Malissia Smith, Education and Placement Coordinator. 619-596-2766
	Scottie Smith, ATA instructor and instructor trainee Hunter Smith

Advanced Training has been providing education and support to active duty military and veterans for over a decade.

We now offer educational opportunities to military spouses in an effort to meet the need for career oriented training in the fields of Health Care, Information Technology and Financial Services. Our friends have long awaited the Military Spouse Career Advancement Initiative.

ATA is an accredited institution with an established military relationship. We are also a Department of Defense small business/veteran owned contractor.

Malissia Smith, ATA's Education and Placement Coordinator, directs the Military Spouse Training Program. Malissia is the wife of a career Navy man, Scottie Smith, who is also a substitute instructor for the school's Fiber Optic Program. "The school is so military-friendly already that it just makes sense for us to provide training to families and spouses." said Mrs. Smith. "As a military spouse myself, I know how valuable having my own career has been when Scottie is deployed. Going to school takes the focus off of our spouse and gives us a real sense of accomplishment independently." ATA staff and students are all like family. The support system is incredible!

The school will be offering special military spouse tuition that will assist those who do not qualify for full federal financial aid. The Military Scholarship Program will be expanded to include families of active duty personnel. Our goal is to help the military spouses in the San Diego area take full advantage of the retention initiatives proposed by The Pentagon and the US Department of Labor.

Call now and see how our experience with military life can make in difference as you choose a new career path.

Helpful Links:

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San Diego Workforce Partnership
MilSpouse.org

 

Being a spouse of an active duty service member and a mother of two girls ages 16 and 7, my priority has always been to put my family first before myself. Sure I took college classes at a local community college in between deployments, sports seasons, and volunteer work, but I never made my education a priority. Now that both of my children are of school age, I am focusing on the new me.

I have been reluctant to go back to school full time because of my age and a fear that once I started school an unexpected deployment, training mission, or navy school would come up that my husband would have to attend which would put us in a bind for childcare or the inability to complete my classes. I have been out high school for over twenty years and my husband is due to retire from the military in a little less than four years, but I found out about a pilot program called Career Advancement Account (CAA) while browsing the Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) website. I called FFSC to inquire about the CAA program, went to orientation, and my application for the CAA pilot program was approved.

I did my homework and looked at other schools before signing up for Advanced Training Associates. There are no other schools that compare. I was impressed with Advanced Training Associates the moment I sat down with Malissa in Admissions to inquire about the school. I signed my contract in September 2008, and I have felt like part of the family ever since. Most of the staff including instructors are veterans, current active duty service members, or spouses of active duty service members, so I feel right at home. Jo, the director, takes care of her students as her own. She has always had an open door policy for all of her students and really gets to know each of us like family. I get more one-on-one time with the instructors and staff because the class sizes are smaller than most schools.

I enjoy the staff, students, and school so much that I have told all of my friends and family about the great education they can receive at Advanced Training Associates. My husband, who is and OSC stationed in Coronado, Ca, has completed the Telecommunications & Fiber Optics course using his navy tuition assistance (TA). Two of my neighbors in military housing have also attended Advanced Training Associates. My next door neighbor completed the Telecommunications & Fiber Optics course and then stayed on as an instructor. Another neighbor is currently enrolled in the same Medical Assistant course as I am. We will graduate together in May 2009.

As expected, I have had a couple of hurdles to contend with while I have been in school, but I have maintained a 4.0 average, missed only 2 days of school, and remained focused on my goal. I now know that I should not have waited so long to go back to school because I can do it, and you can too!!! With the money I received from the CAA program and the huge military discount I received from Advanced Training Associates, I realized that getting my Medical Assistant Certificate was obtainable. The contribution I will make to the health care field and my family after I graduate will be very rewarding.

Sincerely,
Sandra McElfresh
Active Duty Spouse
Medical Assistant student