Military Spouse Employment & Career Development

Abstract: This report reflects work carried out to contribute to the improvement of military spouse career and employment assistant and outcomes in Australia, the USA, Canada and the UK. This research focuses on the Australian Defence Force.Work is an important part of most people's lives. The global pandemic highlighted and accelerated many of the changes occurring in the labour market, including where and how work is performed and by whom. The homefront became the frontline. Service members stepped up, as they always do, to do what the country asked of them. But we also saw acknowledgment of the important work done in the education, health, retail, hospitality, and community services sectors – sectors in which you are likely to find defence family members. As society undergoes rapid change, we need to keep pace. In 2022 most Australian families are dual earning. Employee expectations have changed. New options and opportunities have emerged. We need to continually understand and address the changing needs of contemporary defence families. Being a defence family member shouldn't be a barrier to meaningful, decent employment, but it can be. Family employment is a complex issue. We have a wealth of evidence from Australia and overseas to inform contemporary family career policy andprograms. We need to work together to apply it, and to reap the rewards of investing in quality career development for Defence families, as a matter of urgency.