| In 2002, then Army Chief of Staff Gen. Eric K. | | | | a significant contribution as the nation struggles |
| Shinseki, created a special program called the Army | | | | through a recession. |
| Spouse Employment Partnership to create career | | | | Military spouses, because of the unique circumstances |
| opportunities for military spouses. The program is a | | | | of the military lifestyle, have a harder time in general |
| partnership between the public sector and private | | | | achieving the kinds of educational and career goals |
| corporations; over the last six years more than | | | | that civilians can. Military spouses, who are enrolled at |
| 41,000 jobs have been created for military spouses. | | | | a school near the base, may have to disrupt or |
| One of the latest private corporations to join the | | | | discontinue their schooling when their military spouse |
| program is Converges, a global leader in relationship | | | | is transferred to another duty station of state. |
| management, who announced its plans to help Army | | | | Although congress and state legislators have begun |
| wives and husbands find employment. | | | | to address the issue, many military spouses who |
| Convergys human resources will work with the | | | | move to a new state are not eligible to receive |
| program to reach out to Army spouse at Convergys' | | | | in-state tuition rates, making the cost of education |
| 81 contact centers. The company also plans to | | | | unaffordable. One important solution already available |
| aggressively use the Web to inform spouses about | | | | for military spouses is online education. |
| the job opportunities at the company. | | | | The advantage of distance learning for military |
| "Hiring military spouses makes good business sense | | | | spouses is that they can enroll in a program, and |
| and fits very well into Convergys' commitment to | | | | continue studying no matter where the military family |
| global talent management, and that's why we didn't | | | | is transferred. Many online training programs are also |
| hesitate to join Army Spouse Employment | | | | self-paced, which means that students often have up |
| Partnership," said Clark Handy, Convergys Senior Vice | | | | to one year to complete a course or program. |
| President, Human Resources. "Military spouses | | | | This would allow, for example, a military spouse to |
| represent a talented and diverse workforce of | | | | take two months off while he or she moves with |
| people who are often concentrated on or near US | | | | their family to a new duty station in another state. |
| military bases around the world and whose | | | | As soon as the family is settled in their new home, |
| exceptional work ethic and low attrition rate speak | | | | the spouse can get right back online and resume |
| volumes about the high quality of work they can | | | | studies. |
| provide." | | | | In addition to eliminating the whole issue of in-state |
| Convergys joins 27 other companies, along with Black | | | | tuition rates, online education also allows military |
| & Veatch Corporation, EMC Corporation, Lowe's | | | | spouses with children to study without leaving the |
| Corporation and West Corporation who signed up to | | | | home. Military spouses can study during nap times, at |
| help this past October. This past year approximately | | | | night or on the weekend; distance learning allows |
| 8,000 Army spouses were helped with jobs, which is | | | | military spouse to be both parents and students. |