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Live · Guide v1.01165 · Career GuideValidated · Lightcast Labor DataUpdated · Q2 20262026 Cohort Active
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NAVY · 1165Career Guide · Operations · VWC.CG.1165.R.04
1165 · NAVY · Officer

Surface Warfare Officer
(Trainee).

Navy 1165 (Surface Warfare Officer (Trainee)). 480 hours of formal training translate to 5 validated civilian career pathways with salary bands of $70K–$95K. Sourced from DoD training data and Lightcast labor signals.

Training hours480DoD pipeline
ACE creditACEUp to 6 semester hours in Naval Science
Tech roles4mapped to your code
Civilian pathways5validated
Cert coverage2/6direct + partial
/ 01 · Tech Roles

Roles your code maps to.

SOURCE · BLS + LIGHTCAST ROLES · 4

Industry tech roles your 1165 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 1165 training already gave you, and the specific gaps to close — not a generic checklist.

Already have10
  • 01
    Situational Awareness→ Quickly assess complex situations and anticipate potential problems.
  • 02
    Rapid Prioritization→ Triage tasks and make critical decisions under pressure.
  • 03
    Team Synchronization→ Foster collaboration and build high-performing teams.
  • 04
    Procedural Compliance→ Understanding of and adherence to established processes.
  • 05
    AEGIS Combat System→ Integrated naval combat management systems.
  • 06
    Shipboard Air Traffic Radar (SATR)→ Commercial air traffic control radar systems.
  • 07
    Global Command and Control System - Maritime (GCCS-M)→ Maritime domain awareness and tracking software.
  • 08
    AN/SPS-73 Surface Search Radar→ Marine radar for navigation and collision avoidance.
  • 09
    Integrated Bridge System (IBS)→ Integrated marine navigation systems.
  • 10
    Naval Tactical Command Support System (NTCSS)→ Database management and decision support systems.
To learn12

The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not a generic checklist.

+Linux server administration+Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP)+Infrastructure-as-code tools (Terraform, Ansible)+SIEM tools (Splunk, QRadar)+Network security principles+Vulnerability management+SQL and NoSQL databases+ETL tools (Apache Kafka, Apache Spark)+Data warehousing concepts+Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban)+Project management software (Jira, Asana)+Stakeholder management
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.

SOURCE · LIGHTCAST + CURATED PATHWAYS · 5
P.01

Project Manager

$95K
High match
High demand
Skills to develop
  • — PMP Certification
  • — Agile Methodologies
P.02

Logistics Manager

$85K
Good match
Growing demand
Skills to develop
  • — Supply Chain Management Certification
  • — Specific industry knowledge
P.03

Facilities Manager

$78K
Good match
Stable demand
Skills to develop
  • — Certified Facility Manager (CFM) credential
  • — Building maintenance knowledge
P.04

Technical Sales Engineer

$90K
Moderate match
High demand
Skills to develop
  • — Sales training
  • — In-depth product knowledge
  • — CRM software proficiency
P.05

Maritime Security Officer

$70K
High match
Growing demand
Skills to develop
  • — Specific security certifications
  • — Knowledge of maritime law
/ 04 · Hidden Strengths

What the code built.

Cognitive skills your 1165 training built — and where they transfer in civilian work.

S.01

Situational Awareness

Surface Warfare Officers constantly monitor their environment (sea, air, electronic) to identify potential threats, changing conditions, and mission-critical information. They must maintain a comprehensive understanding of the ship's status, the location and intentions of other vessels, and the overall tactical picture.

Transfers to

This translates to the ability to quickly assess complex situations, understand the interplay of various factors, and anticipate potential problems in dynamic environments.

S.02

Rapid Prioritization

As a Surface Warfare Officer, you're constantly bombarded with information and requests, from engineering casualties to shifting tactical objectives. You must rapidly assess the urgency and importance of each issue to allocate resources and attention effectively, preventing crises and maintaining operational readiness.

Transfers to

This experience hones your ability to triage tasks, delegate effectively, and make critical decisions under pressure, ensuring that the most important things get done first.

S.03

Team Synchronization

Leading a team of Sailors requires precise coordination and communication. You're responsible for ensuring everyone understands their roles, responsibilities, and the overall mission objectives. This requires clear communication, active listening, and the ability to motivate and inspire your team.

Transfers to

You've developed the ability to foster collaboration, resolve conflicts, and build high-performing teams, ensuring that everyone is working together towards a common goal.

S.04

Procedural Compliance

Naval operations are governed by strict regulations and protocols to ensure safety, efficiency, and mission success. As an officer, you're responsible for adhering to these procedures and ensuring your team does as well, even under pressure.

Transfers to

You possess a deep understanding of the importance of following established processes and ensuring compliance with regulations, which is invaluable in highly regulated industries.

/ 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.

Emergency Management Director

SOC 11-9161.00

You've been trained to quickly assess rapidly evolving situations, prioritize responses, and coordinate diverse teams under immense pressure, all skills critical for managing disaster response efforts. Your experience in procedural compliance within a high-stakes environment ensures you can effectively implement emergency plans and protocols.

Adjacent · Match

Logistics Manager

SOC 11-3071.00

You've been responsible for overseeing complex operations, managing resources, and ensuring the smooth flow of information and materials. Your ability to rapidly prioritize tasks, maintain situational awareness, and coordinate teams makes you well-suited for optimizing supply chains and managing logistics operations.

Adjacent · Match

Business Continuity Planner

SOC 13-1199.05

You're adept at identifying potential threats, developing contingency plans, and ensuring the continued operation of critical systems. Your experience in degraded-mode operations and procedural compliance allows you to create robust business continuity plans that minimize disruption and protect organizational assets.

Adjacent · Match
/ 06 · Training & Certs

What you trained on.

SOURCE · DOD + ACE\nVALIDATED
Academy

Surface Warfare Officer School (SWOS) Basic Division Officer Course

Newport, RI
480hHours
12wkWeeks
ACECredit

Up to 6 semester hours in Naval Science

Topics · 8
  • Shiphandling and Navigation
  • Engineering Systems
  • Combat Systems
  • Damage Control
  • Naval Warfare
  • Leadership and Team Management
  • Maritime Law
  • Watchstanding
Partial coverage · 2
  • Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)60%

    Formal project management methodologies (PMBOK), project lifecycle phases, and advanced tools/techniques. Focus on the PMI framework.

  • OSHA 30-Hour General Industry Safety Training40%

    Specific OSHA regulations for general industry, record keeping, hazard communication, and machine guarding. Supplement naval safety training with civilian workplace standards.

Recommended next · 04
  • Project Management Professional (PMP)Adjacent
  • Certified Quality Engineer (CQE)Adjacent
  • Six Sigma Green BeltAdjacent
  • Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM)Adjacent
/ 07 · Systems Translation

What you ran, in their words.

Military systems you operated and their civilian equivalents for your resume.

Military SystemCivilian EquivalentDomain
AEGIS Combat SystemIntegrated naval combat management systemsOperations
Shipboard Air Traffic Radar (SATR)Commercial air traffic control radar systemsSignals
Global Command and Control System - Maritime (GCCS-M)Maritime domain awareness and tracking softwareNetworking
AN/SPS-73 Surface Search RadarMarine radar for navigation and collision avoidanceSignals
Integrated Bridge System (IBS)Integrated marine navigation systemsOperations
Naval Tactical Command Support System (NTCSS)Database management and decision support systemsNetworking
/ Translator · Live

Translate 1165 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.

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