3E351 Career Guide
3E351: Structural Apprentice
Career transition guide for Air Force Structural Apprentice (3E351)
Translate Your 3E351 Experience Now
Get a personalized AI-powered translation of your military experience into civilian resume language.
Start Free TranslationCivilian Career Pathways
Top civilian roles for 3E351 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.
Carpenter
Skills to develop:
Construction Manager
Skills to develop:
Welder
Skills to develop:
Building Inspector
Skills to develop:
Millwright
Skills to develop:
Salary estimates from VWC career data
Hidden Strengths
Cognitive skills your 3E351 training built — and where they transfer.
Resource Optimization
As a 3E351, you assess work sites, estimate material and labor, and manage supply requisitions. You're constantly balancing resources to maximize efficiency and minimize waste in construction and repair projects.
This translates to effectively managing budgets, inventory, and personnel to achieve project goals within constraints. You understand how to allocate resources strategically to maximize productivity and minimize costs.
Procedural Compliance
You ensure all construction and repair work adheres to commercial and military publications, safety regulations, and environmental standards. You follow detailed instructions and maintain meticulous records.
This skill demonstrates your ability to meticulously follow established protocols, safety guidelines, and regulatory requirements, ensuring projects are completed accurately, safely, and in accordance with industry standards.
System Modeling
Your role requires you to understand how various building systems (structural, utility, mechanical) interact. You diagnose problems by understanding the interconnectedness of these systems and how a change in one area affects others.
This translates to an ability to understand complex systems, predict how changes in one area will impact others, and develop effective solutions based on a holistic understanding of the system.
Situational Awareness
Whether you're erecting scaffolding, working from heights, or welding, you constantly assess your surroundings to ensure safety and prevent accidents. You identify potential hazards and adjust your approach accordingly.
This translates to a heightened ability to perceive and understand your environment, anticipate potential problems, and proactively take measures to ensure safety and efficiency in dynamic situations.
Non-Obvious Career Matches
Construction Project Inspector
SOC 17-3026.00You've been inspecting and evaluating work center activities and construction projects in the military. Your experience in ensuring compliance with standards, identifying discrepancies, and recommending corrective actions directly applies to the role of a construction project inspector. You already know what right looks like.
Facilities Manager
SOC 11-3012.00You've been managing, constructing, repairing, and modifying structural systems and buildings. Your understanding of building systems, maintenance, and repair makes you well-suited to oversee the operations and maintenance of facilities in a variety of industries.
Insurance Adjuster, Examiner, or Investigator
SOC 13-1031.00You've been surveying work sites to determine material and labor requirements, preparing cost estimates, and evaluating structural work progress. Your experience assessing damage and determining repair costs is valuable in the insurance industry.
Training & Education Equivalencies
Civil Engineer Apprentice Course, Sheppard AFB, TX
Topics Covered
- •Blueprint Reading and Interpretation
- •Concrete and Masonry
- •Carpentry and Framing
- •Metal Fabrication and Welding
- •Structural Repair Techniques
- •Safety Procedures and Regulations
- •Cost Estimating
Certification Pathways
Partial Coverage
While familiar with safety practices, formal OSHA training covers specific regulations and documentation requirements not explicitly covered in the military description.
Requires formal certification through AWS testing, documenting proficiency in specific welding processes and positions beyond general experience.
While experience includes project coordination, formal project management methodologies, software, and documentation are not explicitly detailed.
Recommended Next Certifications
Technical Systems Translation
Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software (e.g., AutoCAD) | AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp |
| USACE Engineering and Construction Bulletin (ECB) | International Building Code (IBC), American Concrete Institute (ACI) standards |
| Metal Inert Gas (MIG) Welding equipment | MIG welding machines (Miller, Lincoln Electric) |
| Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) equipment | SMAW welding machines (stick welders) |
| Air Force Civil Engineer Automated Management System (CEAMS) | Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) software (e.g., Maximo, SAP Plant Maintenance) |
| Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) supply system | Inventory management software (e.g., Fishbowl Inventory, NetSuite) |
| Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) specific to construction and welding | OSHA-compliant PPE (e.g., hard hats, safety glasses, welding helmets) |
Ready to Translate Your Experience?
Our AI-powered translator converts your 3E351 experience into ATS-optimized civilian resume language.
Translate My Resume — Free