Resources for Licensure and Certifications (and Your Education)
I am a strong believer in continuing to build skills. I want to highlight resources available to support you in obtaining licenses and certifications based on your profession. You do not just want to get a license or certification to check a box nor is one a ticket to a job. You want to do some research by talking to a number of people in your career field to identify the best license and/or certification for your profession. So let's talk about those resources.
My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA).
The MyCAA Scholarship is a workforce development program that provides up to $4,000 in financial assistance to eligible military spouses for the pursuit of a license, certification or associate degree or for continuing education courses to maintain a license or certification necessary for employment. Spouses of active-duty service members under Title 10 orders in pay grades E-1 toE-6, W-1 and W-2 and O-1 to O-3. Spouses of National Guard and reserve members under qualifying Title 10 orders in the above pay grades. Spouses who have completed high school or obtained a GED.
Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO) Scholarship Portal
SECO now has a scholarship finder.
Licensure Reimbursement when PCS
If your career requires a professional license or certification, your service branch can help reimburse costs that come up when you PCS. The military services continue to support military spouse employment by offering up to $1,000 in reimbursement for licensure and certification costs resulting from relocations or military moves within the United States or OCONUS to stateside.
GI Bill
This is for veterans that need help paying for school or covering expenses while you’re training for a job. You must have on active duty after September 10, 2001. It can be transferred to spouses if all of the following conditions are met: the service member completed at least 6 years of service on the date your request is approved, and agrees to add 4 more years of service, and the person getting benefits is enrolled in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS).
State Veteran Educational Program
Several states offer veterans education benefits and programs of their own, in addition, or as an alternative, to federal GI Bill benefits. In some states, tuition waivers, scholarships or grants are offered for those who do not qualify for federal help, or to fill in gaps where federal help leaves off. In other states, assistance is provided to augment the federal benefits. The American Legion a state-by-state listing of education benefits.
VA Veterans Readiness and Employment (VR&E)
If you support a Veteran or Service member with a service-connected disability, who faces difficult employment challenges, there may be little left in the household budget for your higher education and career advancement. VA may offer assistance to help you assess your career goals and abilities, find your next job, further your education and skills, and identify places where you can get job training.
Career One Stop or Local America's Job Centers
There are specific programs based on local needs. There are also resources for military spouses for education and training.
Relief Societies
Each service's relief society offers a variety of grants and scholarships. Some also provide grants and scholarships to retiree, widow/widower, and wounded warrior families.
AIR FORCE AID SOCIETY (also covers Space Force)
COAST GUARD MUTUAL ASSISTANCE
Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) Onward to Opportunity (O2O)
Onward to Opportunity (O2O) helps active duty, selected reserve, veterans, and military spouses learn business, technology, and customer service skills to accomplish their personal and professional goals after military service. This program is FREE and combines industry-validated courses, strong partnerships, and comprehensive career coaching and employer relations services to match participants with civilian job opportunities.
National Military Family Association (NMFA) Scholarships
Since 2004, NMFA has cheered on military spouses by awarding scholarships to help pay for everything from GED’s to PhD’s, professional licenses and certifications, including re-licensure, business and entrepreneurial expenses, supervised clinical hours, continuing education courses, and more.
Installation Spouse Clubs
Many spouse clubs offer scholarships. Some are specific towards an undergraduate degree, but it is becoming more common for these to be more inclusive towards certifications, licenses, and post-graduate degrees.
Please share additional resources that you know about in the HUB, where you can catch Rose’s weekly resources!
Rose Holland has served the military community for over 30 years in a variety of roles as a volunteer and family program staff. Through this work, she has seen many inequities imposed upon military families. Her passion to assist military families is driven by her own experience as a military spouse of almost 33 years and has shaped the service she provides. Rose became an activist for military families in the area of career and employment, serving as a career counselor and providing corporate and local organizations insights into the military world and helping the community understand the hidden talent pool of military families.
Rose has a BBA in Finance from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, a Master’s in Theological Studies with a focus on pastoral care from Saint Norbert College in DePere Wisconsin, and a Doctorate in Education with a focus in Educational Sustainability at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. Her dissertation project focused on military spouses in federal employment and their perceptions of perceptions of federal position during the pandemic.
