Overseas Military Spouse Lands Her Career

School years spent mostly overseas prepared Ashley for life as a military spouse. However, due to the lack of diverse employment opportunities overseas, she had difficulty establishing a career path that allowed for professional growth.

After seven years of overseas assignments, Ashley and her spouse settled in Las Vegas. Ashley was determined to find meaningful employment but had no idea where to begin. “It was hard to figure out what I wanted to do since there aren’t many options for spouses overseas. I had a lack of skills that made it hard to move forward by myself.”

Ashley’s fortunes changed when she attended a military spouse briefing about local education and job opportunities. There she learned about Goodwill career services for qualifying military spouses, including tuition assistance and job placement support. “It was too good to be true,” thought Ashley as she made her way to the Goodwill Career Center.

Goodwill enrolled Ashley in the Dislocated Workers’ Grant (DWG) and was assigned a career coach, who helped her stay on track as she pursued a career as a dental assistant. “When I needed gas, they provided gas cards so I would be able to make it to class every day,” recalled Ashley.

Although the dental assistant school closed during the pandemic, Ashley kept hitting the books so she could stay on track for her future.

As Ashley finished her training and prepared for her final exam, the Goodwill Career Center stood ready to collaborate with her internship provider to ensure she was paid while fulfilling her internship. “My long-term plan is to become a surgical lead assistant so I can help make smiles happen, said Ashley. “I thank the Goodwill Career Center for all they’ve done. They really helped me get my life on track.”

Goodwill aided Ashley with free coaching and schooling.

Learn how Goodwill’s Career Services and Veteran Services can work for you.