Job Opportunities for Ex-Military and Veterans

The job market for veterans and ex-military personnel is quite generous, usually helping them to put to use the skills and knowledge these specialists acquired during their service. And fortunately for veterans, those skills are necessary for almost all industries. In most of the cases, ex-employees of the Marines, Army, Navy, Air force and Coast Guard make perfect employees due to their transferrable skills and knowledge. Besides, veterans and military workers are notorious for their discipline and work ethic. This seems to bring American veterans a significant advantage in front of their non-military job competitors.

Although the initial transition from the military to civilian jobs can be extremely difficult for many veterans, once they enter the civilian job market, nothing can stop their evolution. While there are certain types of jobs that injured or disabled veterans may not be able to perform, generally, the job market for these experts is a generous one. Below are some of the best job opportunities for ex-military workers.

Engineering Jobs

During their time in the military, most of the American employees in the field receive specialized engineering training. These types of jobs are easily accessible for veterans as they have plenty of training and experience in the field. Pursuing civilian careers in this field is one of the logical steps that veterans can follow when trying to boost their employment chances. Even when your military career involved a different job description, pursuing a similar field makes a lot of sense. Numerous US aerospace and defense manufacturers look forward to hiring military veterans because they have plenty of experience working around this type of equipment. Paired with their engineering skills acquired straight from the source, military veterans shortly become a valuable asset in these companies’ case. If you cannot find an open position inside an aerospace defense company, you can always search for engineering jobs in other industries:

• Mechanical engineering;
• Civil engineering;
• Architectural drafter;
• Electronics engineering;
• Mechanical engineer technician;
• Civil engineering technician.

The great part is that some of these positions are perfect for disabled veterans, thanks to all the recent technological and automation developments.

Healthcare Jobs

This is one of the best job categories in which ex-military men and women can find job openings. Combats have offered military staff the necessary skills and knowledge of treating injured comrades and the public or private healthcare field is offering them just enough employment opportunities as civilians. If you have received proper medical education and training during your military career, you’re almost settled. But even if you haven’t finished something similar, you can still get a fast formal education in the medical field. Generally, within a year or two, you should be able to activate as one of the following:

• Dental hygienist;
• Registered nurse;
• Physical therapist assistant;
• Medical lab technician;
• Emergency medical technician;
• Respiratory therapist;
• Cardiovascular technologist etc.

Transportation and Logistics Jobs

Warehouse positions, jobs in the logistics and transportation field are also highly suitable for ex-military workers. Many ex-employees get enough experience and training in coordinating the movement and flow of the goods and loads from the military. Fortunately enough, even disabled veterans can approach similar career paths, since the recent technological advancements allow higher automation levels in warehouses all over the world. Warehouses today are equipped with robot arm equipment and other useful and highly-performing pieces of equipment. These technologies reduce human labor and promote productivity and profitability.

These pieces of equipment usually enjoy intuitive programming and versatile use, allowing disabled military veterans to regain their self-sustainability and sense of control over their lives. Besides, these smart pieces of technology offer flexible deployment and safe handling.

Veterans have a better understanding of logistics than the average civilian, whether or not they had a similar position when serving. Job offers in the field can be found on positions like the ones below.

• Airline pilot;
• Logistician;
• Air traffic controller;
• Commercial driver;
• Commercial pilot.

Supply chain management offers plenty of job opportunities for veterans as it relies almost entirely on the type of skills and knowledge like military men gain when serving.

Telecommunication and Information Technology Jobs

The US military is highly reliant on advanced telecommunication and IT knowledge. This is the primary reason why veterans should seek employment opportunities in this particular industry. Before landing a job at a profile company, however, many choose to expand their knowledge and formal education in the field by enrolling in training courses or even in profile University courses. The industry needs professionals that are able to deliver viable solutions to some of the most challenging matters, and veterans seem to be perfectly able to do so. There are several types of jobs that would fit veterans like a glove, in this case.

• Cybersecurity expert;
• Computer programmer;
• Telecom technician;
• Computer support technician;
• Software developer.

Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Jobs

The most obvious choice for many veterans is the law enforcement field. However, this isn’t a good fit for those suffering from PTSD or disabled veterans. Field jobs can be triggering enough for veterans. However, many choose office jobs in the criminal justice field, whether they continue their formal education in the industry or not. Some suitable jobs in law enforcement for some veterans are listed below.

• Private investigator;
• Security guard;
• Correction officer;
• Police officer;
• Criminal investigator.

Federal Government Jobs

Another civilian career that is extremely suitable for ex-military personnel is anything in the federal government job offer. Besides, veterans can sometimes enjoy a special hiring process, a simplified one, if you’d like. The hiring process for veterans for similar jobs is not open for the wide public, given their existing experience. Some of the most sought-after federal jobs by ex-military personnel are:

• Homeland security officer;
• Nursing;
• Substance-abuse counselling;
• Social worker etc.

Worth noting is the fact that disabled veterans can find jobs through the special hiring authorities and training programs specifically targeted at them. The government usually has an extended network of employers and companies that are hiring on a frequent basis, disabled veterans. The public sector is usually hiring them, but private enterprises in some of the industries described above also have special programs for disabled veterans.