Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM JANUARY 18 - 24, 2023 UCW 7 NEWS DOD now accepting applications for new military spouse Career Accelerator Pilot Program a DOD News STAFF REPORT e Defense Department recently launched a 12-week paid fellowship program to expand employment opportunities for eligible military spouses. e Military Spouse Career Accelerator Pilot program provides spouses of currently serving members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force, to include active, re- serve and National Guard components, with paid fellowships at civilian employers across various industries and locations. is program directly addresses DOD's Taking Care of Our People directive to expand spousal employment. DOD continually reaches out to the force to better understand their concerns and improve how we can best support them and their families on a broad range of issues. It also supports the Spouse Education and Career Op- portunities program's overall goal of providing information, tools and resources to assist spouses in finding meaningful career opportunities. "e military spouse career accelerator pilot is a game changer for career ready military spous- es," said Patricia Montes Barron, deputy assistant secretary of defense for military community and family policy. "e department has partnered with Hiring our Heroes to provide robust and meaningful fellowship placement that could lead to full-time employment. Military spouses have made it clear that meaningful employment is essential to their quality of life. We hope this program provides them a strong start to solid employment oppor- tunities." Expanding Spousal Employment Opportunities Military spouses who are accepted into the program will be placed with host companies that match their location and work experience, among other factors. Spouses will receive in- person or professional training and mentoring. At the end of the fellowship, spouses who excel in the program may be invited to join the host company as a direct hire. is program will run for three years, and ap- plications will be accepted throughout the length of the program, with new opportunities available each month. e first cohort of fellows will be placed with their host com- panies starting in January 2023. Spouses can find more information about eligibility and learn how to apply for this unique opportunity on MySECO, the web- site of the Spouse Education and Career Opportunities program. https://myseco.militaryonesource.mil/ portal/article/military-spouse-career-ac- celerator-pilot Connecting Employers With Skilled Talent By partnering with the fellowship pro- gram, employers gain access to a pipeline of military spouse fellows that are equipped with education, transferable skills and ex- perience in a variety of roles and industries. ey represent a diverse population faced with challenges finding and maintaining careers due to frequent relocations. Employers who are accepted into the fellow- ship program will receive the following benefits: •Early access to a diverse pool of a highly skilled and educated workforce •Free opportunity to connect directly with mili- tary spouses – the program is fully subsidized by the Defense Department and is free to employers to participate •Recognition opportunities through promo- tional activities and social media engagement •Opportunity to bring military spouses who excel in the fellowship on board as a direct hire after the program is completed Employers can apply to participate on a rolling basis throughout the length of the program. is program is provided at no cost to employers with the Defense Department providing compensa- tion for all military spouse fellows. Employers who are interested in hosting a military spouse fellow may visit the Hiring Our Heroes website to learn more https://www.hir- ingourheroes.org/employers/hosting-a-fellow/ mscap-host-interest-form/ Spouse and employers with additional ques- tions about the program can contact mscap@ uschamber.com. About Military Community and Family Policy Military Community and Family Policy is di- rectly responsible for establishing and overseeing quality-of-life policies and programs that help our service members, their families and survivors be well and mission-ready. Military OneSource is the gateway to programs and services that sup- port the everyday needs of the 5.2 million service members and immediate family members of the military community. ese DOD services can be accessed 24/7/365 around the world. About Spouse Education and Career Opportu- nities e Defense Department established the SECO program to provide education and career guid- ance to military spouses worldwide, offering free comprehensive resources and tools designed to help spouses meet their career and education goals. is program also offers free career coach- ing services six days a week. For more informa- tion visit https://myseco.militaryonesource.mil/ portal/. Help your kids to develop reading and critical thinking skills by playing games, solving puzzles, and reading exciting educational stories! DOD is partnering with Hiring Our Heroes on the pilot program to place spouses with host companies that match their location and work experi- ence and to receive training and mentoring.