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By Marcus K. Wardlaw

From Joint Base Langley-Eustis and Naval Station Norfolk, to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, military spouses in transition across Hampton Roads face obstacles to securing good jobs.

What do you need to connect with meaningful employment? As we grappled with major changes in the workforce and the pandemic’s many challenges, that’s the question we asked military spouses who were transitioning with their service member from active duty last year.

The answer we received: Better information on the job search and application process, from crafting a compelling resume to marketing themselves to negotiating salaries.

In order to meet these needs and provide a successful path to plan and prepare for job searches, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service created a series of free, stand-alone virtual workshops that we call TEAMS — Transition Employment Assistance for Military Spouses.

During Military Appreciation Month, we rolled out several virtual workshops that included a focus on federal hiring, interview skills, LinkedIn profiles and job searches and salary negotiations. Next month through August, we are offering the following:

• Your Next Move
• Career Credentials
• Mastering Resume Essentials
• Marketing Me

Participants can engage with the facilitators and get expert feedback, and we offer these live classes on a monthly basis across many time zones to meet the needs of military spouses stationed worldwide. Our goal is to provide current and relevant employment training, tools and resources for military spouses.

More than 558 people have already attended the courses, and they’ve described them as “very helpful,” “eye opening” and “great.” Visit veterans.gov/milspouses/events today to learn more and register for upcoming workshops.

The Veterans’ Employment and Training Service recognizes the importance of empowering spouses and ensuring they have the necessary tools and resources to thrive in all facets of their lives, including in the workforce. We couldn’t be more excited for our latest workshops dedicated to helping military spouses in Hampton Roads and across the country find the job of their dreams!

 

Marcus K. Wardlaw is deputy regional administrator for the U.S. Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS).