Aircraft Mechanic/Technician
$73KHigh match
High demand
Skills to develop
- — FAA Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) certification
- — Specific aircraft model training
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USMC · 6072Career Guide · Maintenance · VWC.CG.6072.R.04
6072 · USMC · EnlistedAircraft Maintenance Support Equipment
Aircraft Maintenance Support Equipment
Mechanic.
Marine Corps 6072 (Aircraft Maintenance Support Equipment Mechanic). 520 hours of formal training translate to 5 validated civilian career pathways with salary bands of $57K–$78K. Sourced from DoD training data and Lightcast labor signals.
Training hours520DoD pipeline
ACE creditACEUp to 6 semester hours in mechanical technology
Tech roles4mapped to your code
Civilian pathways5validated
Cert coverage2/5direct + partial
/ 01 · Tech Roles
Roles your code maps to.
Industry tech roles your 6072 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 6072 training already gave you, and the specific gaps to close — not a generic checklist.
Already have06
- 01Troubleshooting hydraulic and pneumatic systems→ Troubleshooting and debugging code
- 02Reading technical manuals and schematics→ Reading and understanding technical documentation
- 03System Modeling→ Understanding software architecture and design
- 04Procedural Compliance→ Following coding standards and best practices
- 05Degraded-Mode Operations→ Problem-solving under pressure in dynamic environments
- 06Situational Awareness→ Effective risk management and proactive problem-solving
To learn08
The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not a generic checklist.
+Python fundamentals+Selenium or Cypress for web testing+Bash scripting+Linux server administration basics+Help desk ticketing systems (e.g., Jira Service Management)+Basic networking concepts+SQL for data querying+Data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI)
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.
Hydraulic Technician
$62KHigh match
Stable demand
Skills to develop
- — Commercial hydraulic systems experience
- — Industry-specific certifications (e.g., Fluid Power Society)
Wind Turbine Technician
$58KGood match
Growing demand
Skills to develop
- — OSHA safety certifications
- — Climbing and rescue training
- — Electrical systems knowledge
Industrial Machinery Mechanic
$57KGood match
Stable demand
Skills to develop
- — PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) training
- — Experience with specific industrial machinery types
Maintenance Supervisor
$78KModerate match
Growing demand
Skills to develop
- — Project Management certification
- — Leadership training
- — Experience with maintenance management software
/ 04 · Hidden Strengths
What the code built.
Cognitive skills your 6072 training built — and where they transfer in civilian work.
System Modeling
As a 6072, you troubleshoot complex hydraulic and pneumatic systems, which requires building a mental model of how each component interacts and how failures in one area can cascade to others.
Transfers to
This ability to understand and predict how different parts of a system affect each other is valuable in any role that involves designing, maintaining, or optimizing complex processes.
Procedural Compliance
Your work is governed by strict maintenance manuals and safety regulations. Deviations can have catastrophic consequences, so rigorous adherence to procedures is critical.
Transfers to
This commitment to following protocols and documenting your work meticulously translates to success in highly regulated industries where precision and accountability are paramount.
Degraded-Mode Operations
You're skilled at improvising repairs and finding workarounds when parts are unavailable or equipment malfunctions. This means keeping systems operational even under less-than-ideal circumstances.
Transfers to
This knack for problem-solving under pressure and adapting to unforeseen challenges makes you invaluable in dynamic environments that require quick thinking and resourcefulness.
Situational Awareness
Maintaining aircraft support equipment safely requires constantly monitoring the environment, anticipating potential hazards, and coordinating with other personnel on the flight line.
Transfers to
This heightened awareness and ability to anticipate risks translate into effective risk management and proactive problem-solving in any industry.
/ 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.
Wind Turbine Technician
SOC 49-9099.01You've been working with complex hydraulic and pneumatic systems, troubleshooting mechanical issues, and adhering to strict maintenance protocols – all of which are directly applicable to maintaining wind turbines. Your ability to work at heights and in challenging conditions is also a major asset.
Adjacent · MatchAmusement Park Ride Mechanic
SOC 49-9071.00Your experience maintaining aircraft support equipment translates directly to amusement park rides, which rely heavily on hydraulic, pneumatic, and structural systems. You've been trained to diagnose and repair complex mechanical systems, ensuring safety and operational efficiency.
Adjacent · MatchIndustrial Machinery Mechanic
SOC 49-9041.00You've honed your skills on aircraft support equipment and can easily apply them to industrial settings. Your experience with hydraulic and pneumatic systems, combined with your problem-solving abilities, will make you an effective industrial mechanic.
Adjacent · Match/ 06 · Training & Certs
What you trained on.
Academy
Air Support Equipment Mechanic Course
Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, NC520hHours
13wkWeeks
ACECredit
Up to 6 semester hours in mechanical technology
Topics · 8
- Basic hydraulics and pneumatics principles
- Aircraft support equipment operation and safety
- Preventative maintenance procedures
- Troubleshooting hydraulic and pneumatic systems
- Repair and overhaul of SE components
- NDI (Nondestructive Inspection) techniques for SE
- Licensing procedures for SE operators
- Use of technical manuals and schematics
Partial coverage · 2
- Certified Fluid Power Hydraulic Specialist70%
Requires study of specific hydraulic component design, advanced circuit analysis, and troubleshooting techniques beyond basic maintenance.
- Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) General40%
Requires additional study of FAA regulations, aircraft-specific systems beyond support equipment, and practical experience on airframes and engines.
Recommended next · 03
- Certified Aviation Ground Equipment Mechanic (various)Adjacent
- AWS Certified Welding InspectorAdjacent
- OSHA 30-Hour General IndustryAdjacent
/ 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hydraulic Test Stand (various models) | Hydraulic fluid power test benches and systems | Operations |
| Pneumatic Test Stand (various models) | Pneumatic system testing and calibration equipment | Operations |
| Aircraft Jacks (Tripod, Axle) | Hydraulic lifts and automotive jacks | Aviation |
| NDT Equipment (dye penetrant, magnetic particle) | Non-destructive testing equipment (NDT) and services | Operations |
| Torque Wrenches (various models and capacities) | Calibrated torque wrenches and torque testing equipment | Operations |
| Multimeters and Oscilloscopes | Digital multimeters (DMMs) and oscilloscopes | Operations |
| Technical Manuals (IETMs) | OEM equipment repair manuals and diagnostic software | Operations |
/ Translator · Live
Translate 6072 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.