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3C031 Career Guide

Air Force

3C031: Cyber Systems Administrator

Career transition guide for Air Force Cyber Systems Administrator (3C031)

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Civilian Career Pathways

Top civilian roles for 3C031 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.

Systems Administrator

$85K
High matchHigh demand

Network Engineer

$90K
High matchHigh demand

Cybersecurity Analyst

$95K
Good matchVery high demand

Skills to develop:

Security certifications (e.g., Security+, CISSP)Specific security tools training (e.g., SIEM, intrusion detection)

Cloud Engineer

$110K
Good matchVery high demand

Skills to develop:

Cloud platform certifications (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)DevOps principlesInfrastructure as Code (IaC) tools

IT Project Manager

$98K
Moderate matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

Project Management Professional (PMP) certificationAgile methodologies

Salary estimates from VWC career data

Hidden Strengths

Cognitive skills your 3C031 training built — and where they transfer.

System Modeling

As a 3C031, you develop a mental model of complex network systems, understanding how different components interact and depend on each other to ensure smooth operations.

This ability to visualize and understand complex systems translates to the civilian world as systems thinking, crucial for analyzing business processes and identifying areas for improvement.

Adversarial Thinking

You are trained to think like an adversary, anticipating potential threats and vulnerabilities in systems to proactively defend against cyberattacks and security breaches.

This mindset is highly valuable in risk management and cybersecurity roles, where anticipating and mitigating potential threats is essential for protecting assets and data.

Procedural Compliance

You adhere to strict protocols and procedures for implementing security updates, patches, and configurations to ensure system integrity and compliance with regulations.

This dedication to following established guidelines and maintaining meticulous records is directly applicable to highly regulated industries like finance or healthcare.

Resource Optimization

You perform strategic and budget planning for networks, including system resource management, capacity planning, and load balancing to maximize efficiency and minimize costs.

This experience in resource allocation and strategic planning translates into valuable skills in project management, where optimizing resources and staying within budget are key to success.

Situational Awareness

As a 3C031, you maintain constant awareness of the system's health, potential threats, and ongoing operations to ensure rapid response to any issues and maintain system availability.

This constant vigilance and ability to assess complex situations quickly translate into roles requiring risk assessment, crisis management, and quick problem solving.

Non-Obvious Career Matches

Business Continuity Analyst

SOC 13-2051

You've been developing and testing contingency plans for systems and networks. Your understanding of system dependencies and recovery procedures makes you well-equipped to develop and implement business continuity plans that minimize disruptions.

Compliance Officer

SOC 13-1041

You are experienced in implementing and enforcing security policies and directives. This background in regulatory compliance makes you a great fit to oversee a company's adherence to industry regulations and legal requirements, ensuring they avoid costly penalties and maintain a positive reputation.

IT Risk Manager

SOC 11-3021

You've been identifying vulnerabilities and developing tactics for defensive and offensive information operations. Your risk management skills translate directly to a role where you will identify, assess, and mitigate IT risks within an organization, ensuring the security and integrity of their systems and data.

Data Center Manager

SOC 11-9041

You've been managing system resources, performing backups and data recovery, and ensuring continuous system operability. You possess the skills to oversee the operations of a data center, including managing hardware and software infrastructure, ensuring data security, and maintaining system uptime.

Training & Education Equivalencies

Cyber Systems Administrator Apprentice Course, Keesler AFB, MS

1,120 training hours28 weeksUp to 15 semester hours recommended in Information Technology and Cybersecurity.

Topics Covered

  • Server Operating Systems Administration (Windows & Linux)
  • Database Administration Fundamentals
  • Web Technologies and Services
  • Network Storage Management (SAN)
  • Messaging Systems Administration (e.g., Exchange)
  • System Security Implementation & Hardening
  • Disaster Recovery and Contingency Planning
  • Scripting and Automation (PowerShell, Python)

Certification Pathways

Partial Coverage

CompTIA Security+70% covered

Requires study of specific exam objectives related to risk management, cryptography, and security governance that may not be explicitly covered in the military training.

CompTIA Network+60% covered

Requires focused study on areas like advanced networking configurations, troubleshooting, and specific vendor technologies to bridge the gap with the certification objectives.

Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate40% covered

Requires substantial study in Microsoft Azure-specific services, cloud architecture, and administration tools and techniques.

Recommended Next Certifications

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)Project Management Professional (PMP)AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate

Technical Systems Translation

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

Military SystemCivilian Equivalent
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)Digital Certificates and Encryption Technologies
Group Policy Objects (GPO)Active Directory Group Policy
Information Assurance Vulnerability Assessments (IAVA)Vulnerability Scanning and Patch Management Software (e.g., Nessus, Qualys)
Combat Information Transport System (CITS)Wide Area Network (WAN) Management and Optimization Solutions
C4 Notice to Airman (C4 NOTAM)IT Service Alerts and Notification Systems
Time Compliance Network Orders (TCNO)Automated Patch Management Systems (e.g., SCCM, Ansible)
Classified Message Incidents (CMIs) HandlingData Breach Response and Incident Management Platforms

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