- If you see your future working
with children and youth, the Department of Defense
is the perfect place for you to launch your career.
Here's a surprise: the DoD has the largest
employer sponsored child care system in the United States.
A comprehensive system of care for children from birth
to age 12 and one of the largest youth development programs
in the country.
With more than 26,000 employees,
we're on the lookout for highly qualified people.
We believe the children and youth of military families
and others serving our country deserve our very best.
- It's surprising to me how many people don't
naturally think about the Department of Defense
and military child and youth, and why would you?
There's a softer side of the Department of Defense
and that is the military child and youth programs.
- The main reason I would say
that a graduate should consider the DoD system
after graduation would be because it's fun.
You can be creative and you are laughing every day
with the kids.
- As a service member, it's important to know
that your family is well taken care of,
your child is well taken care of
so they can focus on the mission at hand
which is defending our great nation.
- A lot of the questions that people asked me
were like, oh, are you going to go to basic training?
Are you going to have to, you know, suit up in a uniform?
Are you going to learn how to fly planes?
And I told them no, that's not really what it looks like.
- A job in early childhood education
or youth development with DoD can keep you close to home
or take you around the world.
If you've wanted to live and work somewhere different
in the United States or abroad,
you might find your new professional home
on a military installation.
- You have the opportunity to get first chance,
sometimes exclusive access to openings and positions
all over the country and the world.
- We always have opportunities for upward mobility,
something you might not always find in the outside sector
in some of the smaller organizations.
- There's a lot of opportunities for travel
within the program.
- The military really broadened by horizon
and there was a lot of different opportunities.
Not even close, but you know, all across United States
and overseas as well.
- DoD child and youth programs
are nationally recognized for their strength and quality.
DoD serves infants through teenagers
in more than 850 child development centers,
before and after school programs, and youth and teen centers
around the world.
97% of the child development centers
and before and school programs are accredited.
Youth programs are affiliate members
with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America
and we also collaborate
with local 4-H youth development programs.
- Military child and youth programs consist of
child development centers, youth programs
that includes youth sports, youth fitness,
teen programs, developmental programs,
before and after school programs, summer day camp programs.
- I started at a summer camp program
that we went for eight weeks long.
To see the smiles on their faces were very rewarding
and then for parents to come up to me after the clinics
and say, this is awesome that the kids have this opportunity
to be able to participate in these type of sports.
- I learned that there was a lot of grown within
the program and I think anyone leaving college and looking
for your career, you want to move somewhere
where you can get experience.
- We need child development center directors
and assistant directors,
training and curriculum specialists,
before and after school directors,
youth directors, and direct care staff, just to name a few.
DoD is a great place to build your skills
and progress in your career goals.
You'll find professionals who are willing to train
and mentor you and a wealth of opportunities
for professional development.
As you gain experience, other opportunities
open up to you.
The DoD system offers competitive pay and benefits,
including health and life insurance,
paid leave, retirement, and 401k benefits
and tuition assistance.
As part of the greater military community,
you'll have access to state of the art
military fitness centers, intramural sports,
instructional classes, libraries,
and outdoor recreation programs.
- There's a lot of variety in working
with military child and youth programs.
You have the opportunity to do so many different things
throughout your career.
You get to choose what positions you want to apply for.
- As large as an organization we are,
what a family we are within the military child
and youth organization.
- If you're considering a career
in early childhood education or youth development,
learn more about DoD by visiting this website
to see the variety of positions that are available.
Find out where our facilities are around the world
and what it takes to work in a DoD program
and learn how to start the application process.
It can be a little intimidating sometimes and it can be a lot of paperwork
and a lot of different people you have to communicate with.
Those things are the things that push you
to be the best you you can be.
- Within the program, anyone who does have any type
of Bachelor's degree or your Associate's degree,
those are highly valued aspects of the program.
- The type of person that they're looking to fill
is someone that is enthusiastic and that
is willing to learn.
It's very important to always stay positive
and keep learning on a daily basis.
Global adventures, building a career,
the work of shaping our country's children and youth
while their families serve is rewarding work.
Find out if the DoD is where you belong.
- If you want a career working with children and
youth, military child and youth programs is it.
It's the best in the nation.
Most importantly, the opportunity to work with children
on our armed services who are serving our great nation.
- We can't sustain these programs without quality,
dedicated employees that work together
to make our program so great.
- You'll go home every day knowing that you
contributed to the mission of the Department of Defense.