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Start Your Next Mission Before You Take Off the Uniform
SkillBridge lets you spend your last months of service training with a civilian employer while you keep your military pay. Here is how it works at Naval Base Ventura County and who has listed openings nearby.
How SkillBridge works
- You train or intern with an approved civilian employer during your last 180 days of service.
- You keep your military pay, BAH and benefits. The employer does not pay you.
- It is a chance to prove yourself. Many internships end with a job offer.
- Your commander has to approve it. Mission comes first, so ask early.
- It happens before terminal leave, not after.
How long you can get
Navy limits depend on rank:
| Navy | Up to |
|---|---|
| E-5 and below | 180 days |
| E-6 to E-9 | 120 days |
| O-4 and below | 120 days |
| O-5 and above | 90 days |
Marine Corps limits are 120 days for E-1 to E-5 and 90 days for everyone else.
Approval comes from the first commander in your chain at the O-4 level or above with non judicial punishment authority. Commands can approve less time than the limit.
How to apply
- Start transition assistance. You need it under way before SkillBridge is approved. The Fleet and Family Support Center is at 805-982-5037 for Port Hueneme and 805-989-8146 for Point Mugu.
- Search the official SkillBridge site by location for approved opportunities. Only approved partners count.
- Contact the employer and get an acceptance letter.
- Navy members apply through MyNavy Education. Marines go through their unit transition coordinator.
- Route the request to your commander with your separation timeline.
- Plan your housing. If you intern here and plan to stay, start your home search in the same window.
Start six to nine months before your SkillBridge start date. Routing takes time.
Openings listed near the base
These were listed for Ventura County when we checked in October 2026. Listings open and close all the time. Confirm each one on the official SkillBridge site before you plan around it.
| Employer | Where | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division | Port Hueneme | Construction project management intern, a natural fit for Seabee ratings |
| TEKsystems | Point Mugu | Data analyst training with the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division |
| 7 Eagle Group | Point Mugu, hybrid | Information technology and cybersecurity |
| Lineage | Oxnard | Maintenance technician |
| CarMax | Oxnard | Auto technician academy. Listed for Army and Marine Corps. |
| En Gedi Construction | Camarillo | Project manager intern |
| Covered 6 | Moorpark | Security training |
| WM | Simi Valley | Renewable gas plant manager intern |
Many national programs are remote or will place you anywhere, so the local list is only a start.
More employers to ask
These employers were tagged as SkillBridge partners at the base career fair in spring 2026: Aerotek, Airstreams Renewables, Allied Universal, First Command, Mercury Systems, Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme Division, Saalex, Workshops for Warriors and Yancey Bros. CAT.
Two more routes:
- Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship. A 12 week program that places you with a host company. It counts as SkillBridge.
- Navy Region Southwest Fleet and Family Readiness. The Navy's own quality of life programs host SkillBridge interns.
The base career fairs are the fastest way to meet these employers in person. Ask the Fleet and Family Support Center for the next date.
Curious about real estate or lending?
Adam went from the Marine Corps to real estate and mortgage lending in Ventura County. If you are thinking about either career, he is glad to tell you what the work is like and how licensing goes. This is a conversation, not a SkillBridge program.
Staying after SkillBridge
If the internship turns into an offer, you may be buying a home right as your pay changes. Lenders can often use a signed offer letter with a start date, along with retirement and VA disability income. The getting out guide covers the rest of the move, and the BAH and buying power page shows what the payment looks like.
Questions people ask
Can I do SkillBridge at Naval Base Ventura County?
Yes, with your commander's approval. Several employers have listed opportunities in Port Hueneme, Point Mugu, Oxnard and Camarillo.
How long is SkillBridge for Navy members?
Up to 180 days for E-5 and below, 120 days for E-6 to E-9 and for officers O-4 and below, and 90 days for O-5 and above.
Do I get paid during SkillBridge?
You keep your military pay and allowances. The civilian employer does not pay you.
Can I use SkillBridge and terminal leave?
Yes. SkillBridge has to come first, then terminal leave, and both have to fit before your separation date.
Who approves SkillBridge?
The first commander in your chain of command at the O-4 level or above who has non judicial punishment authority.
Last checked October 2026. Sources: Department of Defense SkillBridge program; NAVADMIN 064/23; Marine Corps SkillBridge guidance; SkillBridge opportunity listings for Ventura County as of October 2026; NBVC Fleet and Family Support Center career fair employer list, spring 2026; Hiring Our Heroes. Hours, prices, laws and dates change, so confirm with the official source before you act.
Keep going
Landing the job here? Land the home too
A signed job offer with a start date can count toward a home loan approval. Adam is a Marine veteran who writes VA loans. Call him early.