81E Career Guide
81E: Illustrator
Career transition guide for Army Illustrator (81E)
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Top civilian roles for 81E veterans, with average salary and market demand data.
Graphic Designer
Multimedia Artist and Animator
Skills to develop:
Technical Writer
Skills to develop:
Training and Development Specialist
Skills to develop:
Marketing Manager
Skills to develop:
Salary estimates from VWC career data
Hidden Strengths
Cognitive skills your 81E training built — and where they transfer.
Team Synchronization
As an 81E, you coordinated teams of audio-visual specialists, ensuring everyone worked together seamlessly to meet mission objectives. You understood the importance of clear communication and synchronized efforts to deliver effective visual aids and broadcasting operations.
This ability to synchronize team efforts translates directly to civilian roles where project success hinges on coordinated action. You excel at aligning individual contributions towards a common goal.
Resource Optimization
You determined resource requirements, assigned duties, and recommended changes to personnel based on military needs. This involved effectively allocating equipment, personnel, and time to maximize the impact of audio-visual operations.
Your experience in resource optimization makes you adept at identifying and implementing efficient solutions in any project. You can strategically allocate resources to achieve maximum output while minimizing waste.
Situational Awareness
You assisted command and staff officers in continuously appraising audio-visual operations and training situations. This involved maintaining a keen awareness of the operational environment, identifying discrepancies, and initiating corrective actions to ensure smooth and effective communication.
Your developed situational awareness means you instinctively understand the dynamics of a project, anticipate potential problems, and proactively address them before they escalate. This is a valuable asset in dynamic and fast-paced environments.
After-Action Analysis
Your role involved preparing administrative and technical reports related to audio-visual and broadcasting operations. This required analyzing the effectiveness of past operations, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing changes to enhance future performance.
You're skilled at evaluating past performance, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing changes to enhance future performance. Your experience allows you to contribute to continuous improvement and drive positive outcomes.
Non-Obvious Career Matches
Instructional Coordinator
SOC 25-9031.00You've been deeply involved in creating training aids and providing technical guidance, showcasing your ability to structure and deliver effective learning experiences. As an Instructional Coordinator, you'll leverage these skills to develop and implement educational programs, assess their effectiveness, and improve learning outcomes.
Technical Writer
SOC 27-3042.00You've honed your ability to translate complex information into clear and concise visual aids and reports. As a Technical Writer, you'll use these skills to create user manuals, technical documentation, and other materials that explain intricate concepts in an accessible way.
Project Manager
SOC 11-9151.00You've managed audio-visual projects, coordinating teams and resources to achieve specific objectives. You excel at planning, organizing, and executing projects, ensuring they are completed on time and within budget. As a Project Manager, you'll be able to leverage your leadership skills to manage projects across various industries.
Training & Education Equivalencies
Visual Information Equipment Operator/Maintainer Course, Fort Meade, MD
Topics Covered
- •Principles of Visual Information
- •Illustration Techniques
- •Digital Imaging Software (Adobe Creative Suite)
- •Layout and Design
- •Drafting
- •Production of Training Aids
- •Supervisory Skills
Certification Pathways
Partial Coverage
Need to study specific camera techniques, lighting principles, and post-processing workflows required for professional photography. Also, understand business practices like pricing and marketing.
Focus on mastering advanced features of Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and understanding design principles beyond basic illustration.
Recommended Next Certifications
Technical Systems Translation
Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) | Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) |
| Digital SLR Cameras and Video Equipment | Professional-grade Digital Cameras and Video Equipment |
| Large Format Printers/Plotters | Large Format Printers/Plotters |
| Microsoft Office Suite | Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace |
| Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Standard Email | Commercial email platforms (Gmail, Outlook) |
| SharePoint | Cloud-based collaboration platforms (Microsoft SharePoint, Google Drive) |
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