Military Spouse Employment Initiative: Victoria Alvarez-Ude

June 30, 2021 - Defence Stories

I applied to the Military Spouse Employment Initiative (MSEI) in September 2020 and was contacted in October 2020 to verify that I was eligible and interested in a job. I was then interviewed over the phone and offered a permanent position as an Administrative Officer with Director Compensation and Benefits Administration (DCBA), part of Department National Defence, and started working on February 5, 2021. I am currently waiting for my laptop and other work from home items, but I have been getting caught up to speed with the policies and priorities at DND and getting to know my new colleagues.

Fundamentally, the MSEI gave me the opportunity to stand out from the rest. I have substantial experience, but I might have been overlooked elsewhere otherwise. It will allow myself, and my partner Mike, to cut costs by carpooling to work together and since we both work in a similar environment, it will allow us to lean on each other and to better understand the demands we will both face professionally. At some point, we hope to have a family so working in the same environment, along with the stability, will help with that tremendously.

A few words from Victoria’s spouse, Cpl Michael Charbonneau:

"I'm glad my spouse was able to find fair and equitable employment through this program. Now that we are both working at the same location we have been able to better sync our work schedules and optimize our personal time. As a result of her new position, Victoria has gained valuable knowledge of how the military functions, something that is not always easy to explain."

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.