The Department of Defense (DOD) launched the Military Spouse Career Accelerator Pilot Program (MSCAP) in January 2023, marking a significant step towards addressing the employment challenges faced by military spouses. As this vital program enters its second year, the insights gained from its initial phase are set to refine and enhance its effectiveness, promising even greater support for military families.
The three-year MSCAP initiative is strategically designed to connect military spouses with impactful employment fellowships within a network of participating companies. This program goes beyond temporary placements, aiming to convert these fellowships into full-time employment opportunities, thereby fostering long-term career stability for military spouses.
Eddy Mentzer, program manager for spouse education and career opportunities at DOD, emphasizes the unique hurdles faced by military spouses in their career journeys. Frequent relocations, inherent to the military lifestyle, often disrupt career progression and make it challenging to secure and maintain consistent employment. This employment instability directly impacts family finances, particularly in households relying on dual incomes.
“In today’s society, and equally within our military community, the dual-income family model is prevalent and often desired,” Mentzer stated. He further explained that the financial strain resulting from military spouse unemployment can lead families to reconsider their commitment to military service.
Mentzer underscores that military spouse employment is intrinsically linked to military readiness. It directly bolsters retention rates and strengthens the financial foundation of military families. For too long, the military community has grappled with a significantly high military spouse unemployment rate, hovering around 20% for over a decade.
Since January, MSCAP has garnered substantial participation, with approximately 250 companies pledging employment opportunities for military spouses. Impressively, over 490 spouses have been successfully placed in fellowships. The program’s inaugural year witnessed a remarkable conversion rate of fellows into permanent employees.
“The standout achievement of MSCAP’s first year was the transition of military spouse fellows into full-time employment,” Mentzer highlighted. “Exceeding expectations, over 85% of our participants received offers for full-time employment from their host employers – a truly exceptional outcome. We are encouraged to see this positive trend continuing into the program’s second year.”
Maria Allo, a military spouse in the Washington, D.C. area, exemplifies MSCAP’s success. Applying in April 2023, Allo secured a fellowship as a customer engineer with Equinix, a data center company, through MSCAP. Her dedication and skills led to a full-time employment offer, which she gratefully accepted. As a trained petroleum engineer, Allo values having a fulfilling career.
“My career allows me to pursue my passions, engage in intellectual challenges, and contribute meaningfully,” Allo shared. “I thrive on problem-solving, and my current role allows me to stay at the forefront of network trends and technologies, continuously expanding my expertise.”
Allo candidly spoke about the specific obstacles she faced as a foreign-born military spouse seeking professional employment in the U.S. Relocating to a new country and rebuilding her professional network presented significant hurdles. Furthermore, her spouse’s military duties, including training and mobilizations, often require her to be the primary caregiver, necessitating flexibility in her work schedule and making long-term career planning difficult.
After an extended job search, Allo learned about the DOD’s Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO) program and specifically the MSCAP initiative, which proved to be the turning point in her job search, ultimately leading to her position at Equinix.
Allo passionately advocates for MSCAP, recognizing its transformative potential for military spouses. “MSCAP doesn’t just open doors; it dismantles entire career barriers,” Allo declared. She emphasized the supportive community fostered by MSCAP, connecting her with driven military spouses, mentors, and program managers who provided invaluable support, encouragement, and guidance throughout her career journey.
Courtney Clyde, an Air Force spouse stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, and a former military officer herself, also benefited from MSCAP. After leaving military service to raise her daughter, Clyde sought to pivot her career into marketing.
“When we welcomed our daughter, we decided I would transition out of the military,” Clyde explained. “My career aspiration shifted towards marketing. Thanks to the fellowship, I am now a marketing manager at Frog Street and plan to build my career in this field. I am enjoying it immensely and excited about my future in marketing.”
MSCAP facilitated Clyde’s fellowship with Frog Street as a field marketing manager, which similarly led to full-time employment. Meaningful employment is a deeply held value for Clyde, shaped by her own mother’s experiences as a military spouse.
“I witnessed firsthand the challenges my mother faced as a military spouse, often taking a backseat to my father’s career,” she recounted. “It is incredibly important for me, and for my daughter, to demonstrate that pursuing your own dreams is possible, that sacrifices are worthwhile, and that you can achieve your goals.”
Clyde describes her experience at Frog Street as “absolutely incredible,” praising the supportive and knowledgeable marketing team. She noted that her current boss, a veteran himself, championed Frog Street’s participation in MSCAP, highlighting the powerful support system within the veteran and military spouse community.
As MSCAP progresses beyond its successful first year, Mentzer outlined planned enhancements for the remaining two years of the pilot program, based on initial learnings. A key focus is expanding employer participation, currently at 250 companies. One promising avenue for growth is increased involvement from federal agencies.
“We are seeing significant interest from federal employers in leveraging the talent pool of military spouses,” Mentzer stated. He acknowledged the need to address existing hurdles within the federal sector to facilitate greater participation. MSCAP is actively working to identify and overcome these challenges. “A primary goal for year two is to expand access to the federal sector,” Mentzer affirmed, recognizing that federal employment is a preferred choice for many military spouses.
Initially focused on “career-ready” military spouses with established education and experience, MSCAP is broadening its scope in its second year to include a wider range of spouses. This expansion involves introducing “skills-based fellowships.”
“In year two, we are expanding our reach with ‘skills-based fellowships’,” Mentzer explained. “These fellowships are tailored for spouses who may be at an entry-level stage, lacking extensive education or experience but actively seeking meaningful employment.”
Skills-based fellowships will enable employers to onboard spouses, providing on-the-job training and skill development throughout the fellowship period. Mentzer illustrated with examples in sectors like taxes or insurance, where employers can provide 12-week training programs, leading to potential full-time employment after successful completion.
Looking ahead to the culmination of the three-year pilot, Mentzer expressed optimism that MSCAP will transition into a permanent program. “Our aim is to solidify MSCAP as a permanent resource, integrated into the Department’s comprehensive support system for military spouses through the Spouse Education and Career Opportunities program,” he concluded. “Year one’s success is undeniable, and year two is already demonstrating even greater potential.”
