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7318 Career Guide

Navy

7318: Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) Officer

Career transition guide for Navy Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) Officer (7318)

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Tech Roles You Could Aim For

Real industry tech roles your 7318 background maps to — picked from BLS-anchored occupations using your training, cognitive skills, and systems experience.

DevOps Engineer

DevOps / Platform

SOC 15-1244
Good match

Your experience maintaining aircraft launch/recovery equipment and aviation fuel systems translates to managing and automating infrastructure. Your rapid prioritization skills are crucial for incident response in DevOps.

Typical stack:

CI/CD tooling (GitHub Actions, GitLab, Jenkins)Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Pulumi)Containers (Docker, Kubernetes)Cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure)Linux

Security Engineer

Security

SOC 15-1212
Moderate match

Your background in aircraft crash and salvage operations, firefighting techniques, and hazardous material handling directly applies to incident response and risk management. Understanding of ILARTS and CVIC displays translates to security monitoring systems.

Typical stack:

Networking and OS internalsCryptography fundamentalsThreat modelingCloud security (IAM, VPC)Code review for security

Technical Program Manager

Product

SOC 11-3021
Good match

Your experience planning, supervising, and executing complex operations on aircraft carriers, along with your rapid prioritization and team synchronization skills, aligns well with the responsibilities of a technical program manager.

Typical stack:

Software systems literacy (read code, read architecture diagrams)Cross-team coordinationRisk and dependency managementWritten communicationStakeholder reporting

Computer Systems Analyst

Customer / Field

SOC 15-1211
Moderate match

Your familiarity with systems like ILARTS, NAFMS, and CVIC displays demonstrates an aptitude for analyzing and understanding complex systems. You can leverage your system modeling skills to help organizations improve their IT infrastructure.

Typical stack:

Software systems literacyProcess mappingRequirements gatheringSQLStakeholder communication

Skills You Already Have

Concrete bridges from 7318 experience to tech-industry practice.

  • Aircraft Carrier OperationsUnderstanding of complex, integrated systems
  • Flight Deck Safety ProceduresRisk management and safety protocols
  • Aviation Fuel SystemsUnderstanding of storage and dispensing systems
  • Rapid PrioritizationIncident response and critical decision-making
  • Team SynchronizationCross-functional collaboration
  • Hazardous Material HandlingSecurity best practices

Skills to Learn

The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not generic.

Linux server administrationCloud computing basics (AWS, Azure, or GCP)Scripting with Python or BashCybersecurity fundamentalsSecurity Information and Event Management (SIEM) toolsProject management methodologies (Agile, Scrum)Technical documentation and communicationData analysis and visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI)

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 Programs

Civilian Career Pathways

Top civilian roles for 7318 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.

Airport Operations Manager

$95K
High matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

FAA Part 139 Certification

Logistics Manager

$85K
Good matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

Supply chain management software (SAP, Oracle)Project management certification (PMP)

Facilities Manager

$78K
Good matchStable demand

Skills to develop:

Certified Facility Manager (CFM) credentialOSHA safety standards

Aviation Safety Inspector

$80K
Moderate matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

FAA certifications related to specific aircraft typesAdvanced knowledge of aviation safety regulations

Emergency Management Specialist

$75K
Moderate matchStable demand

Skills to develop:

FEMA certifications (ICS, NIMS)HAZMAT training

Salary estimates from VWC career data

Hidden Strengths

Cognitive skills your 7318 training built — and where they transfer.

Rapid Prioritization

As an Aircraft Handling Officer, you constantly juggle multiple aircraft movements, maintenance schedules, and safety protocols simultaneously. You must rapidly assess changing conditions, like weather or mechanical issues, and adjust priorities to maintain flight operations and safety.

This ability to quickly assess situations, identify critical needs, and re-prioritize tasks under pressure translates directly to project management and emergency response roles.

System Modeling

You understand the complex interconnectedness of aircraft, fueling systems, launch/recovery equipment, and personnel on a flight deck. You intuitively model the impact of changes in one area on the overall system, allowing you to anticipate potential problems and optimize workflow.

Your experience visualizing and managing complex systems makes you an ideal candidate for roles requiring systems analysis, process optimization, and logistical planning.

Team Synchronization

The flight deck is a highly orchestrated environment where success depends on the precise coordination of numerous teams. You are responsible for ensuring these teams – from pilots to mechanics to fuel handlers – work seamlessly together to achieve mission objectives.

Your experience leading and synchronizing diverse teams in high-pressure situations translates well to supervisory and managerial roles in any industry, particularly those with complex operations and tight deadlines.

Situational Awareness

Maintaining constant awareness of the position of aircraft, personnel, and equipment on the flight deck is crucial for safety and efficiency. You're trained to process information from multiple sources simultaneously and react instantly to potential hazards.

Your heightened situational awareness and ability to quickly interpret data from various sources are valuable assets in roles requiring risk assessment, security management, and operations oversight.

Non-Obvious Career Matches

Hospital Administrator

SOC 11-9111.00

You've been orchestrating complex operations in a dynamic, high-stakes environment. You're skilled at resource allocation, team coordination, and emergency response, making you well-suited to managing the various departments and personnel within a hospital setting and ensuring smooth patient flow.

Logistics Manager

SOC 11-3071.00

You've been responsible for the efficient movement and storage of aircraft, fuel, and equipment on a ship. You're adept at planning, organizing, and overseeing complex logistical operations, ensuring that resources are available when and where they're needed. You'll bring these optimization skills to any supply chain.

Emergency Management Director

SOC 11-9161.00

You've been trained to handle aircraft crashes and salvage operations, fire-fighting, and other emergencies. You're familiar with developing and implementing emergency response plans, coordinating with various agencies, and managing resources during a crisis. Your experience with crisis management translates perfectly to disaster preparedness and response.

Training & Education Equivalencies

Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) Officer Training, Naval Air Station Pensacola, FL

240 training hours6 weeksUp to 3 semester hours recommended in Aviation Management

Topics Covered

  • Aircraft Carrier Operations
  • Flight Deck Safety Procedures
  • Aircraft Handling Equipment Maintenance
  • Aviation Fuel Systems
  • Crash and Salvage Operations
  • Firefighting Techniques
  • Hazardous Material Handling

Certification Pathways

Partial Coverage

Certified Aviation Manager (CAM)60% covered

This certification requires knowledge in business aviation, including maintenance management, flight operations, and safety management systems. Study areas like finance, marketing, and strategic planning will be needed.

Certified Safety Professional (CSP)50% covered

While experienced in safety procedures related to aircraft handling, the CSP requires broader knowledge of safety engineering, risk management, and occupational health and safety standards. Study relevant OSHA regulations and safety management principles.

Recommended Next Certifications

Project Management Professional (PMP)Lean Six Sigma Green BeltCertified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM)

Technical Systems Translation

Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.

Military SystemCivilian Equivalent
Integrated Launch And Recovery Television Surveillance (ILARTS)Industrial video monitoring and recording systems
Landing Signals Officer (LSO) PlatformAutomated landing systems
Naval Aviation Fuel Management System (NAFMS)Automated fuel management and inventory control systems
Aircraft Crash and Salvage Crane (e.g., Oshkosh)Heavy-duty recovery cranes
AFFF (Aqueous Film Forming Foam) Firefighting SystemIndustrial fire suppression systems
CVIC (Carrier Visual Information Center) DisplaysIntegrated control center displays
JP-5 Fuel Testing EquipmentPetroleum product quality control testing equipment

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