SEPTEMBER 6, 2022 – Army Community Service Employment Readiness Program and the Center for Economic Empowerment and Development have partnered to bring back the MilSpo Career Expo from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sep. 15 at the Smith Lake Recreation Center.
The event offers the opportunity for military spouses to network with local employers, have resumes reviewed, attend informational sessions, get professional headshots taken and more.
“We are so excited to be bringing this event back again this year,” Liz Dailey, Supervisory ACS Specialist. “Last year, during our first-annual event, more than 100 attendees had an opportunity to network with other military spouses as well as meet 26 employers. It was an inspiring success and quickly became a focal point on this year’s calendar.”
This year’s event will include fields of interest, such as healthcare, government, childhood education, higher education, and breakout sessions featuring topics such as: “Interview Preparation”; “PCSing Your Business”; “Personal Branding”; and “How to Search for Remote Employment”.
The guest speaker, military spouse, and small business owner, Torette Williams, will also share her wisdom about personal branding.
“Maintaining a career can be a really difficult challenge for our military spouses,” said Dailey. “Frequent moves can impact a Family’s sense of connectedness and friendships, as well as employment. No matter the chosen profession, it’s not easy to stay on a career path when constantly having to start over.”
To combat these issues, ACS offers a variety of programs and resources that assist service members and their Families with the PCS process. The Employment Readiness Program in particular helps spouses to stay connected with the community and to transition their careers.
“The ERP supports military spouses as they look for long-term employment, no matter where they are in the process,” said Dailey. “We can assist with writing a resume, sifting through the application process, preparing for interviews and even looking for the right attire to wear!”
The ERP is located on the third floor of the Soldier Support Center. On a typical day, it is bustling with career counselors and specialists providing guidance during individual appointments, sharing upcoming events with walk-in clients, and teaching one of the numerous workshops.
Each specialist is trained to provide guidance on both federal and private sector resumes, career assessments, interview preparation and anything pertaining to the job search.
“Our goal is to help military spouses find the next step in their career path,” explained Dailey. “We want them to be successful and enjoy their experience here, and we look forward to connecting them with their future.”
Military spouses in the Fort Bragg community can register for the event at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/milspo-career-expo-tickets-370612450817?aff=ebdssbdestsearch.
For more information about the upcoming MilSpo Career Expo or other employment-related services, call (910) 396-2390, follow on Facebook at @FortBraggACSERP, or connect on LinkedIn.
ACS is located on the third floor of the Soldier Support Center on Fort Bragg.
By Melanie Tucker, ACS Employment Readiness Program Manager