The Department of Defense Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO) Program provides expert education and career guidance to military Spouses worldwide. SECO offers comprehensive information, tools and resources to support career exploration, education, training, licensing, employment readiness and career connections. The four main components of service delivery for the SECO program are: the MySECO website which provides a comprehensive set of virtual tools and resources to assist military Spouses in the pursuit of their educational and employment goals; the Military OneSource SECO Career Center where certified career coaches provide comprehensive counseling services at no cost; the My Career Advancement Account Scholarship, which is a workforce development initiative that provides up to $4,000 (with an annual fiscal year cap of $2,000) of tuition assistance for licensure and education to eligible military Spouses; and the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP), which is an employment and career partnership connecting military Spouses with more than 700 partners who have committed to recruit, hire, promote and retain military Spouses in portable careers. Online, in the community, or on the phone, SECO ensures military Spouses have all the opportunities and connections they need to find a career that fits their mobile military life.

All Spouses of Retired Service members are eligible for DoD Spouse Education and Career Opportunities services for 180 days post-retirement date. Spouses of Retired Service members who have been serviced under the Army Recovery Care Program (ARCP) are eligible for life.

Spouses of Retired Service members are ineligible for the My Career Advancement Account scholarship. Eligibility for the My Career Advancement Account scholarship is restricted to Spouses of active duty Service members, who are serving on Title 10 orders, and in the pay grades E-1 to E-6, W-1 to W-2, and O-1 to O-3.

The Military OneSource SECO Career Center: Comprehensive counseling services are available at no cost to all eligible military Spouses through the career center which is accessible by calling Military OneSource at 800-342-9647. Staffed by certified career coaches, the career center can help military Spouses with:

• Career Exploration: Career Coaches help Spouses identify their career interests and aptitudes. They provide information about today's job market and work opportunities, including portable skills and careers, entrepreneurship and federal employment options. Spouses have access to a suite of assessment tools at no cost.

• Education and Training: Career Coaches help Spouses identify education, training and licensing /certification opportunities as well as financial aid resources and  scholarships. They also help Spouses compare and weigh the costs of potential schools and programs to help them reach their education and career goals.

• Employment Readiness: Career Coaches help Spouses prepare to join or re-enter the workforce and provide information and assistance with job search strategies, resume writing, interviewing, networking and self-marketing skills.

• Employment Connections: Career Coaches educate Spouses on how best to connect with corporations, government organizations and non-profits, and how to leverage resources such as the Military Spouse Employment Partnership, Hiring Our Heroes Hiring Fairs, USAJobs and more.

  • Counseling services are available six days a week, through specialty consultations with certified career coaches.

  • My Career Advancement Account Scholarship is a workforce development initiative that provides up to $4,000 (with an annual fiscal year cap of $2,000) of tuition assistance for eligible military Spouses pursuing a license/certification, certificate or associate degree in a portable career field and occupation.

  • The Military Spouse Employment Partnership is a career partnership connecting military Spouses to more than 700 partners who have committed to recruit, hire, promote and retain military Spouses in portable careers. To help with their introduction, Spouses are encouraged to self-identify when applying with or contacting these employment partners.

Members of the installation employment readiness staff provide an opportunity for face-to-face support and can connect Spouses to classes on topics such as resume writing, interviewing skills, federal employment, job search strategies, dressing for success, job fairs, career assessments and others. They are also the experts on job opportunities in and around their locale and can offer advice and guidance on topics such as appropriated funds vs. non-appropriated funds employment, overseas work Visas and Spouse preferences.

To speak with a Spouse Education and Career Opportunities Counselor call 1-800-342-9647 or visit:
https://myseco.militaryonesource.mil/portal/

Spouse Education and Career Opportunities Overview: 
https://myseco.militaryonesource.mil/portal/article/military-spouse-career-coaching-packages

For more information on the My Career Advancement Account Scholarship, visit the My Career Advancement Account Spouse Portal:
https://mycaa.militaryonesource.mil/mycaa/

My Career Advancement Account Fact Sheet:
https://download.militaryonesource.mil/seco/Media/Default/Collaterals_Catalog/Program_Overview/MyCAA-Helping-Spouses-Reach-Career-goals.pdf

Spouse Education and Career Opportunities Fact Sheet:
https://download.militaryonesource.mil/seco/Media/Default/Collaterals_Catalog/Program_Overview/SECO-Program-Overview.pdf

Spouse Education and Career Opportunities Career Coaches Fact Sheet:
https://download.militaryonesource.mil/seco/Media/Default/PDFs/SECO-Factsheet-Career-Coaches.pdf

Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP) Career Portal:
https://msepjobs.militaryonesource.mil/msep/