I am a military wife and teacher. When I tell people that I am a teacher, people often say, "What a great career for a military wife- you can go anywhere!" What they do not understand is what it means to go "anywhere". I have experienced seniority loss, salary decreases, and long periods of unemployment "everywhere".
My story pales in comparison to others out there. The stories are endless, but not well understood by the general population.
And with attention, comes change. It is time for our experience in one part of the country or province to count in another region of the same country or province. If you teach for 8 years in Petawawa, you should be credited with 8 years in Edmonton. If you pass Kingston's probationary screening program in your field , you should not be on probation again when you move to Toronto. It's the same province; you do not get a driver's license in Ottawa and then have to redo it when you move to Windsor; experience is experience.
After all, you deserve better. Your husband fights for this country. Your wife just got home from 6 month deployment and now you're posted 3000km from your family. Your RCMP spouse moves frequently and you have had more than your share of isolation. Your family makes every day sacrifices for your nation's well-being. So, why is your career the casualty in this equation?
We need more programs and supports in place as unemployment and career dissatisfaction correlate with higher divorce rates, a decline in mental health, and higher levels of financial and emotional stress.
No one should hand you a job-but, you should have the opportunity to earn one or compete for transfers without a 'starting over' status. And, you should never face discrimination because you "may move".
As service spouses, we are often overlooked for promotional opportunities and professional development because we may get posted. It is time to detonate these misconceptions. The skills and experiences that you acquire by moving to new environments are valuable. You've worked in multi-linguistic settings, multicultural settings, international settings and Aboriginal communities. Many of you have worked outside of your field. And, you have exercised outstanding initiative and determination to re-start again and again while raising children alongside long field exercises, tough deployments and many transitions. Let's draw attention to your resume and YOU. Nothing would make me happier than to see an article with the headline, "Looking for initiative, grit and determination? Hire a Service Spouse!"
Live Happe's Goals:
#1 As service spouses, we need to harness our collective power to support each other, and share opportunities and important information. We need career-specific support groups to facilitate career networking. For example, if you are a teacher moving to Edmonton, and you want to know how to obtain your teaching license in Alberta, which boards are hiring, where jobs are posted, and how to get on the supply list, you could find that information within the support group. You could also meet other service spouses who were established in their field at your new posting location.
#2 Let's also share our collective stories with a larger audience, and shine a spotlight on some of the hurdles we face: the provincial salary grids, probationary policies
#3 Let's change our image. We have aspirations and goals ourselves, and we possess a tremendous skill-set thanks to our unique circumstances. If you feel that your moves have made you better at what you do, I want to hear from you!
Reaching the Goals:
1. Fill out the survey below and share your story. You can do it anonymously if you so wish.
2. Volunteer to help me- this is a team effort! Send your ideas and offers of help to the email link below.
3. Share this page with other service spouses- share, share, share it to death! A lot of completed surveys, and more diverse data, will help us to write a timely and informative article.
Career Impact for
Service Spouses
Name: _______________________ (Optional) Gender: M/F
Occupation: __________________________
Email Address: ________________ (If you wish to be contacted or interviewed
further for the article)
Partner’s Affiliation: (Military, RCMP, etc):
__________________________
1.
How many times have you relocated as a result of
your partner’s career? _________
2.
After a relocation, what obstacles have you
experienced when seeking employment? (Check all that apply)
a.
None, I received a transfer
b.
Shortage of available positions in my field
c.
Loss of seniority
d.
Decrease in salary
e.
Decrease in status
f.
Forced to take a position outside of my field
g.
Required to pay for additional training or
qualifications
h.
Long period of unemployment
i.
Other (explain)
3.
What impact have the above changes had on your
quality of life?
4.
What resources are available to service spouses
in search of employment? Have you used
any of these resources?
5.
What are the advantages of working in multiple
settings? What new skills and knowledge
have you acquired as a result of working in different locations?
6.
Have you ever been treated differently by an
employer because you are a service spouse?
(For example: denied promotion or professional development opportunities
because you are inevitably going to move).
7.
What changes could be made to make the
relocation process smoother for service spouses?
8.
How have your own career goals and aspirations
changed as a result of the relocation process?
9.
Have you ever lived apart from your spouse
and/or children in order to pursue career goals or maintain a job?
Please feel free to share
concerns, additional stories, or any further information that you think is
valuable for this type of story.
Copy this survey into an email, type answers under each question, and send it here
If you want to volunteer, let me know here
Surveys will be accepted until June 15th. We'd like to have a timely piece as posting season wraps up in August. And, stay tuned for information on various job support networks once we have some volunteers and hopefully some buzz!!!
