Initiative aimed at reducing underemployment and unemployment among spouses
ATLANTA (PRWEB) MAY 11, 2018
Coinciding with National Military Spouse Appreciation Day in the United States, Hire Heroes USA is launching Serving Spouses – a program that builds on the national nonprofit’s success in helping nearly 1,200 military spouses find new careers since it first began working with spouses in 2012. Serving Spouses is dedicated to combating the very specific employment challenges these men and women face because of a partner’s service in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Frequent change of duty stations is a known part of military life. In fact, active duty service members can expect to relocate every three to four years, or more often than that, depending on their job. For military spouses, these constant moves create significant obstacles to their own employment, like: noticeable gaps in their work history; frequently changing jobs and employers; lower wages than their civilian counterparts; and, substantial underemployment. If they are in a profession that requires a state license – such as a lawyer, teacher, doctor or nurse – it can even sidetrack their career, sometimes forcing them to take any job to fill the gap, because of new courses, training and exams needed for licensure in a new state.
An annual survey conducted in 2017 by Blue Star Families – a partner of Hire Heroes USA – found that military spouse employment is one of the top concerns and financial worries facing military families today. Not only were less than half of the military spouses who responded to the survey employed, the majority had earned less than $20,000 in 2016 – with 39 percent of them reporting earnings of less than $10,000. That same survey also found that the unemployment rate for military spouses overall had increased a whopping 33 percent from 2016, with female spouses reporting greater challenges in seeking employment than their male counterparts.
“Military Spouse employment is a critical issue – not only for military families, but our armed forces, as well,” said Christopher Plamp, Chief Operating Officer and interim CEO of Hire Heroes USA. “In the military, we say, ‘Recruit the troops and retain the spouses.’ Spouses who are unable to find meaningful careers can grow unhappy with military life, and this can negatively impact retention of our highly-trained forces. By consolidating our military spouse services into one program – Serving Spouses – Hire Heroes USA is demonstrating its commitment to tackle this issue with more robust resources, like dedicated Transition Specialists and a suite of virtual services – to include resume assistance, job sourcing and employment workshops – that are tailored to specifically address the needs and concerns of military spouses.”
Plamp added, “These men and women, who are an essential part of the military family, also serve this country. They deserve the ability – and the tools – to find meaningful employment. With Serving Spouses, Hire Heroes USA now has a program that’s committed to making a difference in their lives.”
About Hire Heroes USA:
Headquartered in the Atlanta metro area, with additional branch offices around the country, Hire Heroes USA is the preeminent nonprofit organization providing employment services to transitioning military members, veterans and military spouses across the United States and around the world. Hire Heroes USA is the leading veteran service organization specifically targeting the issues of underemployment and unemployment among veterans. It provides consistently effective, individualized career coaching services that include resume, networking and interview assistance, federal sector help, mock interviews, employment workshops, job sourcing, and virtual career fairs. It also aligns itself with employment partners that range from small businesses to Fortune 100 companies that seek veteran and military spouse talent. Hire Heroes USA’s programs are funded exclusively by private grants and public donations. It has earned Charity Navigator’s highest possible 4-star rating for a third consecutive year, and also has a GuideStar Platinum Seal. For more information about our mission, our services, and how to get involved as a corporate partner, employment partner, donor or volunteer, please visit us online at hireheroesusa.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. You can also read success stories from clients we have assisted.
A digital copy of this press release is also available online at: https://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb15482168.htm