9 Job Roles That Are Perfect for Military Veterans

The military has been your life for as long as you can remember. You spent a number of years training to join the forces, and you then devoted even more of your time to serving your country proudly. Because of all the time and effort you’ve given to the military over the years, the task of leaving it and acclimatizing back to civilian life can be incredibly daunting. If you’re scared about the prospect of being a veteran, fear not as you’re not alone.

Now that you’ve stepped out of the military and are officially regarded as being a veteran, no matter how old or experienced you are at this point in your life, you’re probably wondering what job prospects you have lined up for you. Will you be able to put your skills to good use? Will you find a job that is just as fulfilling as being a soldier?

It can be difficult to know what you want to do as a profession now that your career in the military is over. You can rest assured, though, that there will be job roles out there are perfect for you, no matter what force you were a part of or what skills you obtain during your time in the service.

Read on to find nine job roles that will no doubt prove perfect for you as a military veteran:

Healthcare provider

If you received some form of medical training during your time in the military, becoming a healthcare provider could very well be your next calling in life. Even if you didn’t receive special training and only tended to the wounds of your fellow soldiers on a casual basis, this type of post-service career could still be the perfect fit for you.

If you wish to become a healthcare provider, it’s essential to understand what specific qualifications need to be obtained before you can land your first professional role. The educational route that you go on depends entirely on what type of healthcare provider you wish to become. Should you wish to become a Family Nurse Practitioner, for instance, you would have to:

• Graduate from a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) course
• Take and pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN)
• Enroll in a Master of Science in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN-FNP) course while working full-time as a registered nurse (RN). Fear not, as there are plenty of online FNP schools out there, such as Carson-Newman, that offer students the chance to obtain this master’s degree remotely, meaning you would always be able to balance your working and studying commitments

Skilled tradesperson

No matter what force you were a part of, in order to get by on a day-to-day basis during your time of service, you would have had to have become adept at a number of trades. From mechanical work to plumbing, you would have picked up a fair few skills and attributes during your time in the military, simply because it would have been necessary for you to do so.

Why not put these newfound abilities of yours to good use by becoming a skilled tradesperson? By going down this professional route, you would be tasked with working with your hands to fix whatever problems your customers need fixing. Whether you hone in on a specific niche by becoming, say, an electrician, or whether you choose to make your money as a general handyman, one thing that you can be sure of in this instance is that there will always be work out there for you. After all, things are always breaking, which means there is always a call for trained workers that are capable of fixing things!

Here are just a few of the roles you could choose to focus on as you embark on a career as a skilled tradesperson:

• Mechanic (auto or aircraft)
• Wind/solar energy technician
• Electrician
• Plumber
• HVAC technician
• Commercial driver
• Carpenter
• Welder

Teacher

If you spent a number of years in the military and reached a relatively high rank, at some point or another during your time of service, you would have been tasked with teaching new recruits all about military life. It means that, whether you realized it at the time or not, you taught yourself to be an educator during your career in the force. Why not, then, make the transition into civilian education by becoming a teacher?

Fortunately, the government has set up an initiative that actively helps veterans like yourself train to become teachers. It is aptly named the Troops-to-Teachers program and, since its inception in 1993, has helped over 20,000 ex-military personal land teaching roles. If you feel like being an educator is your post-force calling, be sure to do check out the TTT and what kind of support it can offer you. Whether you get a fast-track through the education process or whether you receive a bursary to see you through college, as a veteran, you deserve the help that is on offer.

Engineer

If you received some form of specialized engineering training while you were a part of the military, pursing jobs in the engineering industry should be a no brainer for you.

If you do decide to go down this career pathway, you will be sure to have job offers come your way as soon as you have earned your engineering qualification. This is due to the fact that defense manufacturers prefer to hire veterans over civilians simply because they’ve been there and done it — they’ve spent time working on the equipment, they’ve seen what it does, and they know what systems are produced.

Some of the engineering sectors that you could enter into include:

• Electronics engineering
• Civil engineering
• Mechanical engineering/drafting
• Architectural drafting

Transporter/logistics provider

At some point or another during your time of service, you would have driven or at least ridden in a large vehicle that was carrying supplies. Due to the fact that you’ve been up close and personal with these types of vehicles and played your part in the movement of supplies, you are well placed to forge out a career for yourself in the transportation and logistics industry. Whether you choose to become a long-haul truck driver, an aviation specialist, or a supply-chain logistics provider, if you decide to down this route, you’ll never be short on work. More and more suppliers are now shipping internationally, which means the call for professional transporters is sure to carry on increasing over the coming years.

Tele-communicator

The military of today is becoming increasingly reliant on technology. This means that, towards the end of your stint in the armed forces at least, you would have gained some experience with regards to the use of advanced commuter systems. Why not put this experience to good use by landing yourself a job as a telecommunicator?

The field of information technology is always advancing and is becoming more autonomous by the day, but technological tools and pieces of software still need skilled telecommunicators to operate them. If you were to answer this call and become a telecommunicator, you could find yourself taking on any of the following challenges:

• Software development
• Cybersecurity
• Database administration
• Computer programming
• Networking administration
• Computer support

Business manager

Want to swap your operational camouflage for a suit? Fancy stepping from your barracks into the boardroom? If so, then you might want to consider becoming a business manager now that your time in the military has come to an end.

One big advantage that you have over other applicants in this instance is that you know what it takes to be a leader. Having spent time in the military, you will know how to give orders, get the best out of others through coordination and motivation, and manage high-pressure situations. If you add skills just as accountancy and project management to this reporter of yours, you will no doubt be unstoppable in the field of business management.

Law enforcer

Becoming a law enforcer, whether this means becoming a police officer, a criminal investigator, a probation officer, or a security guard, will allow you to carry on serving your community in a way that feels exciting and somewhat dangerous. If you thrive on insecure or even perilous situations, this is the type of post-military career you should consider embarking on.

Veteran supporter

Some veterans will find it incredibly hard to acclimatize back into a civilian way of life; anger at having to leave their passion behind will force some to act unlawfully and subsequently become incarcerated, and others will suffer with what is known as PTSD.

You know just how difficult and demanding to acclimatize to civilian life can be, so you are in a better position than most with regards to offering support to veterans. Did you know you can make a career out of providing such assistance? Non-profit organizations are always looking for people like yourself to mentor struggling veterans, so there would always be a job in this industry with your name on it should you want it.

There is a life after the military, you know. More to the point, there are jobs out there that you can not only do once your service has ended, but actually thrive at.

No matter what job role you attain in your life as a civilian, just be sure to devote as much time and effort to it as you did the military. If you do, who knows what the future may hold for you.