Aircraft Mechanic / Aviation Technician
$75KHigh match
High demand
Live · Guide v1.06017 · Career GuideValidated · Lightcast Labor DataUpdated · Q2 20262026 Cohort Active
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USMC · 6017Career Guide · Maintenance · VWC.CG.6017.R.04
6017 · USMC · EnlistedBasic Aircraft Maintenance
Basic Aircraft Maintenance
Marine.
Marine Corps 6017 (Basic Aircraft Maintenance Marine). 240 hours of formal training translate to 5 validated civilian career pathways with salary bands of $65K–$125K. Sourced from DoD training data and Lightcast labor signals.
Training hours240DoD pipeline
ACE creditACEUp to 3 semester hours in aviation maintenance technology
Tech roles4mapped to your code
Civilian pathways5validated
Cert coverage2/5direct + partial
/ 01 · Tech Roles
Roles your code maps to.
Industry tech roles your 6017 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 6017 training already gave you, and the specific gaps to close — not a generic checklist.
Already have07
- 01Aircraft hardware and safety procedures→ Understanding of hardware components and safety protocols
- 02Basic electricity and electronics applicable to aircraft systems→ Fundamentals of electrical circuits and electronic systems
- 03Hydraulic and pneumatic systems maintenance→ Knowledge of fluid dynamics and system maintenance
- 04System Modeling→ Analyzing intricate business processes and technological infrastructures.
- 05Procedural Compliance→ Disciplined approach to following established protocols and maintaining accurate records.
- 06Degraded-Mode Operations→ Troubleshooting complex problems under duress
- 07Situational Awareness→ Identifying and mitigating potential problems in a variety of settings.
To learn12
The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not a generic checklist.
+Python fundamentals+Selenium or Cypress for web testing+SQL for database testing+Help desk ticketing systems (e.g., Zendesk, Jira Service Management)+Remote support tools (e.g., TeamViewer, AnyDesk)+Basic networking concepts+SQL+Data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI)+Statistical analysis methods+Markdown+API documentation+Version control systems (e.g., Git)
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.
Aerospace Engineer
$125KGood match
Growing demand
Skills to develop
- — Bachelor's Degree in Aerospace Engineering
- — CAD Software
- — FEA (Finite Element Analysis)
Powerplant Mechanic
$80KHigh match
High demand
Skills to develop
- — FAA Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) license
Wind Turbine Technician
$65KModerate match
Very high demand
Skills to develop
- — Experience with large rotating machinery
- — Electrical troubleshooting
- — Safety certifications (e.g., OSHA 30)
Maintenance Supervisor
$85KGood match
Stable demand
Skills to develop
- — Project management experience
- — Leadership training
- — Budget management
/ 04 · Hidden Strengths
What the code built.
Cognitive skills your 6017 training built — and where they transfer in civilian work.
System Modeling
You develop comprehensive mental models of complex aircraft systems to troubleshoot issues, predict potential failures, and understand how individual components interact within the larger system.
Transfers to
Your ability to understand and visualize complex systems translates directly into analyzing intricate business processes and technological infrastructures.
Procedural Compliance
You meticulously adhere to detailed maintenance procedures and technical manuals to ensure the safety and operational readiness of aircraft. This includes rigorous documentation and quality control processes.
Transfers to
Your disciplined approach to following established protocols and maintaining accurate records is invaluable in regulated industries where compliance is paramount.
Degraded-Mode Operations
You are trained to diagnose and repair aircraft malfunctions under pressure, often with limited resources or in challenging environments, ensuring mission success even when systems are not functioning optimally.
Transfers to
Your experience in troubleshooting complex problems under duress equips you to handle crisis situations, identify root causes, and implement effective solutions in fast-paced environments.
Situational Awareness
You maintain a constant awareness of the aircraft's operational status, environmental conditions, and potential hazards to ensure the safety of personnel and equipment during maintenance procedures.
Transfers to
Your heightened awareness of your surroundings and potential risks makes you adept at identifying and mitigating potential problems in a variety of settings.
/ 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.
Quality Assurance Manager
SOC 11-3051.00You've been trained to adhere to strict procedures and quality standards while maintaining aircraft. This translates directly to overseeing quality control processes in manufacturing or other industries, ensuring products meet required specifications and regulations.
Adjacent · MatchTechnical Trainer
SOC 25-9044.00You've gained in-depth knowledge of aircraft systems and maintenance procedures. Leverage this expertise to train technicians and other personnel on the operation, maintenance, and repair of complex equipment in various industries.
Adjacent · MatchField Service Engineer
SOC 49-9071.00Your experience in diagnosing and repairing aircraft malfunctions in the field makes you well-suited to troubleshoot and repair complex machinery or equipment at customer sites. Your ability to work independently and solve problems under pressure is highly valued in this role.
Adjacent · MatchPredictive Maintenance Analyst
SOC 15-2031.00You've learned to anticipate potential aircraft failures through system modeling and pattern recognition. You can apply these skills to analyze data from sensors and other sources to predict equipment failures and optimize maintenance schedules in manufacturing or transportation industries.
Adjacent · Match/ 06 · Training & Certs
What you trained on.
Academy
Airframes School
Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, NC240hHours
6wkWeeks
ACECredit
Up to 3 semester hours in aviation maintenance technology
Topics · 6
- Aircraft hardware and safety procedures
- Basic electricity and electronics applicable to aircraft systems
- Hydraulic systems maintenance
- Pneumatic systems maintenance
- Aircraft structural components and repair techniques
- Basic aircraft engine principles
Partial coverage · 2
- FAA Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) Mechanic70%
While the Marine Corps training provides a strong foundation in aircraft maintenance, additional study may be needed in areas such as FAA regulations, specific civilian aircraft systems, and some aspects of powerplant theory.
- Certified Aviation Manager (CAM)40%
This is more of a management certification, so the gaps would be leadership, business management, and aviation-specific regulatory knowledge (if aiming for a management role).
Recommended next · 03
- FAA Inspection Authorization (IA)Adjacent
- ASQ Certified Quality Technician (CQT)Adjacent
- Project Management Professional (PMP)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 |
|---|---|---|
| Joint Technical Data Integration (JTDI) | SAE International Aerospace Material Specifications (AMS) | Operations |
| Naval Aviation Logistics Command Management Information System (NALCOMIS) | Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems for aviation maintenance, such as SAP or Oracle | Networking |
| Automated Test Equipment (ATE) for avionics systems | Automated Test Equipment (ATE) for electronic component testing and diagnostics | Operations |
| Aircraft Engine Diagnostic Systems (various) | Engine monitoring and diagnostic software, such as those used by Pratt & Whitney or GE Aviation | Aviation |
| Technical Manuals and Publications Library (TM/PI) | Online technical documentation databases and subscription services | Operations |
| Corrosion Control Program | Aerospace coating and corrosion prevention solutions (e.g., Henkel, PPG Aerospace) | Operations |
/ Translator · Live
Translate 6017 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.