Military Spouse Employment Initiative expands across the entire federal public service

Above image: Last year just over 25 percent of military spouses who participated were hired through the Military Spousal Employment Initiative.

On September 18, the Military Spouse Employment Initiative opened up opportunities for military spouses and common-law partners across the entire federal public service to help them find secure jobs.

“Our Defence Policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, puts the care of members of the Canadian Armed Forces and their families at its core. Today, on Military Family Appreciation Day, we continue to build on our efforts to support the families who serve alongside those in uniform, and the Military Spousal Employment Initiative is an important step to the commitment. Military spouses and common-law partners will have more exposure helping them increase the likelihood of gaining meaningful employment, wherever they are posted in the country,” said Harjit S. Sajjan, minister of national defence.

The average military family relocates three times more often than the average Canadian family. This means a change of lifestyle, challenges, and routine. This can make it challenging for partners of serving members to get continuous and meaningful employment.

In 2018, the Department of National Defence created the Military Spousal Employment Initiative to identify job opportunities at the Department of National Defence, and address the challenges partners face. The announcement expanded upon the initiative offering the entire Public Service access to a talented workforce.

Jody Thomas, deputy minister of national defence says, “Employing a Canadian military spouse is a wise strategic decision for any employer. Military life teaches our Canadian Armed Forces families to organize, adapt, manage, and work within a team, and any military spouse will arrive at their new job with those essential skills well developed. By hiring a military spouse, employers are strengthening Canada and Canadian business lines.”

The initiative has already proven to ease some of the stress felt by many military families, including Justine Walker’s. “I’m very grateful for my job, and I definitely wouldn’t have it if it wasn’t for the Military Spouse Employment Initiative,” said JWalker, who works as a compensation assistant at National Defence.

A military spouse, Walker says her full-time position gives her security, both now and in the future. “When we get posted again, I’ll have options for transferring my job, finding a new job, or putting my job on hold while on a temporary posting. My employer is across Canada, and there are many opportunities to grow within the Department of National Defence community. I feel extremely secure in my career, and I’m proud to be contributing to my own pension and making a career for myself.”

Opening up the employment inventory to the federal public service as a whole will ensure there are more stories like Walker’s. The inventory is open exclusively to spouses and common-law partners of serving Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members, who either live at the military member’s place of duty or live separately for military reasons. The CAF member must belong to the Regular Force or to the Reserve Force on Class C service or Class B reserve service of more than 180 consecutive days. Those who meet the above criteria are eligible to apply online to the inventory.

The pool of talent includes many streams such as information management and information technology (IM/IT), procurement, materiel management, language teaching, health services, administration, and general services, as well as general trades and labour.

Last year just over 25 percent of military spouses who participated were hired through the Military Spousal Employment Initiative.

For more information on the Military Spouse Employment Initiative visit here.