2A373 Career Guide
2A373: Tactical Aircraft Maintenance
Career transition guide for Air Force Tactical Aircraft Maintenance (2A373)
Translate Your 2A373 Experience Now
Get a personalized AI-powered translation of your military experience into civilian resume language.
Start Free TranslationTech Roles You Could Aim For
Real industry tech roles your 2A373 background maps to — picked from BLS-anchored occupations using your training, cognitive skills, and systems experience.
QA / Test Automation Engineer
Engineering
Your experience with procedural compliance, interpreting technical data, and troubleshooting complex systems translates well to QA. You are used to following detailed inspection procedures and ensuring quality, which directly applies to creating and executing test plans.
Typical stack:
DevOps Engineer
DevOps / Platform
Your background in aircraft maintenance involves managing complex systems, understanding interdependencies, and ensuring smooth operations. This aligns with the core responsibilities of a DevOps engineer, who focuses on automating and streamlining software development and deployment processes. Skills in system modeling and rapid prioritization are valuable in managing infrastructure.
Typical stack:
Data Analyst
Data
Your experience with aircraft forms, records management, and automated maintenance data systems provides a foundation for data analysis. Your training in maintenance data collection summaries to determine trends and production effectiveness is directly applicable. You can leverage these skills to analyze data, identify trends, and provide insights to improve decision-making.
Typical stack:
IT Support Specialist (Help Desk)
Infrastructure
Your experience troubleshooting and advising on problems maintaining and servicing aircraft and aerospace equipment translates directly to IT support. You have experience with both hardware and software systems (interpreting automated technical data) and are adept at problem-solving under pressure.
Typical stack:
Skills You Already Have
Concrete bridges from 2A373 experience to tech-industry practice.
- System Modeling→ Troubleshooting and diagnostics of complex systems, applicable to software and infrastructure.
- Procedural Compliance→ Adhering to coding standards, testing protocols, and security requirements.
- Rapid Prioritization→ Managing incidents, prioritizing tasks, and resolving issues efficiently in a fast-paced development environment.
- IMDS (Integrated Maintenance Data System)→ Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) software, such as IBM Maximo or SAP Plant Maintenance
- JDRS (Joint Deficiency Reporting System)→ Quality control and defect tracking systems, such as Jira or Bugzilla
Skills to Learn
The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not generic.
How VWC fits
Vets Who Code accelerates the parts we teach — software engineering fundamentals, web development, AI tooling. For everything else above, the path is doable independently with the resources we link to.
See VWC ProgramsCivilian Career Pathways
Top civilian roles for 2A373 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.
Aircraft Mechanic / Aviation Technician
Avionics Technician
Skills to develop:
Quality Control Inspector (Aerospace)
Skills to develop:
Aerospace Engineering Technician
Skills to develop:
Wind Turbine Technician
Skills to develop:
Salary estimates from VWC career data
Hidden Strengths
Cognitive skills your 2A373 training built — and where they transfer.
System Modeling
Diagnosing aircraft malfunctions requires understanding how various systems interact. The 2A373 analyzes system behavior to pinpoint the root cause of problems, considering interconnectedness and dependencies.
This ability to understand and troubleshoot complex systems translates to diagnosing and resolving issues in various industries, such as manufacturing, IT, or infrastructure management. You can visualize how different components work together.
Procedural Compliance
Aircraft maintenance is heavily regulated. The 2A373 adheres to strict maintenance procedures, documentation requirements, and safety protocols to ensure airworthiness and prevent accidents.
Your meticulous attention to detail and unwavering commitment to following established procedures are highly valuable in roles demanding accuracy, consistency, and adherence to regulations. This is applicable to highly regulated industries such as pharmaceuticals.
Rapid Prioritization
During sortie generation, the 2A373 must quickly assess and prioritize maintenance tasks to ensure aircraft are ready for flight. This involves juggling multiple demands, identifying critical issues, and allocating resources effectively under pressure.
Your ability to quickly assess situations, identify critical priorities, and make decisive decisions under pressure is a valuable asset in any fast-paced environment. You excel at managing competing demands and ensuring timely completion of tasks.
Situational Awareness
Maintaining aircraft requires constant awareness of the surrounding environment, including potential hazards, ongoing operations, and the status of other team members. The 2A373 anticipates potential problems and takes proactive measures to prevent accidents and ensure safety.
Your heightened awareness of your surroundings, ability to anticipate potential problems, and proactive approach to safety make you an ideal candidate for roles requiring vigilance, risk management, and the ability to maintain a safe working environment.
Non-Obvious Career Matches
Wind Turbine Technician
SOC 49-9099.01You've been working with complex electromechanical systems. Wind turbines require similar skills in maintenance, diagnostics, and repair. Your experience with safety protocols and documentation also aligns well with the demands of this role. Your ability to troubleshoot and repair under pressure makes you a great fit.
Amusement Park Ride Mechanic
SOC 49-9071.00You're adept at diagnosing and repairing mechanical systems. Amusement park rides are complex and require regular maintenance to ensure safety. You already have the precision and commitment to safety needed for this role. Your experience with critical safety measures, and functional testing translates well.
Industrial Machinery Mechanic
SOC 49-9041.00You're skilled in maintaining and repairing complex machinery. Industrial machinery mechanics perform similar tasks on a larger scale. Your ability to interpret technical manuals and troubleshoot problems will be invaluable. Your skill at maintaining complex systems for air-readiness means you'll be able to adapt to this environment quickly.
Training & Education Equivalencies
Aircraft Maintenance Technical School, Sheppard AFB, TX
Topics Covered
- •Aircraft Electrical Systems
- •Hydraulic Systems Maintenance
- •Engine Troubleshooting and Repair (Specific to Assigned Airframe)
- •Aircraft Forms and Records Management
- •Corrosion Control and Prevention
- •NDI (Non-Destructive Inspection) Basics
- •Aircraft Launch and Recovery Procedures
- •Aerospace Ground Equipment Operation and Maintenance
Certification Pathways
Partial Coverage
FAA regulations, specific requirements for general aviation aircraft, and hands-on experience with non-military aircraft types are required.
Focus on business management, leadership, and strategic planning within a civilian aviation context; Requires further study of financial management, marketing, and human resources as they apply to aviation businesses.
Recommended Next Certifications
Technical Systems Translation
Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Integrated Maintenance Data System (IMDS) | Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) software, such as IBM Maximo or SAP Plant Maintenance |
| Automated Technical Order System (ATOS) | Digital document management systems for technical manuals, such as those offered by Adobe or DocuSign |
| Centralized Engine Management System (CEMS) | Engine performance monitoring and diagnostic software, like those from GE or Pratt & Whitney for commercial aviation |
| Joint Deficiency Reporting System (JDRS) | Quality control and defect tracking systems, such as Jira or Bugzilla |
| Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI) equipment (X-ray, ultrasound) | Industrial radiography and ultrasonic testing equipment used in manufacturing and engineering |
| Aerospace Ground Equipment (AGE) - various powered and non-powered support equipment | Ground support equipment (GSE) used in commercial aviation, such as aircraft tugs, power units, and hydraulic test stands |
| Hot Pit Refueling Systems | High-flow refueling systems used in motorsport or emergency services |
Ready to Translate Your Experience?
Our AI-powered translator converts your 2A373 experience into ATS-optimized civilian resume language.
Translate My Resume — Free