Many military personnel report being on the right path in terms of their careers and believe their jobs allow them to make meaningful contributions, provide a sense of accomplishment and include opportunities for growth and professional development. In terms of what can be done to improve job and career satisfaction, CompTIA’s “Military Career Path Study” finds that more resources for training and professional development tops the list. Our study surveyed 865 active duty military personnel and military veterans who now work in a civilian capacity. The survey sample was drawn from the CompTIA database of more than 1.75 million and was supplemented with independent sample from the third-party research supplier.
Military personnel anticipate needing additional training or education to ensure career growth, or in some cases, career stability. Our research finds that fewer than one in 10 personnel feel completely confident their existing skill set will sustain them throughout the remainder of their career. Significant numbers of military personnel anticipate needing a four-year college degree (48 percent) to achieve their career objectives. Slightly fewer expect needing a graduate degree.
In terms of areas of training and professional development that can be improved, military personnel would like to see more:
- Time set aside for training.
- Refresher training to reinforce past learning and stay current with skills. This was especially important among experienced personnel with 11 or more years in the military.
- Cross-training with other units or branches of the military.
- Follow-up after training to ensure proper alignment with career goals.
On the training front — which may range from traditional, instructor-led training (ILT) to emerging e-learning models — military personnel tend to gravitate toward technology-related training (64 percent) or business and management-related training (32 percent). Relatively few expect to pursue the trades, such as electrical work, HVAC, welding, automotive and related areas. Emerging training methods are increasingly playing a role. For example, 22 percent of military personnel believe more mobile options, such as tablet-based learning apps, could enhance the learning experience. A similar percentage (27 percent) expressed an interest in introducing gamification elements into training.
Our research also found very high familiarity rates with the concept of certifications. Among active duty personnel, 64 percent report being very familiar, with 33 percent being somewhat familiar. Military veterans now in the civilian workforce appear to have slightly higher rates of familiarity with certifications, as do those with management responsibilities. Given the composition of our sample, this should be expected. We also found that military personnel view certifications in much the same way as private sector workers. Certifications are seen as a means to validate skills and expertise, resulting in a strong resume and more job opportunities.
To find out more read the CompTIA’s “Military Career Path Study,” available at www.comptia.org or by contacting research@comptia.org.
Anna Matthai is manager of market research for CompTIA.
