Military Spouse Employment Initiative Testimonial: Michelle Neta

November 9, 2021 - Defence Stories

I’ve been a military spouse for sixteen years and, although it’s a beautiful life, it certainly has its challenges. We’ve gone through deployments, plenty of time apart due to his travels, and then the icing on the cake, the posting moves. These things are hard indeed, but one of my biggest challenges was starting again when it came to employment. With an extensive background and education in administration my search was broad and I often had no direction where to even begin. I know I’m not the only spouse that has felt this way, it’s one of those unspoken things we deal with and no way around it until a couple of years ago.

The Military Spouse Employment Initiative (MSEI) has changed my life and has impacted my family in a huge way. This program provides military spouses and common-law partners with tools and resources to develop their skills and pursue their careers within the federal Public Service. The initiative aims to provide employment opportunities through inventories, pools, and other staffing options. The best part is – it works!

Just over a year ago I sharpened up my resume and decided to give this a try and apply for the initiative. Within months I was being contacted for numerous federal employment opportunities whether it was with DND, Parks Canada and so on. One particular job opportunity I ended up being selected for, led to an interview with a hiring manager for a casual position with Real Property Operations Group, Detachment Winnipeg with the Department of National Defence. I was ecstatic; we were just posted to Winnipeg from Ottawa and I was looking for work yet again! This casual opportunity ended up becoming my permanent job and I’ve happily been the Operations Clerk for the Contracts and Engineering unit for the last 6 months. None of this would’ve been possible without the MSEI program.

If you’re eligible and on the fence, don’t hesitate to apply. Of course, like anything in life, nothing is a guarantee but I’m proof that this program works and I’m grateful every day for the opportunity to work on base, especially for an organization that has impacted my life in more ways than one.

A few words from Michelle’s spouse, LCol Steve Neta:

 “Getting into the Public Service always seemed like such a challenge, especially when military families are moving every few years. The Military Spouse Employment Initiative opened up a world of opportunity for my spouse and we couldn’t be more grateful.” 

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 MSEI Team.