International Business Development Manager
$140KHigh match
High demand
Skills to develop
- — Advanced negotiation skills
- — Specific industry knowledge
Live · Guide v1.01710 · Career GuideValidated · Lightcast Labor DataUpdated · Q2 20262026 Cohort Active
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NAVY · 1710Career Guide · Operations · VWC.CG.1710.R.04
1710 · NAVY · OfficerForeign Area Officer (FAO)
Foreign Area Officer (FAO)
Candidate.
Navy 1710 (Foreign Area Officer (FAO) Candidate). 480 hours of formal training translate to 5 validated civilian career pathways with salary bands of $75K–$140K. Sourced from DoD training data and Lightcast labor signals.
Training hours480DoD pipeline
ACE creditACEUp to 9 semester hours recommended in International Relations, Political Science, or Area Studies
Tech roles3mapped to your code
Civilian pathways5validated
Cert coverage2/5direct + partial
/ 01 · Tech Roles
Roles your code maps to.
Industry tech roles your 1710 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 1710 training already gave you, and the specific gaps to close — not a generic checklist.
Already have06
- 01Situational Awareness→ Understanding market dynamics and predicting trends
- 02Adversarial Thinking→ Identifying potential risks and developing mitigation strategies
- 03Resource Optimization→ Allocating resources efficiently and maximizing productivity
- 04After-Action Analysis→ Evaluating projects and developing actionable insights
- 05Navy Correspondence Manual→ Business writing and communication
- 06Microsoft Office Suite→ General productivity and collaboration tools
To learn06
The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not a generic checklist.
+SQL for data querying+Data visualization with Tableau or PowerBI+Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban)+Project management software (e.g., Jira, Asana)+Compliance frameworks (e.g., NIST, ISO 27001)+Security information and event management (SIEM) systems
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.
Political Risk Analyst
$110KGood match
Growing demand
Skills to develop
- — Advanced financial modeling
- — Country-specific expertise
Intelligence Analyst
$95KHigh match
Stable demand
Skills to develop
- — Data analysis certifications
- — Specific software proficiency
International Aid/Development Worker
$75KGood match
Stable demand
Skills to develop
- — Grant writing
- — Project management certification
- — Specific sector knowledge (e.g., public health)
Corporate Security Manager (International)
$125KModerate match
Growing demand
Skills to develop
- — Corporate security certifications (e.g., CPP)
- — Risk management expertise
/ 04 · Hidden Strengths
What the code built.
Cognitive skills your 1710 training built — and where they transfer in civilian work.
Situational Awareness
As a Foreign Area Officer in training, you're constantly assessing the geopolitical landscape, cultural nuances, and potential threats within your assigned region. You're building a deep understanding of the environment to anticipate challenges and opportunities.
Transfers to
This translates to a strong ability to understand the dynamics of a market, industry, or organization. You can quickly grasp the key factors at play and predict how events might unfold.
Adversarial Thinking
While in training, you're exposed to various scenarios and simulations that require you to anticipate the actions and reactions of potential adversaries, understanding their motivations and strategies.
Transfers to
This skill allows you to think critically about competitors, identify potential risks, and develop strategies to mitigate them. You're adept at anticipating challenges and finding innovative solutions.
Resource Optimization
Even during training, you're responsible for managing your time, budget, and available resources to achieve your objectives. You learn to make the most of limited assets and prioritize effectively.
Transfers to
You're highly skilled at allocating resources efficiently and maximizing productivity. You can identify areas for improvement and develop strategies to optimize processes and reduce waste.
After-Action Analysis
Formal training environments emphasize learning from experience through rigorous after-action reviews. You develop the ability to objectively assess your performance, identify areas for improvement, and implement corrective actions.
Transfers to
You have a natural ability to evaluate projects, initiatives, and strategies. You can identify what worked well, what didn't, and develop actionable insights to improve future performance.
/ 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.
Market Research Analyst
SOC 19-3022.00You've been developing a deep understanding of foreign cultures and geopolitical situations. This translates directly to understanding market trends, consumer behavior, and competitive landscapes. You can use your analytical skills to gather data, identify opportunities, and provide valuable insights to businesses.
Adjacent · MatchBusiness Development Manager
SOC 11-2011.00You've been trained to identify opportunities and build relationships in complex environments. This makes you an ideal candidate for fostering strategic partnerships, expanding market reach, and driving revenue growth for companies seeking to operate globally.
Adjacent · MatchIntelligence Analyst
SOC 13-2011.00You've honed your analytical and critical thinking skills to assess threats and opportunities. In the civilian sector, you can leverage these skills to identify and mitigate risks related to cybersecurity, fraud, or other forms of business intelligence.
Adjacent · Match/ 06 · Training & Certs
What you trained on.
Academy
Foreign Area Officer (FAO) Basic Course
Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA480hHours
12wkWeeks
ACECredit
Up to 9 semester hours recommended in International Relations, Political Science, or Area Studies
Topics · 8
- Regional Studies and Analysis
- Cross-Cultural Communication
- Political-Military Affairs
- International Relations Theory
- Economics and Development
- Language Immersion Preparation
- Security Cooperation
- Naval Strategy and Foreign Policy
Partial coverage · 2
- Certified International Trade Professional (CITP)60%
Requires understanding of specific international trade regulations, finance, and marketing principles, which are typically not covered in general Foreign Area Officer training. Focus on trade law, global supply chain management, and international marketing strategies.
- Project Management Professional (PMP)40%
Requires formal training in project management methodologies (e.g., Agile, Waterfall) and the PMBOK guide. Focus study on the five process groups (Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, Closing) and ten knowledge areas (e.g., Integration, Scope, Schedule, Cost, Quality, Resources, Communications, Risk, Procurement, Stakeholder).
Recommended next · 03
- Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS)Adjacent
- Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE)Adjacent
- Certified Protection Professional (CPP)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 |
|---|---|---|
| Defense Language Aptitude Battery (DLAB) | Foreign language aptitude testing services | Operations |
| Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) | Corporate travel management software (e.g., Concur) | Operations |
| Navy Correspondence Manual | Business writing style guides and communication platforms | Operations |
| Microsoft Office Suite (Navy Standard) | Equivalent civilian Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace | Operations |
| DTS (Defense Travel System) | Travel and expense management software (e.g., Expensify, SAP Concur) | Operations |
| NSIPS (Navy Standard Integrated Personnel System) | Human Resource Management Systems (HRMS) like Workday or Oracle HCM | Operations |
/ Translator · Live
Translate 1710 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.