Episode 151: How to Build Your Civilian Career Before You Take Off the Uniform

In this episode of the Military Transition Academy Podcast, we sit down with Michael, a 31-year Army veteran who proves that preparation truly pays off. Now serving as a Project Controller at TIG, supporting the Defense Health Agency (DHA), Michael shares how his path from military operations to IT project management was shaped by one key decision...earning his PMP® certification before retirement.

From his first separation in 1995 with no plan and little support to his final retirement decades later with preparation, resources, and a strategy, Michael’s story is a roadmap for how to transition effectively.

You’ll hear:
✅ How to translate military experience into civilian project management skills
✅ Why earning a certification early changes everything
✅ What to expect when shifting from operations to corporate project work
✅ How to balance job offers, salary expectations, and lifestyle priorities
✅ Why “knowing your worth” is just as critical as updating your resume

Whether you’re still serving, planning to separate, or already navigating civilian life, this episode will help you see the value of preparing today so you can achieve a meaningful, lucrative post-service career tomorrow.

🎧 Tune in and learn how to build your next career before you hang up the uniform.

👉 Follow/Subscribe to Vets2PM for more real-world transition stories, tools, and resources to help you achieve a meaningful and lucrative civilian career.

Connect with Michael Davis: Michael Davis | LinkedInCheck out Vets2PM: www.vets2pm.com