Maritime manufacturing combines stability and great pay with future-forward tech and growth potential.
What kind of careers are we talking about?
Careers in maritime manufacturing encompass everything from design and production to the assembly of various naval vessels and their components.
Additive Manufacturing
For the creators
3D print the parts that run the submarine.
CNC Machining
For the shapers
Shape everyday materials into extraordinary submarine components with advanced technology.
Metrology
For the inspectors
Use your knack for numbers and keen eye to ensure quality and spot mistakes.
Non-Destructive Testing
For the experimenters
Ensure that every submarine component is of the highest quality and safe for service.
Welding
For the makers
Use your torch to forge impenetrable bonds and piece together parts, systems and platforms.
Metrology
Retail Worker
toolkit
Day
The career you choose now will inform what you'll be doing every day for the next several decades (no pressure). Let's take a look at a typical day at each job to see how you might spend your time.
The night crew didn't do ANY folding last night. The store is a mess.
Another day in paradise, huh? 😉 I’ve been running QA on this:
Are you kidding me? I'm folding sweaters and you're doing THAT?!
For real. I heard "on-the-job" training and thought I'd be making sure I got my boss's sandwich order right. But I'm making sure that the communication systems for this sub are calibrated to perfection. Because once it's underwater, there's no room for error ... none.
That's awesome. I've also done a cool thing:
Oh wow, that’s ... thrilling 😬
Do you have an office? What's it like?
Wow. My "office" is basically a storage closet.
What, your office isn't dedicated to the pursuit of perfection?
Nope, but it does have jeans that seem to magically unfold themselves.
You do you. I’ll stick with my career ...
rights
Let's face it. Some careers come with more of the intangible "it factor" than others. When someone asks you what you do for a living, how will you answer?
Just call me the master of precision.
I can fold shirts faster than anybody in the men's department.
Perfection is my standard. "Do you want it right or right now?" is my motto.
I help customers find items in their size and recommend items to create outfits. I'm basically a celebrity stylist.
I use the most rigorous globally-accepted calibration standard.
I'm pretty legendary at pushing merch during the holiday season.
What will your career trajectory look like? Let’s compare paths to see what your future could hold.
JANUARY 2025
Start Expedited Training
ATDM is hooking me up with a fast training program. New career: activated ✅
February 2025
Grow My Skillset
I'm learning how to use CMMs and laser trackers AND how to perform dimensional verification of things like propulsion systems.
March 2025
Pay Training Tuition
FREE
Putting my money toward a car down payment because training costs me $0. 🚘
May 2025
Get My First Paycheck
Up to $65K/year
Officially a Calibration Tech and bringing in a real income. My friends in college still have three years to go ...
January 2030
CMM Quality Inspector
Up to $77K/year
Never imagined I would inspect electromagnetic and electric power generation systems that support critical defense equipment. But here I am. 😎
January 2035
Quality Control Manager
Up to $95K/year
I lead all things QA for a defense company ranked a Best Place to Work. On the side, I mentor folks just getting into maritime manufacturing; gotta pay it forward!
JANUARY 2025
Look for a Job
I'm applying to every online retail posting I can find. So far, no one has gotten back to me. 😕
FEBRUARY 2025
Get First Interview
The store manager said I didn't have enough experience for the entry-level job. Er, isn't that what "entry-level" means?
MARCH 2025
Land My First Job
Finally! I got a shift at a clothing store ... they said I start in a month. 😬
MAY 2025
Get My First Paycheck
Up to $33K/year
Cha-ching! First paycheck is ... not stretching as far as I thought.
JANUARY 2030
Still a Retail Sales Associate
Up to $47K/year
I greet customers, fold and display garments, and label merchandise. Wheee!
JANUARY 2035
Become a Store Supervisor
Up to $76K/year
I train all associates on store policies and procedures. Amazon is still killing us and my feet hurt most days, but that's the business!
Your journey starts here
Everyone’s path is different; it’s about finding what’s right for you. Some paths include debugging code and worrying about AI taking your job. Some include being the enforcer of accuracy and precision for our nation's defense equipment.
What will you choose?
Sources
Training Length, 4 months
“About ATDM.” ATDM, The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, www.atdm.org/about-atdm. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Training Cost, FREE
“About ATDM.” ATDM, The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, www.atdm.org/about-atdm. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Average Salary, $70K/year
"Salary Assessor®: Calibration Technician," ERI Economic Research Institute, Inc., www.erieri.com/salaryassessor. Accessed 4 Jun. 2024.
Training Length: 10 hours
"Wanna Fix Stores? Empirical Evidence Of What You Might Be Missing," Retail Systems Research, www.rsrresearch.com/research/wanna-fix-stores-empirical-evidence-of-what-you-might-be-missing. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
Training Cost: N/A
"Occupational Outlook Handbook: Retail Sales Workers," U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, www.bls.gov/ooh/sales/retail-sales-workers.htm#tab-4. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
Average Salary: $31K
"Occupational Outlook Handbook: Retail Sales Workers," U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, www.bls.gov/ooh/sales/retail-sales-workers.htm#tab-5. Accessed 3 May 2024.
Sources
Training Tuition, FREE
“About ATDM.” ATDM, The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, www.atdm.org/about-atdm Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
First Paycheck, Up to $65K/year
"Salary Assessor®: Calibration Technician," ERI Economic Research Institute, Inc., www.erieri.com/salaryassessor. Accessed 4 Jun. 2024.
CMM Quality Inspector, Up to $77K/year
"Salary Assessor®: Calibration Technician," ERI Economic Research Institute, Inc., www.erieri.com/salaryassessor. Accessed 4 Jun. 2024.
Quality Control Manager, Up to $95K/year
"Salary Assessor®: Quality Control Manager," ERI Economic Research Institute, Inc., www.erieri.com/salaryassessor. Accessed 6 Jun 2024.
First Paycheck, Up to $33K/year
2022 Modeled Wage Estimates, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 24 Aug. 2023, www.bls.gov/mwe/tables.htm. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Retail Sales Associate, Up to $47K/year
"Occupational Outlook Handbook: Retail Sales Workers," U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, www.bls.gov/ooh/sales/retail-sales-workers.htm#tab-5. Accessed 3 May 2024.
Store Supervisor, Up to $76K/year
"Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: 41-1011 First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers," U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, www.bls.gov/oes/2019/may/oes411011.htm Accessed 3 May 2024.