Military Spouse Employment Initiative: Nadine Kelley

January 11, 2021 - Defence Stories

My family and I have moved around a lot. From Moncton, New Brunswick, to Borden, Ontario, to Greenwood, Nova Scotia. My husband works as a firefighter, and when he got posted to Victoria, British Columbia, my family had to move across Canada from Greenwood, Nova Scotia. I wasn’t able to get a job transfer, so I decided to be a stay at home mom and run my own daycare.

When we got posted to Kingston, Ontario, I had a hard time finding a job. I heard of the Military Spouse Employment Initiative (MSEI) and applied. I ended up getting hired through the Canadian Army Doctrine and Training Centre Headquarters in March 2019. The process was easy and straight-forward.

In February 2020, I was hired by the 33 Canadian Forces Health Services Centre as a CD1 clerk in an indeterminate position. I love working at 33 Health Services. It has been a huge learning experience and I love working in a hospital setting!

This job gives me and my family peace of mind. Thanks to the MSEI, I will feel less stressed when we get posted again and I’ll be able to transfer my job, put it on hold, or have a better chance of finding a new job in the new location.

If I could give any advice to my fellow military spouses, it would be to not give up. It can be discouraging, and sometimes you feel helpless. But if you keep trying and updating your resume, you’ll eventually find an opportunity that is the right fit for you.

Thank you to the MSEI for providing my family this opportunity!

For more information on how to apply for a job or on how to access the inventory, visit the Military Spouse Employment Initiative website or contact the National Staffing Programs team.