Posted on Feb 15, 2015
Military Electronics Specialists Make Good Industrial Maintenance Technicians
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Military Electronics Specialists Make Good Industrial Maintenance Technicians
Military Electronics Specialists Make Good Industrial Maintenance, Automation, Control, and Robotics, and Instrument and Electronics Technicians.
(This article is intended for active duty technicians in an electrical or electronics field who are nearing their separation date. If you plan on staying in, then use your military career as a continual training opportunity toward your return to civilian life. It will eventually happen, and you will be better prepared.)
If you are in the military and are approaching your EOAS/ETS date, by now you have probably begun to give serious thought to your post active-duty career. When I was in the Navy, I knew of several people whose most important reason for reenlisting was because they did not know what they would do in the civilian world. I myself was advised that with the economy like it was, I would not be able to find a job and so to re-up was not only my best choice, it was probably my only choice. I got out anyway, and found a very rewarding and lucrative job in the industrial sector.
I interviewed at a machining factory where components for fork trucks were made and found the place was overflowing with CNC machines that were electronically operated and controlled by computer software, as well as welders, motors, drives, computer networks, and its phone system. The electronics were impressive to me at the time and I couldn’t wait for the challenge of learning new applications for the electronics I had been taught in the Navy.
CNC, as applied to machines, means Computer Numerical Control. They are machines which are controlled by computers which run a program containing information that directs the servos in the machine to move to certain positions at certain speeds in order to apply a tool to a work object so that the object is cut and formed into a finished, or semi-finished part. This is a simplistic explanation, but the idea is that electronic devices, computerized controls, and power drives are all used in these machines, all of which should be an easy step for a military electronics specialist to master.
Motors and drives are fundamental to electricians who have worked on fleet or shore machines in any branch of service. The fundamentals of these devices are universal and what a person has used on military equipment will work just as well on industrial machines. The voltages involved range from single phase 120vac to three-phase 480vac, with occasional machines up to 600vac. The drives are electronic, and are used to control motor position, speed, and direction with varying degrees of precision. The step from military to industrial for these machines is very small indeed.
No factory functions these days without computers at nearly every machine, or at least one in each focused cell. I came into industry when computer networks were hard-wired and it took literally miles of cables to connect an entire factory together. Now the split is equally wireless and hard wired to run the industrial intranet and its links to the web. If your skills lie in the direction of networking then there is probably a door open for you somewhere in a modern manufacturing facility.
The one thing I was surprised to pick up was being administrator to the plant phone system. Phones had previously been a mystery to me other than dialing and talking. I wasn’t interested in how they worked as long as they did. However when the company I worked for installed a new system, myself and one coworker were selected to go to the school on the equipment, and I became intimately aware of how a private branch exchange phone system works. It's never been my primary job, but it has drawn some attention on my resume' a couple of times.
Later on in my career, the factory invested in robotics, and I began to push management to send me to a school on the robots we were installing. (Hint: advancing in your career and in your skill set should never be left to accident and good luck. Ask for the training you want and need to perform your job.) Robotics had already made an appearance in the fleet while I was still in. The CIWS units on board most Navy ships were a robotics-based Gatling Gun. People trained on that system or one like it are already a step ahead in preparing for a career in servicing robots in industrial settings, and learning to program them is a fairly easy step from there.
Programmable Logic Controls, or PLCs as they are known, are prolific throughout industry and anyone who can read a relay ladder diagram can very quickly figure out the graphical interface for ladder logic programming. PLCs are used to control an unimaginable variety of industrial equipment, machines, conveyors, lifts, paint systems, ad infinitum, or so it seems. The basics are easily self-taught and there are good schools offered by the manufacturers of the PLCs to get a person up to expert proficiency within a reasonable timeframe.
I was a Fire Control Technician in the Navy, and I worked on the equipment associated with tracking targets, aiming the guns, and computing the solution to hit the target. There were some complicated electronics in my military specialty. When I got out I wanted to continue to be challenged by the technology I was tasked with maintaining and repairing. I personally have worked to direct my career into the Automation, Robotics, and Controls area of industry. Along with that I also do a lot of electrical troubleshooting and repair, as well as installation and commissioning of new equipment.
The point is that the skills you use in the military, on the equipment they trained you on, are highly marketable to industry. Even better, the right people in industry have now realized it and are looking for people with military training and experience to add to their teams.
Here are some steps you can take:
First, work on building your resume. Do some research and figure out how your skill set can be beneficial to the electrical aspect of industry and find ways to emphasize those points on your resume. Use some examples of work you have done and problems you have solved. It never hurts to remind your prospective future employer that the military is a highly team-oriented group and that you have honed some interpersonal skills that will fit very well in your civilian work group as well. Above all, be honest about your abilities. Don’t exaggerate, but don’t downplay your skills either. Tell them how your training for the military will be beneficial to them right out of the gate and that you expect to get better with time and training.
Second, get on LinkedIn and develop a profile that can be viewed by recruiters and the individuals in industry who are looking for people just like you. Use words in your profile that ooze technical prowess and an energetic work ethic, but once again. If you say it, make sure you can do it. Put a link to your LinkedIn profile on your resume’. Start finding people on LinkedIn to network with who are in the industry you are targeting. Get to know them through some correspondence and begin to ask them questions about the work and the knowledge you will need. Apply their answers to where you are in your development and if it fits, add it to your profile, if it don’t, start thinking if there is some way to add that skill in your time remaining. Read a lot of the articles on LinkedIn. Most of them are very informative.
Next, research every industry in the area you are planning to live, if you have a specific location in mind. Find out everything you can about each industry and start a notebook. You should be looking for more than pay and benefits, although those are very important. Use the O*NET to research the career title and determine the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required for the position. Follow the links on that page to determine the salary range and average salary for the position in your chosen area. Transitioning service members can also turn to their transition counselor to get assistance in targeting their resume for the positions. Try to find out what products they produce. What kind of technology is required to fabricate the product, what is the demand for the product? How stable is the company? How long has it been around? Do any of your relatives or friends know anything about it? Check the local newspapers and online business profiles for information. In many interviews I have been asked if I know anything about the company. It’s always better to be able to give a few facts along with a reason that you may want to work there.
Finally, don’t be timid. It’s hard to sell yourself because we are often taught in the military that it is bragging and we should pass the credit on to the team or subordinates. However in a job interview or on a resume’ there’s no one to speak for you but you. Tell them what a great asset you will be to their company. If you can figure out what they need and sell them that aspect of your experience, then everything else you can do seems like a bonus.
If it’s time for you to leave the service, then I hope you will get the most from your military training and experience. You have earned the right to use it to get the most and best from your next career path. From my experience, if you have military electrical and electronic training, you are a perfect candidate for a career as an Industrial Maintenance Electrician, Automation and Controls Technician, a Robotics Technician, Instrumentation and Electronics, or a Field Service Representative working on such equipment, but for the manufacturer instead of the company using it.
Good luck in your first post-military career, and thanks for your service.
James L. Frady
Automation, Robotics, and Control Technician
US Navy Veteran
Military Electronics Specialists Make Good Industrial Maintenance, Automation, Control, and Robotics, and Instrument and Electronics Technicians.
(This article is intended for active duty technicians in an electrical or electronics field who are nearing their separation date. If you plan on staying in, then use your military career as a continual training opportunity toward your return to civilian life. It will eventually happen, and you will be better prepared.)
If you are in the military and are approaching your EOAS/ETS date, by now you have probably begun to give serious thought to your post active-duty career. When I was in the Navy, I knew of several people whose most important reason for reenlisting was because they did not know what they would do in the civilian world. I myself was advised that with the economy like it was, I would not be able to find a job and so to re-up was not only my best choice, it was probably my only choice. I got out anyway, and found a very rewarding and lucrative job in the industrial sector.
I interviewed at a machining factory where components for fork trucks were made and found the place was overflowing with CNC machines that were electronically operated and controlled by computer software, as well as welders, motors, drives, computer networks, and its phone system. The electronics were impressive to me at the time and I couldn’t wait for the challenge of learning new applications for the electronics I had been taught in the Navy.
CNC, as applied to machines, means Computer Numerical Control. They are machines which are controlled by computers which run a program containing information that directs the servos in the machine to move to certain positions at certain speeds in order to apply a tool to a work object so that the object is cut and formed into a finished, or semi-finished part. This is a simplistic explanation, but the idea is that electronic devices, computerized controls, and power drives are all used in these machines, all of which should be an easy step for a military electronics specialist to master.
Motors and drives are fundamental to electricians who have worked on fleet or shore machines in any branch of service. The fundamentals of these devices are universal and what a person has used on military equipment will work just as well on industrial machines. The voltages involved range from single phase 120vac to three-phase 480vac, with occasional machines up to 600vac. The drives are electronic, and are used to control motor position, speed, and direction with varying degrees of precision. The step from military to industrial for these machines is very small indeed.
No factory functions these days without computers at nearly every machine, or at least one in each focused cell. I came into industry when computer networks were hard-wired and it took literally miles of cables to connect an entire factory together. Now the split is equally wireless and hard wired to run the industrial intranet and its links to the web. If your skills lie in the direction of networking then there is probably a door open for you somewhere in a modern manufacturing facility.
The one thing I was surprised to pick up was being administrator to the plant phone system. Phones had previously been a mystery to me other than dialing and talking. I wasn’t interested in how they worked as long as they did. However when the company I worked for installed a new system, myself and one coworker were selected to go to the school on the equipment, and I became intimately aware of how a private branch exchange phone system works. It's never been my primary job, but it has drawn some attention on my resume' a couple of times.
Later on in my career, the factory invested in robotics, and I began to push management to send me to a school on the robots we were installing. (Hint: advancing in your career and in your skill set should never be left to accident and good luck. Ask for the training you want and need to perform your job.) Robotics had already made an appearance in the fleet while I was still in. The CIWS units on board most Navy ships were a robotics-based Gatling Gun. People trained on that system or one like it are already a step ahead in preparing for a career in servicing robots in industrial settings, and learning to program them is a fairly easy step from there.
Programmable Logic Controls, or PLCs as they are known, are prolific throughout industry and anyone who can read a relay ladder diagram can very quickly figure out the graphical interface for ladder logic programming. PLCs are used to control an unimaginable variety of industrial equipment, machines, conveyors, lifts, paint systems, ad infinitum, or so it seems. The basics are easily self-taught and there are good schools offered by the manufacturers of the PLCs to get a person up to expert proficiency within a reasonable timeframe.
I was a Fire Control Technician in the Navy, and I worked on the equipment associated with tracking targets, aiming the guns, and computing the solution to hit the target. There were some complicated electronics in my military specialty. When I got out I wanted to continue to be challenged by the technology I was tasked with maintaining and repairing. I personally have worked to direct my career into the Automation, Robotics, and Controls area of industry. Along with that I also do a lot of electrical troubleshooting and repair, as well as installation and commissioning of new equipment.
The point is that the skills you use in the military, on the equipment they trained you on, are highly marketable to industry. Even better, the right people in industry have now realized it and are looking for people with military training and experience to add to their teams.
Here are some steps you can take:
First, work on building your resume. Do some research and figure out how your skill set can be beneficial to the electrical aspect of industry and find ways to emphasize those points on your resume. Use some examples of work you have done and problems you have solved. It never hurts to remind your prospective future employer that the military is a highly team-oriented group and that you have honed some interpersonal skills that will fit very well in your civilian work group as well. Above all, be honest about your abilities. Don’t exaggerate, but don’t downplay your skills either. Tell them how your training for the military will be beneficial to them right out of the gate and that you expect to get better with time and training.
Second, get on LinkedIn and develop a profile that can be viewed by recruiters and the individuals in industry who are looking for people just like you. Use words in your profile that ooze technical prowess and an energetic work ethic, but once again. If you say it, make sure you can do it. Put a link to your LinkedIn profile on your resume’. Start finding people on LinkedIn to network with who are in the industry you are targeting. Get to know them through some correspondence and begin to ask them questions about the work and the knowledge you will need. Apply their answers to where you are in your development and if it fits, add it to your profile, if it don’t, start thinking if there is some way to add that skill in your time remaining. Read a lot of the articles on LinkedIn. Most of them are very informative.
Next, research every industry in the area you are planning to live, if you have a specific location in mind. Find out everything you can about each industry and start a notebook. You should be looking for more than pay and benefits, although those are very important. Use the O*NET to research the career title and determine the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required for the position. Follow the links on that page to determine the salary range and average salary for the position in your chosen area. Transitioning service members can also turn to their transition counselor to get assistance in targeting their resume for the positions. Try to find out what products they produce. What kind of technology is required to fabricate the product, what is the demand for the product? How stable is the company? How long has it been around? Do any of your relatives or friends know anything about it? Check the local newspapers and online business profiles for information. In many interviews I have been asked if I know anything about the company. It’s always better to be able to give a few facts along with a reason that you may want to work there.
Finally, don’t be timid. It’s hard to sell yourself because we are often taught in the military that it is bragging and we should pass the credit on to the team or subordinates. However in a job interview or on a resume’ there’s no one to speak for you but you. Tell them what a great asset you will be to their company. If you can figure out what they need and sell them that aspect of your experience, then everything else you can do seems like a bonus.
If it’s time for you to leave the service, then I hope you will get the most from your military training and experience. You have earned the right to use it to get the most and best from your next career path. From my experience, if you have military electrical and electronic training, you are a perfect candidate for a career as an Industrial Maintenance Electrician, Automation and Controls Technician, a Robotics Technician, Instrumentation and Electronics, or a Field Service Representative working on such equipment, but for the manufacturer instead of the company using it.
Good luck in your first post-military career, and thanks for your service.
James L. Frady
Automation, Robotics, and Control Technician
US Navy Veteran
Posted in these groups: 
Electronics
Electronics
Edited 10 y ago
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 4
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Good Advice,
My brother was a Nuke Machinist Mate and when he got out he started working for Amana installing their laser CNC's he is now out on his own and has made a good career for himself in that field.
I found that as an EM I was better qualified as a maintenance electrician than as a typical commercial/residential electrician. I ended up choosing a different career path though.
My brother was a Nuke Machinist Mate and when he got out he started working for Amana installing their laser CNC's he is now out on his own and has made a good career for himself in that field.
I found that as an EM I was better qualified as a maintenance electrician than as a typical commercial/residential electrician. I ended up choosing a different career path though.
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PO1 James Frady
I agree with that. What path did you ultimately follow? I have a friend who was a good electronics guy, but when he got out he returned to the family business and now owns a plumbing company in Florida. He seems to be doing great.
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PO3 (Join to see)
Well, after some trial and error I ended up being in the automotive fastener industry. I am the purchasing director for a master distributor of autobody clips and fasteners. It's a desk job.
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Suspended Profile
I used to be a nuc mm, once upon a time... Had I not chosen the rabbinate, it's possible I could have ended up somewhere in the tech world...
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I started out as a Poseidon Missile Technician. Early into my Electronics school at Damneck, Virginia Beach VA. I was assigned to teach remedial algebra and trig to students who were failing.
After graduating as an MT3, I was sent to shore duty again as an instructor for Pre-Deployment refresher training for the MT Blue and Gold crews.
I felt stifled, like there was nothing left to learn. No change in the 2 years I was there.
I was overcome with boredom and regret in joining the Navy. There had to be something I can do to fix this. Inspiration came in the form of learning about other Electronics fields. During the recruiting process I was offered Nuc power ET school. Wasn't interested in that.
So I requested an appointment with the Commander. Sitting there, nervous I asked him to do a lateral conversion and change my rating to a Communication Electronics Technician ET.
It was done with a transfer to the USS South Carolina ET division.
I learned every piece of COMM equipment except for KG6's and KY8's crypto and they sent me to NAVMACS Satcom school.
I applied to Martin Marietta, Sperry Univac, GE and IBM in Fort Wayne, IN. None of them would take me. A guy with a nuc weps background is a hard sell. I shrunk my resume minimizing the weps part and removed most of the system certifications.
Indiana had license requirements, so I got the electronics technician and antenna installer. At the same time I took the CET Master exam, 6 hours long at ITT Tech. Passed all three. Dick Glass of the ETA called and congratulated me. I was a 15%er, for passing the first time.
With DOS, Windows 95 98 and XP, then QuickBooks and Quicken to add to my list of certifications, the SATCOM world was behind me.
A DS friend Artie Miller, before his discharge told me, "Tim study and learn, and study and learn."
He picked his job way before getting out. Back in his hometown, they had a telephone switching hub that linked different parts of the country.
He went prepared, studied the equipment, knew how it all connected and was ready for the interview.
Artie wrote a letter to the DS division, ET's and DS's shared a 30 man berthing compartment. It was read to all of us.
He got the job, at his asking salary and was doing great.
I wasn't that prepared. After getting out I had to learn all that stuff mentioned earlier. Every Saturday my Wife and Son left all day and I studied for months to get the license and Certs'.
Some people see it as Magic. We see it as "Input Conversion Output". Looking for a specific result.
My ideal, teaching at ITT, they are gone. So, many times, watching a YouTube video, I will see a problem or someone asks for help, and I will get an opportunity to dust off my TS brain cells, open the Rolodex of tech tips, cycle through them on the backs of my eyelids and give someone a little gift of experiential knowledge.
After graduating as an MT3, I was sent to shore duty again as an instructor for Pre-Deployment refresher training for the MT Blue and Gold crews.
I felt stifled, like there was nothing left to learn. No change in the 2 years I was there.
I was overcome with boredom and regret in joining the Navy. There had to be something I can do to fix this. Inspiration came in the form of learning about other Electronics fields. During the recruiting process I was offered Nuc power ET school. Wasn't interested in that.
So I requested an appointment with the Commander. Sitting there, nervous I asked him to do a lateral conversion and change my rating to a Communication Electronics Technician ET.
It was done with a transfer to the USS South Carolina ET division.
I learned every piece of COMM equipment except for KG6's and KY8's crypto and they sent me to NAVMACS Satcom school.
I applied to Martin Marietta, Sperry Univac, GE and IBM in Fort Wayne, IN. None of them would take me. A guy with a nuc weps background is a hard sell. I shrunk my resume minimizing the weps part and removed most of the system certifications.
Indiana had license requirements, so I got the electronics technician and antenna installer. At the same time I took the CET Master exam, 6 hours long at ITT Tech. Passed all three. Dick Glass of the ETA called and congratulated me. I was a 15%er, for passing the first time.
With DOS, Windows 95 98 and XP, then QuickBooks and Quicken to add to my list of certifications, the SATCOM world was behind me.
A DS friend Artie Miller, before his discharge told me, "Tim study and learn, and study and learn."
He picked his job way before getting out. Back in his hometown, they had a telephone switching hub that linked different parts of the country.
He went prepared, studied the equipment, knew how it all connected and was ready for the interview.
Artie wrote a letter to the DS division, ET's and DS's shared a 30 man berthing compartment. It was read to all of us.
He got the job, at his asking salary and was doing great.
I wasn't that prepared. After getting out I had to learn all that stuff mentioned earlier. Every Saturday my Wife and Son left all day and I studied for months to get the license and Certs'.
Some people see it as Magic. We see it as "Input Conversion Output". Looking for a specific result.
My ideal, teaching at ITT, they are gone. So, many times, watching a YouTube video, I will see a problem or someone asks for help, and I will get an opportunity to dust off my TS brain cells, open the Rolodex of tech tips, cycle through them on the backs of my eyelids and give someone a little gift of experiential knowledge.
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