Project Manager
$95KHigh match
High demand
Skills to develop
- — PMP Certification
- — Agile methodologies
Live · Guide v1.01163 · Career GuideValidated · Lightcast Labor DataUpdated · Q2 20262026 Cohort Active
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NAVY · 1163Career Guide · Operations · VWC.CG.1163.R.04
1163 · NAVY · OfficerSurface Warfare Officer
Surface Warfare Officer
Candidate.
Navy 1163 (Surface Warfare Officer Candidate). 480 hours of formal training translate to 5 validated civilian career pathways with salary bands of $80K–$95K. Sourced from DoD training data and Lightcast labor signals.
Training hours480DoD pipeline
ACE creditACEUp to 6 semester hours recommended in Naval Science and Leadership
Tech roles4mapped to your code
Civilian pathways5validated
Cert coverage2/6direct + partial
/ 01 · Tech Roles
Roles your code maps to.
Industry tech roles your 1163 background maps to — picked from BLS-anchored occupations using your training, cognitive skills, and systems experience.
Sort · Match descending
/ 02 · Skill Bridge
The gap, named.
What 1163 training already gave you, and the specific gaps to close — not a generic checklist.
Already have05
- 01Situational Awareness→ Ability to quickly grasp the dynamics of a complex situation, assess risks, and make informed decisions in dynamic environments.
- 02Rapid Prioritization→ Ability to quickly determine what truly matters and allocate resources accordingly, ensuring critical tasks are addressed first.
- 03Team Synchronization→ Effective team leadership and project management.
- 04Procedural Compliance→ Understanding of regulatory frameworks and quality control.
- 05Shipboard Engineering Systems→ Understanding of complex hardware systems and their integration with software.
To learn08
The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not a generic checklist.
+Cloud computing basics (AWS, Azure, or GCP)+Infrastructure-as-code tools (e.g., Terraform, Ansible)+Network security principles and practices+Threat modeling and security assessment techniques+Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban)+Project management tools (Jira, Asana)+Requirements gathering and documentation techniques+Process modeling and workflow design
How VWC fits
Vets Who Code is a free, full-time software engineering accelerator for veterans, active duty, and military spouses. We close the fundamentals — terminal, web platform, AI tooling, portfolio projects — so the rest of this list becomes specialization, not square one.
See VWC Programs →/ 03 · Civilian Pathways
Where your code lands.
Operations Manager
$90KHigh match
High demand
Skills to develop
- — Lean Six Sigma certification
- — Supply chain management principles
Logistics Manager
$85KGood match
Growing demand
Skills to develop
- — APICS certification
- — Experience with specific logistics software
Marine Engineer
$92KGood match
Stable demand
Skills to develop
- — Professional Engineer (PE) license
- — Specific engineering software proficiency
Technical Sales Engineer
$80KModerate match
High demand
Skills to develop
- — Sales training
- — In-depth knowledge of the specific technology or product being sold
/ 04 · Hidden Strengths
What the code built.
Cognitive skills your 1163 training built — and where they transfer in civilian work.
Situational Awareness
As a Surface Warfare Officer, you are constantly monitoring the ship's environment, from potential threats to the status of your equipment and personnel. You need to anticipate problems before they arise and maintain awareness of everything happening around you, from the tactical situation to the readiness of your team.
Transfers to
This translates directly to the ability to quickly grasp the dynamics of a complex situation, assess risks, and make informed decisions in dynamic environments. It means understanding all the moving pieces and how they interact.
Rapid Prioritization
On a ship, dozens of things can demand your attention simultaneously. You must quickly assess the urgency and importance of each issue to decide where to focus your efforts, whether it's a mechanical failure, a change in the tactical environment, or a personnel matter.
Transfers to
This skill becomes invaluable in any fast-paced industry where you must juggle multiple tasks and competing demands. You can rapidly determine what truly matters and allocate resources accordingly, ensuring critical tasks are addressed first.
Team Synchronization
Leading a team of Sailors requires you to coordinate their actions, ensuring everyone is working together effectively to achieve a common goal. This involves clear communication, understanding individual strengths and weaknesses, and fostering a cohesive unit capable of responding to challenges as one.
Transfers to
In the civilian world, this translates to effective team leadership and project management. You excel at getting diverse groups of people aligned, communicating effectively, and maximizing team performance to achieve project goals.
Procedural Compliance
Operating a naval vessel requires strict adherence to established procedures and protocols. You are responsible for ensuring that your team follows regulations to maintain safety, efficiency, and mission readiness. This includes everything from equipment maintenance to navigation to emergency response.
Transfers to
This rigorous training in procedural compliance translates to a keen understanding of regulatory frameworks and quality control. You are adept at implementing and enforcing procedures, ensuring consistency, and minimizing errors.
/ 05 · Non-Obvious Matches
Roles the recruiter won't suggest.
Adjacent civilian roles your training maps to that conventional military-to-civilian advice tends to miss.
Logistics Manager
SOC 11-3071.00You've been responsible for managing complex systems and coordinating teams to ensure smooth operations. Your experience with resource allocation, procedural compliance, and situational awareness makes you an ideal candidate to oversee the flow of goods, materials, and information in a supply chain.
Adjacent · MatchEmergency Management Director
SOC 11-9161.00You've developed exceptional situational awareness, rapid prioritization skills, and the ability to lead teams in high-pressure situations. Your experience in handling crises and maintaining calm under pressure makes you well-suited to develop and implement emergency response plans for communities or organizations.
Adjacent · MatchBusiness Operations Manager
SOC 13-1199.00You've honed your team synchronization and procedural compliance skills in a demanding environment. Your ability to coordinate complex activities, implement efficient processes, and ensure regulatory adherence makes you an asset to any organization seeking to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness.
Adjacent · Match/ 06 · Training & Certs
What you trained on.
Academy
Surface Warfare Officer School (SWOS)
Newport, RI480hHours
12wkWeeks
ACECredit
Up to 6 semester hours recommended in Naval Science and Leadership
Topics · 8
- Shipboard Engineering Systems
- Naval Weapons Systems
- Damage Control and Firefighting
- Navigation and Piloting
- Leadership and Team Management
- Maritime Law and Regulations
- Naval Communications
- Operational Planning
Partial coverage · 2
- Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)50%
Formal project management methodologies, terminology, and the PMBOK Guide. Focus on the project management lifecycle, stakeholder management, and risk assessment processes.
- OSHA 30-Hour General Industry60%
In-depth coverage of specific OSHA standards not directly addressed in military training, such as hazard communication, electrical safety, and machine guarding. Need to focus on civilian workplace safety regulations.
Recommended next · 04
- Project Management Professional (PMP)Adjacent
- Certified Six Sigma Green BeltAdjacent
- AWS Certified Cloud PractitionerAdjacent
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)Adjacent
/ 07 · Systems Translation
What you ran, in their words.
Military systems you operated and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent | Domain |
|---|---|---|
| Aegis Combat System | Integrated naval combat management systems | Operations |
| Shipboard Air Traffic Radar (SATR) | Commercial marine radar systems | Signals |
| Navigation Sensor System Interface (NAVSSI) | Integrated bridge systems (IBS) for commercial vessels | Signals |
| Global Command and Control System - Maritime (GCCS-M) | Maritime domain awareness (MDA) platforms | Networking |
| AN/SPS-73(V) Surface Search Radar | Coastal surveillance radar | Signals |
| Integrated Condition Assessment System (ICAS) | Predictive maintenance software for industrial equipment | Operations |
/ Translator · Live
Translate 1163 into a resume that ships.
Pair this guide with the VWC AI-powered translator: drop in your service record, get back ATS-optimized civilian resume language tuned to the tech roles above.