From the Service to the Trades. Without Starting Over.

You already know how to show up, take direction, lead a team, and finish the mission. The defense industrial base is short hundreds of thousands of skilled trade workers — they want you. Your training counts. Your clearance is worth real money. And the pipelines to translate your service already exist.

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Veterans

200K+

Service members transitioning each year

12+

Major veteran-to-trade pipeline programs

$10-30K

Annual clearance premium in defense work

8

Trades on Build Freedom, all open to veterans

Find your trade match

Your military specialty is the fastest entry point into a civilian trade. Below are the most common ratings, MOS, AFSCs, specialties, and rates — and the civilian trades they translate to most directly.

Trade
Navy
Army
Air Force
Marine corps
Coast Guard
Electrician

Navy:

EM, IC, CE, EMN

Army:

12R

Air Force:

3E0X1

Marine Corps:

1141

Coast Guard:

EM

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Welder

Navy:

HT, DC

Army:

91E

Air Force:

2A7X2 (metals)

Marine Corps:

1316

Coast Guard:

DC

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CNC Machinist

Navy:

MR, MM, MMN

Army:

91E

Air Force:

2A7X2

Marine Corps:

2161

Coast Guard:

MK

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Shipbuilder

Navy:

HT, EM, IC, MM, MR, MMN, EMN, ETC, DC, GM, FC

Army:

12-series engineers

Air Force:

–

Marine Corps:

–

Coast Guard:

DC, EM, MK

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HVAC Technician

Navy:

UT, MR, MM, AS

Army:

91C

Air Force:

3E1X1

Marine Corps:

1161

Coast Guard:

MK

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Pipefitter

Navy:

HT, MM, UT

Army:

12K

Air Force:

3E4X1

Marine Corps:

Utilities

Coast Guard:

DC, MK

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Diesel Mechanic

Navy:

CM, EN

Army:

91B, 91L

Air Force:

2T3X1

Marine Corps:

3521, 1341

Coast Guard:

MK

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Defense Technician

Navy:

ET, FC, AT

Army:

94-series, 35T

Air Force:

2A0X1, 2M0X1

Marine Corps:

2862, 5900-series

Coast Guard:

ET

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The pipelines that were built for you

These programs exist for one reason: to translate your military experience into civilian trade credentials without making you start from zero.

ADVANCED MANUFACTURING
Workshops for Warriors

Nonprofit school offering accelerated 16-week training and nationally recognized credentials in CNC machining and welding. Eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® and DoW SkillBridge, with career services that place graduates in skilled manufacturing jobs nationwide.

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Building trades pipeline
Helmets to Hardhats

Pairs veterans with registered apprenticeships in the building trades — carpenters, ironworkers, masons, plumbers, electricians, sheet metal, operating engineers. Free, fast, runs in every state.

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Final 180 days of service
DoW SkillBridge

Spend your final up-to-180 days of active duty learning a civilian trade on a partner employer's payroll. Hundreds of approved partners — Newport News Shipbuilding, Electric Boat, KBR, Fluor, Amazon Logistics, and many others. You keep your military pay and benefits while doing your transition with a real employer.

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Welding + pipefitting
UA Veterans in Piping (VIP)

Eighteen weeks of full-time, paid welding and pipefitting training, hosted on military bases or in partner facilities, with direct placement into a UA apprenticeship at graduation. Designed for transitioning service members in any rating. ua.org/vip

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Electrical accelerated
IBEW Veterans Electrical Entry Program (VEEP)

Accelerated electrical apprenticeship track for veterans with electrical or electronics experience. Direct entry into IBEW/NECA apprenticeships.

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Utility & energy
Troops to Energy Jobs / Center for Energy Workforce Development

Connects transitioning service members with utility and energy-sector trade jobs — power line, substation, gas, and energy operations.

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The benefits you’ve already earned

Almost every veteran underuses their benefits. Here’s what you have to work with.

Post-9/11 GI Bill

Tuition, fees, books, housing stipend at approved trade schools, certificate programs, and many apprenticeships.

OJT / Apprenticeship GI Bill

Top up apprenticeship wages in early years — use the GI Bill at the same time you're in a paid apprenticeship.

DoW SkillBridge

Up to 180 days of active duty at a partner employer. Military pay continues; the employer trains you.

VR&E (Chapter 31)

Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment for veterans with service-connected disabilities. Training, equipment, job placement.

Active-Duty Tuition Assistance

Up to $4,500/year toward trade school or credentials while still serving.

State Veteran Benefits

Additional tuition support, fee waivers, and trade-specific stipends on top of federal benefits – varies by state.

Your Security Clearance

A live Secret or TS clearance typically adds $10K–$30K/year in the defense industrial base. Naval-nuclear qualifications add more.

Common Questions (FAQ)

Does my military training actually transfer, or do I start over as a first-year apprentice?

Your training counts. Programs like IBEW's VEEP and the UA's Veterans in Piping track exist specifically to give you advanced standing instead of a first-year slot, and shipyards and defense manufacturers hire cleared veterans directly. Bring your DD-214, training records, and any certifications to the interview.

Can I use my GI Bill while I'm getting paid in an apprenticeship?

Yes, and most veterans never do. The Post-9/11 GI Bill pays a monthly housing allowance on top of your apprentice wages, stepping down as your pay steps up. Your program sponsor certifies your enrollment with the VA, so ask about it on day one.

Do I have to wait until I separate to start?

No. DoW SkillBridge lets you spend up to your final 180 days of active duty training with a civilian employer while you keep military pay and benefits. It requires command approval, so start that conversation 6 to 12 months before your date.

What if my MOS or rating wasn't technical?

You're still a priority hire. Employers are competing for people who show up, follow a process, and work safely — and programs like ATDM take you with no prior trade experience. Infantry, logistics, and admin backgrounds move into the trades every day.

Ready to start your transition?

Pick the next step. We’ll help you find it.

Find your trade matchApply to skillbridgeSEE OPEN JOBS
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Our mission is simple: build the workforce that builds and defends America. Our national and economic security depends on it. We will help power our nation’s defense industrial base and revive the skilled trades. We will be connecting the next generation of builders – the welders, machinists, mechanics, electricians, technicians and more – to high-wage, big-impact jobs. You can help us build freedom for generations to come.

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In partnership with mikeroweWORKS Foundation, National Labor Exchange and the Department of War.

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