Telecommunications Equipment Installer and Repairer
$65KHigh match
Stable demand
Skills to develop
- — Fiber optic splicing
- — Advanced networking certifications (e.g., CCNA)
Live · Guide v1.09817 · Career GuideValidated · Lightcast Labor DataUpdated · Q2 20262026 Cohort Active
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USMC · 9817Career Guide · Operations · VWC.CG.9817.R.04
9817 · USMC · EnlistedRadio
Radio
Operator.
Marine Corps 9817 (Radio Operator). 320 hours of formal training translate to 5 validated civilian career pathways with salary bands of $48K–$72K. Sourced from DoD training data and Lightcast labor signals.
Training hours320DoD pipeline
ACE creditACEUp to 3 semester hours in Telecommunications
Tech roles4mapped to your code
Civilian pathways5validated
Cert coverage2/6direct + partial
/ 01 · Tech Roles
Roles your code maps to.
Industry tech roles your 9817 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 9817 training already gave you, and the specific gaps to close — not a generic checklist.
Already have06
- 01Radio Theory and Principles→ Networking Fundamentals
- 02Communications Security (COMSEC) Procedures→ Cybersecurity Principles
- 03Troubleshooting and Basic Repair→ Systems Diagnostics
- 04Situational Awareness→ Incident Response
- 05Rapid Prioritization→ Task Management in High-Pressure Environments
- 06Procedural Compliance→ Adherence to Security Protocols and Standards
To learn08
The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not a generic checklist.
+CCNA certification+Linux system administration basics+Security+ certification+SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) tools+Scripting with Python+Cloud computing basics (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud)+Data analysis using SQL+IT project management methodologies (e.g., Agile)
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.
Broadcast Technician
$58KGood match
Stable demand
Skills to develop
- — Digital audio workstations (DAWs)
- — Specific broadcast equipment training
Avionics Technician
$72KGood match
Growing demand
Skills to develop
- — FAA Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) license
- — Aircraft-specific avionics training
Emergency Dispatcher
$48KModerate match
High demand
Skills to develop
- — Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) certification
- — Crisis communication training
IT Support Specialist
$55KModerate match
Very high demand
Skills to develop
- — CompTIA A+ certification
- — Help desk software proficiency
/ 04 · Hidden Strengths
What the code built.
Cognitive skills your 9817 training built — and where they transfer in civilian work.
Procedural Compliance
Adhering strictly to communications protocols and government regulations when transmitting and receiving sensitive information.
Transfers to
Ensuring adherence to established processes, regulations, and legal standards in a professional setting.
Degraded-Mode Operations
Maintaining effective communication and troubleshooting equipment malfunctions under pressure and in challenging environments.
Transfers to
Adapting to unexpected system failures, resource limitations, or crisis situations, and maintaining operational effectiveness through alternative methods.
Situational Awareness
Monitoring communication channels, understanding the context of messages, and anticipating potential threats or changes in operational requirements.
Transfers to
Maintaining a comprehensive understanding of the environment, recognizing potential risks, and adapting strategies to address changing conditions.
Rapid Prioritization
Quickly assessing the importance and urgency of incoming and outgoing communications to ensure critical information is handled promptly.
Transfers to
Evaluating tasks, requests, or issues to determine their relative importance and urgency, enabling efficient resource allocation.
/ 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.
Compliance Officer
SOC 13-1041You've been trained to meticulously follow regulations and protocols while maintaining clear communications. You'll bring that same discipline to ensuring a company adheres to industry and governmental standards. Your experience in rapidly prioritizing communications and troubleshooting equipment issues translates perfectly to quickly assessing and resolving compliance concerns.
Adjacent · MatchEmergency Dispatcher
SOC 43-5031Your ability to maintain situational awareness and handle communications under pressure is invaluable in this role. You're already skilled in quickly prioritizing information and relaying it accurately, which are essential for coordinating emergency responses. Plus, your experience in troubleshooting equipment malfunctions can help you quickly resolve technical issues that arise during dispatch.
Adjacent · MatchTechnical Writer
SOC 27-3042You're experienced in relaying technical information precisely while following regulations. This makes you an ideal candidate for technical writing, as you're already adept at understanding complex technical issues and communicating them in a clear, concise manner. Your experience in troubleshooting and maintaining equipment also gives you a deeper understanding of the technologies you'll be documenting.
Adjacent · Match/ 06 · Training & Certs
What you trained on.
Academy
Field Radio Operator Course
Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School, Twentynine Palms, CA320hHours
8wkWeeks
ACECredit
Up to 3 semester hours in Telecommunications
Topics · 8
- Radio Theory and Principles
- Antenna Systems and Propagation
- Radiotelephone Procedures
- High Frequency (HF) Radio Communications
- Satellite Communications (SATCOM)
- Manpack Radio Operation and Maintenance
- Communications Security (COMSEC) Procedures
- Troubleshooting and Basic Repair
Partial coverage · 2
- FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License (GROL)70%
Requires passing exams Element 1 and Element 3, which cover basic radio law, operating procedures, and basic electronic theory. While military training provides a strong foundation, some specific FCC regulations and advanced troubleshooting may require additional study.
- Certified Electronics Technician (CET)60%
CET certification requires passing a general electronics exam and an additional specialty exam. Military training provides a solid base in electronics, but targeted study for the CET exams is necessary, especially in areas not directly covered by the 9817 role.
Recommended next · 04
- CompTIA Network+Adjacent
- CompTIA Security+Adjacent
- Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)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 |
|---|---|---|
| AN/PRC-117G Multiband Manpack Radio | Motorola MOTOTRBO Two-Way Radio Systems | Operations |
| AN/PRC-152A Multiband Handheld Radio | Kenwood Digital Two-Way Radios | Operations |
| HF Radio (High Frequency) | Amateur Radio (HAM) | Operations |
| SINCGARS (Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System) | Land Mobile Radio (LMR) Systems | Operations |
| AN/GRA-39 Radio Teletypewriter | Digital communication over radio using software like FLDIGI | Operations |
| KY-100 secure voice terminal | Encrypted VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) software | Operations |
/ Translator · Live
Translate 9817 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.