Support for Military
How can you make your military spouse career more portable? By making sure you have the skills, training, licenses, degrees and certifications that employers want in high-growth, high-demand fields and occupations.
Find a job that fits your MilLife with a free one-year membership to FlexJobs, a leading career site featuring flexible and remote job openings.
A portable career is one that employers value, with skills that are in demand and move easily with you. These skills:
These places offer a great start:
The My Career Advancement Account Scholarship is a workforce development program that provides eligible military spouses with up to $4,000 in financial assistance for the pursuit or maintenance, including continuing education courses, of a license, certification or associate degree necessary to gain employment in an occupation or career field. Spouses can also use funds for national tests to earn course credits required for the degree approved under the program, including the College Level Examination Program tests.
MyCAA pay grade eligibility has now expanded to E-1 through E-9, W-1 through W-3 and O-1 through O-3.
In some cases, your license may not transfer to a new state. If you move within the United States or OCONUS to stateside due to a permanent change of station and pursue the same licensure or certification in your new location, you can apply for up to $1,000 in reimbursement of relicensure or certification fees from your service branch.
The Military Spouse Employment Partnership website lists open positions available from approximately 300 partners who focus on portable career opportunities for spouses.
| Career Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Aerospace | If you have a passion for flying or working with aircraft, then an occupation in the aerospace career field could be for you. |
| Animal Services | This growing and rewarding career will give you the training necessary to work in areas, such as animal hospitals, grooming and training centers and animal control. |
| Automotive Services & Transportation | The transportation industry requires drivers and operators, dispatchers, attendants, mechanics and engineers to keep things moving safely and affordably. |
| Business, Finance and Administration | Business and management consulting firms influence how businesses, governments, and institutions make decisions. These firms offer their clients expertise, information, contacts and tools. |
| Construction | Contractors use high-tech tools and machinery to build highly sophisticated facilities, such as hospitals, laboratories, skyscrapers and dams. Careers include architects, carpenters, painters, electricians, HVAC repair and civil engineers. |
| Education | The educational services industry includes academic education, vocational or career and technical instruction, and other education and training. Teaching positions, which constitute almost half of all educational services jobs, require at least a bachelor’s degree, and some require a master’s or doctoral degree. |
| Health & Human Services | The health care industry administers care around the clock responding to the needs of millions of people. Most workers’ jobs require less than four years of college education, with diagnosing and treating practitioners among the most educated. |
| Homeland Security | People’s lives often depend on the quick and competent care of emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, police officers and firefighters. Emergency dispatchers schedule and dispatch workers, equipment or service vehicles to carry materials or passengers |
| Hospitality | Hospitality is a thriving industry, caring for business travelers and vacationers, offering both accommodations and dining. Hotels, resorts and casinos are destinations in themselves requiring talented staff and management. |
| Information Technology | All organizations today rely on computer and information technology. The computer systems design and related services industry helps them meet their specialized needs and is expected to experience rapid growth. |
| Legal | While lawyers assume ultimate responsibility for legal work, they often delegate many of their tasks to paralegals. Paralegals — also called legal assistants — continue to assume a growing range of tasks in legal offices. |
| Skilled Trades | Trades such as these are particularly important to areas that are growing in population, require certification or other credentials, and provide the portability necessary for frequent relocations: Aesthetician or Cosmetologist Designer Journalist, Writer/Editor, Photographer Translator/Interpreter Mortuary Science Sales Manager |
Take control of your career by planning ahead, developing portable skills and using resources at your family readiness and education center on your installation.
Spouse Education and Career Opportunities career coaches are also ready to assist you in all areas of your career and education. Call 800-342-9647 or visit the MySECO website for additional information.
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