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3D033 Career Guide

Air Force

3D033: Cybersecurity Apprentice

Career transition guide for Air Force Cybersecurity Apprentice (3D033)

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Civilian Career Pathways

Top civilian roles for 3D033 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.

Information Security Analyst

$105K
High matchVery high demand

Cybersecurity Engineer

$120K
High matchVery high demand

Skills to develop:

Cloud security certifications (e.g., AWS Certified Security, Azure Security Engineer)DevSecOps experience

IT Security Manager

$135K
Good matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

Project management certifications (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2)Advanced knowledge of compliance frameworks (e.g., NIST, ISO 27001)

Network Security Administrator

$95K
Good matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) SecurityExperience with specific firewall technologies (e.g., Palo Alto, Fortinet)

Compliance Officer

$85K
Moderate matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

Legal or regulatory compliance certification (e.g., Certified Compliance & Ethics Professional - CCEP)Knowledge of industry-specific regulations (e.g., HIPAA, PCI DSS)

Salary estimates from VWC career data

Hidden Strengths

Cognitive skills your 3D033 training built — and where they transfer.

Adversarial Thinking

You constantly anticipate and thwart potential threats to Air Force IT infrastructure, thinking like an attacker to identify vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.

This translates to an ability to identify risks and weaknesses in systems and processes, allowing you to proactively develop solutions and prevent problems before they occur.

Procedural Compliance

You are deeply familiar with and enforce complex national, DoD, and Air Force security policies and directives, ensuring strict adherence to regulations.

This demonstrates your meticulous attention to detail and commitment to following established protocols, essential for maintaining order and preventing errors in any regulated environment.

System Modeling

You understand and manage the interdependencies within complex IT and telecommunications systems, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) of IT resources.

This means you can grasp the big picture of how different components work together, allowing you to troubleshoot issues effectively and optimize performance across the board.

Situational Awareness

You monitor networks and systems to identify potential threats and manage security violations, maintaining a constant awareness of the security posture of IT resources.

This showcases your ability to stay vigilant, quickly assess situations, and react decisively to protect valuable assets, a crucial skill in dynamic and high-pressure environments.

After-Action Analysis

You investigate security-related incidents and assist in IT forensic investigations, identifying the root causes of breaches and recommending corrective actions.

This highlights your analytical skills and ability to learn from past events, enabling you to improve security measures and prevent future incidents.

Non-Obvious Career Matches

Compliance Officer

SOC 13-1041

You've been rigorously enforcing security policies and regulations in the Air Force. This experience directly translates to the role of a Compliance Officer, where you'll ensure an organization adheres to relevant laws, regulations, and internal policies. Your ability to conduct audits, investigate incidents, and recommend corrective actions makes you a perfect fit.

Fraud Investigator

SOC 13-2091

You're adept at identifying potential threats, investigating security breaches, and conducting forensic investigations. As a Fraud Investigator, you'll use these same skills to detect and prevent fraudulent activities, protecting organizations from financial losses. Your adversarial thinking and attention to detail will be invaluable in uncovering complex fraud schemes.

Emergency Management Specialist

SOC 11-9161

You're experienced in managing crises and ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of critical resources. An Emergency Management Specialist requires similar skills in planning for and responding to various emergencies, protecting people and property. Your situational awareness and ability to make quick decisions under pressure will be crucial in this role.

Training & Education Equivalencies

Cybersecurity Apprentice Course, Keesler AFB, MS

720 training hours18 weeksUp to 9 semester hours recommended in Information Technology or Cybersecurity

Topics Covered

  • Networking Fundamentals
  • Security+ Certification Training
  • Risk Management Framework (RMF)
  • Vulnerability Assessment
  • Security Incident Response
  • COMSEC Management
  • IA Tool Administration
  • Firewall Administration

Certification Pathways

Partial Coverage

CompTIA Security+70% covered

While the job covers many security concepts, studying specific Security+ topics like cryptography, access control, and risk management frameworks is recommended.

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)40% covered

This role touches on many CISSP domains, but a deep dive into all 8 domains is needed, focusing on areas like legal/regulatory compliance, software development security, and business continuity planning.

Recommended Next Certifications

Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)AWS Certified Security - SpecialtyProject Management Professional (PMP)

Technical Systems Translation

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

Military SystemCivilian Equivalent
Automated Security Incident Measurement (ASIM)Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems like Splunk or IBM QRadar
Host Based Security System (HBSS)Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions like CrowdStrike or SentinelOne
McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO)Centralized security management platforms like Microsoft Endpoint Manager
Vulnerability Management System (VMS)Vulnerability scanners like Nessus or Qualys
DISA Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs)CIS Benchmarks or other industry-standard security configuration guidelines
Enterprise Mission Assurance Support Service (eMASS)Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) platforms like ServiceNow GRC
Air Force Information Warfare (AFIW) ToolsPenetration testing and ethical hacking tools like Metasploit or Burp Suite

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