Military Spouse Jobs on Base Vs. Training for a Portable Career

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As a military spouse, you may have to move at any moment when surprise orders arrive. As a result, many military spouses bypass the chance of rewarding careers for jobs on base.

While these good jobs on base can help financially and provide opportunities to get out of the house and meet others, they’re not occupations designed to grow with you over the years. For that, you’ll need a portable career that will let you keep working even when it’s time for your family to move.

On-base jobs are employment positions located right where you live, and your spouse works. Portable careers, meanwhile, are professional opportunities that are available throughout the nation, have a wide range of diverse opportunities and can sometimes even be performed online. You may need to consider career training for the latter remote positions, but there are military benefits available to spouses through the MyCAA Scholarship program that could cover the cost.

Which type of work is best for you? Let’s look at some of the military spouse jobs on base compared to embarking on a new portable career.

On-Base Jobs: Pros and Cons

Two main types of jobs are available on a military base. They are:

Exchange or Commissary positions, which usually involve retail work or work in foodservice
Federal government positions, which may demand academic degrees at the bachelor level or higher

These jobs can be wonderful opportunities to earn a paycheck while your spouse is enlisted. There is often frequent turn-over, meaning openings are regularly available. The jobs can be relatively low-stress and a fun way to meet others who live the same lifestyle you do. Best of all, your boss will understand when it’s time to move.

However, a job in the Exchange will not provide the same intellectual stimulation or financial opportunities as a career would. You may feel stuck, waiting for your spouse to rise in rank. If one of these on-base jobs isn’t available, you won’t even get a chance to bring in money.

Portable Careers: Pros and Cons

A portable career that allows you to work wherever your family happens to live is very different. Two of the most popular industries for these kinds of professional opportunities are the fields of healthcare and information technology. Some possible portable careers are:

Dental assistant
Pharmacy technician professional
Medical assistant
PC technician
IT support professional

You can start in these fields with a certification program and may even have it paid for by the U.S. Armed Services if you qualify. In just a matter of months, you’ll be prepared to begin a career that allows for growth nearly everywhere in the nation. With time and additional training, military spouses can earn their own promotions and find fulfillment professionally while supporting their partners and families at the same time.

Start with Researching MyCAA

MyCAA, which is short for My Career Advancement Account, offers scholarships to military spouses for no-cost training. To see if you are eligible, visit the website. Then you can start browsing the MedCerts training programs to see what kind of rewarding career you want to explore.

Topics

Military Life

Written by

MedCerts Team

Blog Posts Published By Our Team

See all of the blog posts that the MedCerts team has published.

Published on

March 2, 2022

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