Connecting Military Spouses with Employment Opportunities During These Challenging Economic Times
Air Force spouse Amy Schwartz credits the Hiring Our Heroes Military Spouse Professional Network for reducing her “out-of-work” time after she PCSed to Nevada. Once she connected with the Las Vegas network, Schwartz had a job within two months. This is incredibly fast compared to other military spouses.
According to Hiring Our Heroes’ “Military Spouses in the Workplace” study, nearly two-thirds (65%) of survey respondents told Hiring Our Heroes that they needed four or more months to find new employment after moving. Another 29% said it took them four to six months to find a job.
During Schwartz’s first year of employment, she received two wage increases and an additional wage increase during her second year of employment. Schwartz doubled her income within two years.
“Once I was able to spend time at a company and prove myself, I was able to overcome underemployment,” she said.
Thanks to USAA’s recently announced Military Family Relief Initiative, Hiring Our Heroes is able to continue to help connect military spouses, like Schwartz, with meaningful employment opportunities during these challenging economic times.
With the support from USAA, Hiring Our Heroes will execute 18 AMPLIFY events, 18 hiring events, and four additional career development events that deliver on the evolving needs of military spouses through a combination of virtual and in-person events.
During the next 18 months, Hiring Our Heroes will also create 50 military spouse fellowships focusing on San Antonio, Tampa, and San Diego. The Military Spouse Programs team will work to increase membership of the Military Spouse Professional Networks (MSPN) located in Tampa, Colorado Springs, San Diego, and San Antonio. Through collaboration with USAA, Hiring Our Heroes will be able to facilitate an annual leadership conference for MSPN volunteers and support the Military Spouse Economic Empowerment Zones located throughout the United States.
USAA’s Military Family Relief Initiative will also support Hiring Our Heroes’ annual Military Spouse Employment Summit. This summit is held annually to recognize and empower military spouses.
This collaboration is part of USAA’s long-standing mission to support military and veteran families and speaks specifically to the impact that the COVID-19 health crisis has had on the military community.
Headquartered in San Antonio, USAA has offices in seven U.S. cities and three overseas locations and employs more than 35,000 people worldwide. Each year, the company contributes to national and local nonprofits in support of military families and communities where employees live and work.
