Veterans center hosts its first event with Northern Virginia Amplify

Over 45 military spouses from across the D.C. area converged for an intensive two-day career development workshop on Oct. 3 and 4 at the Virginia Tech Research Center - Arlington. Northern Virginia Amplify, organized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Hiring Our Heroes program, was the first-ever event hosted by the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus’ Boeing Center for Veteran Transition and Military Families.

Amplify is a premiere military spouse career readiness program with over 100 events and nearly 7,000 participants to date. The workshop and its interactive sessions offer professional development and networking opportunities catered to the unique needs of military spouses whose careers are often negatively impacted by the demands of a military lifestyle. Attendees hear from area employers and local military organizations; network with the military community for resources; learn about upskilling and employment opportunities; and foster relationships with other military spouses in the area.

Among the featured speakers were Debbie Bradbard, founding director of The Boeing Center. She noted that Virginia Tech’s motto of Ut Prosim, or “that I may serve,” is integral to the Center’s mission.

“We are excited that The Boeing Center will direct its resources to serve the military community here in the Commonwealth and the D.C. area,” said Bradbard. “Military spouses often face as much as a 23% unemployment rate. We love that our first event focused on upskilling and reskilling spouses to address this issue and we were honored to work with a respected partner like the Hiring Our Heroes. At the Boeing Center, we love programs like Amplify because they look to local solutions to facilitate networking opportunities, build relationships with employers, and help spouses capitalize on opportunities that align with the local labor market.” Bradbard joined the Innovation Campus in early May of this year and has been building the Boeing Center from the ground up.

Elizabeth O’Brien is the Hiring Our Heroes’ vice president and the spouse of an active-duty soldier. “Hiring Our Heroes was honored to partner with the Innovation Campus’ Boeing Center to host our D.C. Amplify cohort,” said O’Brien. “Bringing military spouses into the heart of this committed institution and providing them with a world-class professional development experience sends a powerful message about our shared dedication to serving this community.” O’Brien, Brian Alvarado, and Yessenia Hagewood of Hiring Our Heroes addressed the audience, sharing their career expertise and their personal career stories.

Maura Gardner, division director of human resources for the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus and D.C.-Metro Area and spouse of a veteran airman, was also among the event’s attendees. “As a military spouse myself, I know firsthand how challenging moving and starting over every few years can be,” said Gardner. “It is stressful on the family unit and takes incredible sacrifice.”

Gardner helped during the event by offering advice and reviewing resumes. A highlight, she said, was listening to participants’ stories. “Military spouses are a highly educated and talented population, and I was thrilled to be included in an event targeted toward them.”

Using the resources of the university to serve the military and military-affiliated communities by expanding their access to STEM opportunities is crucial to the mission of the Innovation Campus, which aspires to be the most diverse graduate technology program in the nation. Boeing, a partner of Virginia Tech for 70 years, became the  foundational partner of the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus after its $50 million investment in spring 2021. This investment provides resources to bolster the tech talent pipeline, drive economic growth, and provide opportunities for non-traditional students, including the military community, to succeed.