Military spouses are a tremendous source of strength and talent, with the ability to navigate the unique challenges of military life. They work to maintain a home and keep their families strong and resilient, often while pursuing an education or striving to build a meaningful career. Frequent relocations and extended deployments make this pursuit challenging. While military spouses are well-educated and highly-qualified for a wide range of careers, they experience a significant unemployment rate and wage gap compared to their civilian counterparts.

KEY PROGRAM RESOURCES

To help military spouses reach their education and career goals as they balance work-life priorities and interests, the Department of Defense established a comprehensive, holistic, spouse-centered program called Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO).

Program resources include the following:

The Military OneSource Spouse Career Center, where certified Career Counselors provide free, comprehensive counseling services to all eligible military spouses.

The Military Spouse Employment Partnership, a targeted recruitment and employment solution that creates employment connections by providing companies and organizations with direct access to military spouses seeking career opportunities and connecting spouses with employers who are actively recruiting.

The My Career Advancement Account Scholarship program, a workforce development program that provides a maximum tuition benefit of $4,000 with an annual fiscal year cap of $2,000 to eligible military spouses, who have completed high school, to pursue a license, certification or associate degree in a portable career field and occupation

The MySECO website, where eligible military spouses have 24/7 access to online education and career information, resources, tools and assessments. This website is a one-stop source where spouses can research occupations, search for schools and scholarships, find education and career information, search for employment and develop their individual career plan, or MyICP, to set goals and chart progress in building a meaningful career path.

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

Each military service branch plays a major role in supporting a military spouse’s education and career progression, and provides installation-based programs and services to any spouse from any service. At installation employment readiness program centers, spouses can receive face-to-face assistance and advice on career readiness, employment opportunities, education and scholarship opportunities, and job search strategies.

To find the contact information for any of the installation employment readiness programs, spouses can visit the MilitaryINSTALLATIONS website. On the site, spouses can search by the specific program (Spouse Education, Training and Careers) and an installation or postal code to find the office closest to them. Program names may vary between branches, but they all provide quality services.

HELPFUL LINKS

Facebook: https://facebook.com/DoDMilSpouse

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoDMilSpouse

Instagram: https://instagram.com/dodmilspouse/

LinkedIn Spouse Group: http://linkedin.com/groups/Military-Spouse- Employment-Partnership-MSEP-4159976

LinkedIn Partner Group: http://linkedin.com/groups/Military-Spouse- Employment-Partnership-MSEP-4445979