Spouse Tip of the Week - SECO Can Jump Start Your Continued Education and Portable Career
Source: Military Community and Family Policy (MC&FP) Weekly eNewsletter
Military spouses have many opportunities and resources that can help jump start their continued education and portable careers.
The first step is awareness. Help us spread the word that Military Spouse Education, Career and Employment support resources are available, easily accessible, and provided at no-cost.
- Military Spouse Career Center: (800) 342-9647 Education, Career and Employment Counselors are standing by to provide military spouse education, career and employment information, counseling and planning services from 7 AM to 10 PM Monday through Friday and 10 AM to 5 PM on Saturdays. Additionally, support resources are online at MilitaryOneSource (Career & Education Section/Spouse Career Center).
- SECO Program: The Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO) Program has four pillars for information and support service delivery:
- Career Exploration - Provides self-assessment tools (e.g., skills, knowledge, aptitudes, values) and exploration of the fastest growing, highest demand portable career fields and occupations, including job growth projections, salaries, and benefits in geographic locations of interest to military spouses.
- Education and Training - Assists spouses in finding degrees, licenses, and credentials needed for portable career employment, schools and programs of study, consumer financial protection tools to help spouses make informed decisions, and sources of financial assistance.
- MyCAA - The MyCareer Advancement Accounts program provides up to $4,000 for spouses of active duty members on Title 10 orders who are in pay grades E1-E5, W1-W2, and O1-O2. Spouses must be pursuing an associate's degree, license, or credential needed for portable career employment. To open an account, visit the MyCAA website.
- Additional Sources of Financial Assistance for All Military Spouses - Provides referrals to federal Pell Grants and Stafford Loans, Post 9/11 Education Benefits which service members can transfer to their military spouse, and scholarships.
- Career Readiness - Provides assistance with resumes, job applications, interview skills, dress for success, child care, transportation, flexible work options (e.g., telework, flexible work schedules, job sharing, full vs. part-time), and work-life balance.
- Career Connections - Provides connections to military friendly employers who want to recruit, hire, retain and promote military spouses in portable careers.
- 100 Job Fairs nationwide sponsored by the United States and local Chambers of Commerce
- Wounded Warrior Career Fairs and Spouse Fireside Chats that connect spouses to employers who want their skills and life experiences in their twenty-first century workforce
- MSEP (Military Spouse Employment Partnership) program and web portal that connects spouses to over 100 employers who have signed a Statement of Support with the Armed Forces pledging to hire military spouses
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