The more you know about fields such as maintenance of equipment, instrumentation and systems in manufacturing, health care etc. the better. Your best resource is the trade journals/magazines available at all city libraries of size. The industry language used will be as foreign to you now as the military lingo is to a future employer so dig into the details. You will be shocked by how much demand there is for people who can "fix it". Your trouble shooting training and experience is directly translatable to multiple opportunities across the board. The one move you will need help with is finding the "who" to talk with and can connect you to the players. Every service organization has an open door to veterans who show interest. The Rotary Clubs, Kiwannas , Exchange clubs and many others local to the community where you ultimately settle, have weekly/monthly meetings in a public places, Wear your uniform and drop in..( You'll have to" beat them off with a stick"). Think as one who "is in demand" and not looking for a job. Good luck, you've earned it. Jim Sipprell (former CTM2)

Landon Carl ⋅ Lewisville, TX Goldman Sachs ⋅ 8 years experience

Ashley,

Narrow down on your target through professional reading and networking. Find advisors on here and LinkedIn that appear to do something you are interested in and ask them for 15 to 30 minutes on the phone so you can pick their brain. Once you have narrowed down, focus on your target like a laser. Don’t give up!

Please reach out if I can help at all. We constantly have tech openings in condition monitoring and the electronics field.

Landon

T D ⋅ Dayton, OH Self Employed ⋅ 25 years experience

Hey Ashley,

Great advice from others! I'll add something else. Your skill set is critical everywhere right now. As an electrician, you have a lot of options - a lot of different industries that will want you. I speak from experience right now because I need electricians and so do others I know in this area. Since you enjoy doing it, start researching various companies and industries. The manufacturing industry is growing all over, so I recommend checking out manufacturing options in the area you want to return to.

Head hunters can help you out too. Also, go to the Norfolk Fleet and Family Service Center and ask them for the contact information for the office in Denver, CO (since you want to head back that way). We have Navy personnel stationed out there...I think it's an Air Force Base. The Air Force has an equivalent to help their personnel and they'll have someone who can point you in the direction of their "job board." If that Fleet and Family Service Center can't get you the info then just do an internet search for "Air Force Base Colorado" and you should be able to get your hands on some phone numbers of people who'll help you out so you get a number. I did that in the past before I got out, for a different state.

Don't forget that you also have your 2M (I'm assuming you may be 2M qual'd as an electrician) and 3M experience to lean on, so you would be an excellent candidate to be a Maintenance/Electrician Lead somewhere. For example, I was a CT and a Cryptologic Warfare Officer in the Navy until I retired last year. I just recently landed a job I LOVE, in Maintenance Management, and it's due to the people who gave me a chance due to my 3M maintenance background, leadership and enthusiasm to learn. I wanted to do something different when I got out (nothing to do with cryptology or the intelligence realm) and I really enjoyed maintenance both in the Navy as well as working on cars and home DIY projects as hobbies.

You're definitely on the right track already by thinking ahead now. Have you started chipping away at any college degree or professional certifications? Those are huge to have too.

If you feel the urge to consider the Greater Milwaukee Area then please check out our site: www.metaltek.com. I can't speak highly enough about this company already. My first two jobs out of the military weren't any fun for me. This place is a blast - totally different culture.

Best of luck to you!
Tom

Chuck Burger ⋅ King Of Prussia, PA Lockheed Martin ⋅ 47 years experience

Ashley,

First off, excellent advice from the others!

Lockheed Martin has many opportunities for skilled technicians and are keen on supporting transitioning veterans. Please poke around their Military Career site when you have an opportunity:

http://www.lockheedmartinjobs.com/military.aspx

You should give the skills translator a test drive to see what it feeds back. Also perform a job search on "electronic technician", not so much to see what is currently available (well that too!), but to see the type of skills and job requirements typically asked for. Certainly a security clearance is an excellent asset.

Lastly, be certain to sign up for "Military Connect" since as you are already well aware, by virtue of being associated with ACP, networking will be your most valuable tool throughout your career.

Thank you for your time, attention, and service!

Brian Winters ⋅ Pittsburgh, PA Tyco ⋅ 25 years experience

Hi Ashley,

Johnson Controls has hundreds of electrically related positions available and we encourage veterans to apply. Please check us out at www.johnsoncontrols.com. It is a good idea to proactively search before you transition out.

Thanks,

Brian

David Dickens ⋅ Forney, TX AT&T ⋅ 35 years experience

Hello,

Don't limit yourself to what you know and are comfortable with. You can be hired simply for your self discipline and proven ability to learn. NECs don't mean anything to an employer who has no military experience so you'll need to translate that terminology.
Consider telecommunications, aeronautics, and any type of plant maintenance as electronic controls are all over the world including Colorado. Each resume needs to be tailored somewhat to the job opening you hope is there. Not all openings are advertised either so job fairs are a great opportunity even before you are discharged.
I'm a 21 year nuclear power veteran from the surface fleet. My 1st job was in deep ocean drilling blow out prevention, known as subsea engineering. At a job fair I interviewed for a mechanic position that really wasn't for me but it turned out Transocean needed a subsea trainee and they took a chance on me simply because of my background in math, hydraulics, and use of computers. An injury forced me to look elsewhere after two years and I ended up in wireless telecom only because the hiring manager loved Navy people. It's been quite a ride for the last 17 years and worked my way into an engineering position based on my earlier technician experience with what was Cingular Wireless and now it's all AT&T. If you are willing to take a chance and work hard you can be anything out there.

Cheers, Dave Dickens MMC(SW)