The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Chamber Foundation's Hiring Our Heroes is tackling military spouse unemployment one innovative initiative at a time. This week, it announced it has launched a Military Spouse Fellowship Program (MSFP) in San Antonio, in collaboration with Booz Allen Hamilton, a management and consulting firm.
The fellowship program will place 25 military spouses with host companies for a six-week immersive experience; the participants could potentially be hired by their host companies after completing the fellowship. According to Hiring Our Heroes, 86% of spouses who completed the fellowship in 2018 gained meaningful employment.
"This initiative will put spouses back to work, eliminate gaps in resumes, and allow employers to see first-hand how a military spouse can impact change within a company," said Eric Eversole, president of Hiring Our Heroes and vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in a news release.
According to its website, Hiring Our Heroes matches participants with companies based on the candidate's specific skills and both parties' preferences. The professional development and direct connection to local employers offered through the program enables military spouses to build networks and gain job experience. By hosting a fellow, San Antonio employers gain access to highly skilled talent with diverse experience.
"Booz Allen is invested in the local military community here in San Antonio. We know that military spouse employment is a key contributing factor in sustaining our all-volunteer force. That's why we're excited to lead by example by sponsoring these fellowships and hope to inspire other companies to do the same," Mark Rydell, principal at Booz Allen Hamilton in San Antonio, said in a news release.
San Antonio is widely referred to as "Military City USA." According to its tourism bureau, San Antonio is home to one of the largest concentrations of military bases in the United States. It is also home to the Defense Department's largest medical center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston. More than 39,000 students graduate from military training in the city.
Hosting the Military Spouse Fellowship Program will enable even more military families to thrive.
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