There are hundreds of ways to make a living out of a military career, and many of those military jobs can help you gain the experience you need to gain a rewarding career as a civilian.

You might have seen one of the many advertisements out there about how a stint in the military can help you gain valuable skills that can translate into a great career. Military veterans are known for their physical and mental endurance, aptitude for leadership, and technical proficiencies. These are all skills that employers love to see! Military services provide valuable job training that can easily transfer to the civilian workforce.

In addition to developing a disciplined attitude and a strong work ethic, a potential job applicant can transition fairly seamlessly from military to civilian worker. For instance, someone who works in the aeronautics department of the military can work as a civilian airline pilot, air traffic controller, or flight engineer.

So, if you’re not sure what career path to take, a few months in the military might provide you with some guidance. A job in the military can take you to the culinary, electrical, technical, medical, legal, and computer fields. In fact, the military has over 140 occupational specialties that have civilian counterparts. Some examples of post-military careers include plumber, paramedic, mechanic, chef, and computer specialist.

One of the perks to being in the military is that the government will provide you with free on-the job training, where you will have the opportunity to learn a trade in addition to basic soldiering skills. Here are some exciting military jobs that can translate to the private sector:

Military nurse
Nurses play an important role in military hospitals and clinics. They help surgeons and physicians treat patients, administer injections and medication, and keep patient condition records. In contrast, civilian nurses perform many of the same duties as a military nurse!

Computer systems specialist
It is the responsibility of a military computer systems specialist to process data on other personnel, weather, finance, and communications, in addition to operating other types of sophisticated computer equipment. So, if you enjoy tinkering with computers, a career in the military can teach you how to use a variety of computer programs and prepare you for careers in web design, computer networking, and programming.

Food services
Everybody to has to eat! Each day, chefs prepare more than one million meals for military personnel. This means that military food specialists are responsible for preparing and cooking a huge amount of food. Their culinary civilian counterparts find jobs in restaurants, catering companies, cafeterias, and cafes.

Electrician
The army uses electricity to perform a wide variety of jobs. Electricians are needed to help light hospitals, run power tools, and operate all sorts of electrical equipment. Army electricians install and maintain electrical equipment up to 600 volts. The skills you learn as an army electrician will help prepare you for any type of civilian electrician job!

Welding
Metal is used everywhere in the military—ships, tanks, aircrafts, roofs, and vents. Military welders perform the same duties as their civilian counterparts. They are responsible for welding, brazing, and fusing metal parts together. Among many other places, civilian welders may take jobs in auto repair shops, construction companies, and shipyards.