Hire Heroes USA to partner with the Department of Defense to benefit military spouses
Veterans nonprofit Hire Heroes USA will join the Department of Defense’s Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP) in a virtual ceremony Wednesday afternoon. Hire Heroes USA is one of 85 new partners to MSEP, bringing the total number to 500.
This partnership allows Hire Heroes USA to better connect with military spouses around the world who are in need of employment assistance, increasing the positive impact our free career services have on military families. It also allows Hire Heroes USA to connect to other like-minded partners within the MSEP Spouse Ambassador Network to deliver solutions and assistance at scale.
“This is yet another outstanding achievement for our Serving Spouses program in 2020. We are grateful to the Department of Defense for its recognition of our team’s efforts to empower military spouses,” said Hire Heroes USA CEO Andrew Sandoe. “We look forward to working together to serve the needs of this population in the future.”
MSEP connects military spouses with hundreds of partner employers who commit to recruit, hire, promote and retain military spouses. Since its inception in 2011, MSEP employers have hired more than 175,000 military spouses. In 2020 alone, the Hire Heroes USA Serving Spouses team has assisted more
than 1,000 military spouses to find new careers, and the program has empowered more than 3,000 spouses to find employment since the creation of the Serving Spouses Program in 2018.
“Hire Heroes USA is committed to veterans and their families, and we will continue to invest aggressively in these programs because there is more work to be done,” said Kelly Grivner-Kelly, Hire Heroes USA Serving Spouses program manager. “Military spouses are highly qualified for a range of careers but oftentimes face many employment obstacles due to the unique challenges of military life. These men and women, who are an essential part of the military family, also serve this country.”
Hire Heroes USA understands the unique obstacles Military Spouses face when looking for the next step in their careers. This population of about 1 million men and women face barriers to steady employment, including frequent moves and gaps in employment. As a result, many spouses face higher rates of unemployment and underemployment than the general population despite nearly 60% of spouses having a four-year degree or higher.
Those interested in viewing the induction ceremony can watch the live stream on the Hire Heroes USA Facebook page at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. ET. The opening session will also be streamed on the Military OneSource Facebook page and the induction ceremonies will also be streamed on the Spouse Education and Career Opportunities Facebook page.
About Hire Heroes USA
Hire Heroes USA empowers US military members, veterans and their spouses to succeed in the civilian workforce. Our organization offers personalized one-on-one coaching, professionally revised resumes, mentoring, workshops, a job board, career fairs and more, to tens of thousands of job-seeking veterans and military spouses annually. Hire Heroes USA prioritizes transparency, earning a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and the GuideStar Platinum Seal. Funded exclusively through public donations and private grants, we provide our services at no cost to clients. For more information about our organization, visit hireheroesusa.org.
About Spouse Education and Career Opportunities
The MSEP initiative is part of DOD’s broader Spouse Education and Career Opportunities program. The department established the SECO program to provide education and career guidance to military spouses worldwide, offering free, comprehensive resources and tools related to career exploration, education, training and licensing, employment readiness and career connections. This program also offers free career coaching services six days a week.