Charles Schwab is proud to partner with the Hiring Our Heroes initiative. The program, which is a part of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, focuses on helping connect veterans, service members and military spouses with employment opportunities. At Schwab, veterans and military families have found opportunity through fellowships which often lead to full-time employment.
One recent new hire from the program is Audrey Wakefield, who took a permanent position at Schwab after completing a three-month
fellowship at the firm’s campus in Lone Tree, Colorado.
We recently had a chance to chat with Audrey about her military experience and her time with Schwab so far.
Q: Hi Audrey – it’s really nice to meet you virtually! First, thank you for your service to our country. Tell us about your time in the Navy.
Audrey: Nice to meet you as well! I grew up in Fresno, California and walked into a Navy recruiting office about 24 years ago. It took about a year for me to get the right opportunity in the Navy, but I’m just finishing 23 years of active service. I’m proud to be retiring as a Navy Lieutenant (Navy 03) along with my husband, who also recently retired from the Navy.
Q: Wow! That’s impressive. Tell us about the work you did in the Navy and your experiences?
Audrey: I primarily worked in healthcare administration in the Navy. I was deployed several times, often on a Navy ship. My most recent overseas deployment was in Djboubuti, Africa. I served as the Executive Officer of the only U.S. Military Health Clinic on the African continent.
Q: You found Schwab through the Hiring Our Heroes program and officially started as a full-time employee in May?
Audrey: Yes, after completing my Hiring Our Heroes fellowship I interviewed for a full-time role at Schwab and was very excited to accept a position as a compliance manager here with the firm. I think the fellowship gave me a chance to understand Schwab and see if I was a good fit and I found that I was. I’ve enjoyed the culture very much.
Q: I imagine it’s a big change from a long military career to a civilian position?
Audrey: During my last 15 years in the military, I took care of others - my leaders, my peers and my direct reports. I’ve found that experience has translated well to working at Schwab, where we focus on taking care of our clients. I also feel like I’ve gotten to continue to pursue my passion for service during my time at Schwab. It’s been a continuation of the values that drew me to the military in the first place.
Read more about the Hiring Our Heroes program at hiringourheroes.org.
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