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36P2 Career Guide

Air Force

36P2: Personnelist

Career transition guide for Air Force Personnelist (36P2)

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Civilian Career Pathways

Top civilian roles for 36P2 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.

Human Resources Manager

$120K
High matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP certification

Training and Development Manager

$115K
High matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

ATD certificationseLearning development tools (Articulate Storyline, Adobe Captivate)

Equal Opportunity Officer/Diversity and Inclusion Manager

$95K
Good matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

Diversity and Inclusion certificationConflict Resolution training

Compliance Officer

$85K
Moderate matchStable demand

Skills to develop:

Industry-specific compliance regulations (e.g., HIPAA, OSHA)Certified Compliance & Ethics Professional (CCEP)

Management Consultant

$130K
Moderate matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

MBA or relevant master's degreeConsulting experience (internship or entry-level position)Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

Salary estimates from VWC career data

Hidden Strengths

Cognitive skills your 36P2 training built — and where they transfer.

Resource Optimization

As a personnel programs administrator, you managed personnel procurement, assignments, and separations, ensuring optimal allocation of human capital across various departments and roles within the Air Force.

This translates directly into optimizing resources, a skill highly valued in project management and operations. You're adept at allocating resources efficiently to maximize productivity and minimize waste.

System Modeling

You developed plans and policies for personnel, social actions, and training operations, modeling the effects of different strategies to ensure they aligned with Air Force mission requirements and resource capabilities.

Your ability to model complex systems allows you to predict outcomes and develop effective strategies. This skill is invaluable in roles that require strategic planning and problem-solving, such as business analysis or strategic consulting.

Procedural Compliance

You implemented and enforced Air Force policies, ensuring all personnel actions, training programs, and social actions activities adhered to established regulations and standards.

Your meticulous attention to detail and commitment to following procedures are highly transferable to roles that require strict adherence to regulatory frameworks, such as compliance management or quality assurance.

After-Action Analysis

You evaluated education and training programs, analyzing curriculum materials, training methodology, and instructional systems to identify areas for improvement and ensure program effectiveness.

Your experience in evaluating program effectiveness equips you with a strong analytical mindset. You can identify inefficiencies, propose improvements, and ensure projects achieve their intended outcomes.

Team Synchronization

Coordinated with operating and staff agencies to ensure integration and timely execution of personnel, social actions, and education and training programs and plans.

The ability to coordinate with multiple agencies to achieve common goals will serve you well in roles requiring extensive collaboration across different departments. You understand how to align different areas together and ensure a smoothly running operation.

Non-Obvious Career Matches

Compliance Officer

SOC 13-1041

You've been ensuring adherence to complex regulations in the Air Force, a skill directly applicable to compliance roles. You understand the importance of following procedures and maintaining standards, making you an ideal candidate to ensure a company adheres to industry regulations.

Management Consultant

SOC 13-1111

You've been developing and improving work methods and procedures related to techniques of instruction, testing, and syllabus preparation. This translates directly into process improvement which is valuable to management consultants who seek to streamline company processes to save time and money.

Training and Development Specialist

SOC 13-1151

You've been conducting management training and education programs, developing curricula, and evaluating instructional materials. You have hands-on experience designing and delivering training programs, making you a valuable asset in developing employees.

Human Resources Manager

SOC 11-3121

You've been managing personnel programs and advising commanders on social actions activities, giving you a strong foundation in HR principles. You have a natural ability to communicate with people and keep them engaged.

Training & Education Equivalencies

Personnel Apprentice Course, Keesler AFB, MS

480 training hours12 weeksUp to 6 semester hours recommended in Human Resources Management

Topics Covered

  • Air Force Personnel System Overview
  • MilPDS (Military Personnel Data System) Training
  • Personnel Records Management
  • Classification and Assignment Procedures
  • Promotion and Separations Processing
  • Contingency Personnel Support (PERSCO)
  • Equal Opportunity and Human Relations Training
  • Substance Abuse Prevention and Education

Certification Pathways

Partial Coverage

SHRM-CP60% covered

Requires studying US-specific employment law, compensation and benefits regulations, talent acquisition strategies, and some HR strategic planning principles not explicitly covered in military personnel administration.

Project Management Professional (PMP)40% covered

Requires in-depth study of project management methodologies (e.g., Agile, Waterfall), risk management, stakeholder management, and specific tools & techniques outlined in the PMBOK guide.

Recommended Next Certifications

SHRM-SCP (Senior Certified Professional)Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD)Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace Certificate

Technical Systems Translation

Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.

Military SystemCivilian Equivalent
MilPDS (Military Personnel Data System)Human Resources Information System (HRIS) - e.g., Workday, SAP SuccessFactors
vMPF (virtual Military Personnel Flight)Employee Self-Service Portal - e.g., ADP, Oracle HCM Cloud
AROWS-R (Air Reserve Order Writing System - Reserve)Contingent Workforce Management Systems - e.g., SAP Fieldglass, Beeline
TPS (Training Program System)Learning Management System (LMS) - e.g., Coursera, Skillsoft
LeaveWebAbsence Management System - e.g., TimeOffManager, Replicon
Air Force Training Record (AFTR)Training Record Management Systems - e.g., Arlo, TalentLMS
Case Management System (e.g., used for social actions)Customer Relationship Management (CRM) - e.g., Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics 365

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