Military Spouse Employment Initiative Testimonial: Sylvie Morneau and Judy Dort-Pepin

January 10, 2022 - Defence Stories

As a new Acting Manager of the Canadian Forces Housing Agency (CFHA) in Trenton, I needed to hire a new employee for the first time. I was a bit anxious about the staffing process ahead of me. I knew it could be lengthy and I was hoping to have our new employee start before the Active Posting Season (APS), which is a busy period in our office. Our HR Advisor presented me with two options, one of them being to utilize the Military Spouse Employment Initiative Testimonial (MSEI) inventory to staff our vacant position. On a professional level, I liked this option as it offered me an inventory of pre-screened candidates living in the area. On a personal level, I have been a military spouse through six postings having experienced too well the challenge of re-entering the job market and starting anew after every move across the country, so I liked the idea of hiring a spouse going through the same situation.

My HR Advisor sent me a list of bilingual candidates from the MSEI inventory and I was very pleased with their application. I can’t say that I was surprised, as I know for a fact that military spouses or their common-law partners have so much to offer. They often have been employed in different fields and various environments, and as a result, they have developed many skills and have proven they can learn and adapt quickly to new positions. Other skills also acquired through personal experience as a military spouse or common-law partner include; dealing with challenging or stressful situations, problem solving, multi-tasking and organization.

It is through MSEI in which we hired Annie Emond-Boileau. We were excited to welcome aboard Annie among our team early May. Annie’s adaptability paid off right from the start as she was hired and trained during the pandemic third wave lockdown. She embraced the challenge from day 1 and she was ready for the APS! Annie has been with the CFHA for only a few months and she is already a strong asset to the team. As a military spouse, she understands the challenges and needs of the community we serve, which shows in the customer service she offers to our military families. Yes, eventually, Annie will be posted… but she loves her job with us and she is certainly hoping to be able to work for the CFHA at her new location. It’s a win-win both for Annie and the CFHA!

Overall, MSEI was an excellent experience. The staffing process was simple and efficient and the candidates were highly qualified. The communication with the team was prompt which allowed us to fill our vacant position within our expected timeframe. I will definitely be looking into utilizing the MSEI inventory for future staffing processes and I don’t hesitate to recommend it to any employer.

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 Military Spouse Employment Initiative Team.