Project STARS: Supporting Military Spouses into Project Management Careers

Wellingtone is proud to be part of Project STARS (Spouse Talent Acceleration and Readiness Scheme), a pioneering employability programme created specifically for military spouses. Working alongside the REME Charity and R.A.J.A., Morson Group, and VIVO, Wellingtone serves as both the Phase 2 Development Lead and the overall Project Management Lead for the programme.

This is not just a professional commitment for us. As a proud signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, Wellingtone has made a formal pledge to support those who serve and their families. In 2026, we were proud to receive the Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award, recognition from the Ministry of Defence for the tangible steps we have taken to support the Armed Forces Community. Project STARS is a direct expression of that commitment in action, and one of the most meaningful ways we can show what the covenant means to us in practice.

Military Spouses have so much to offer the Project Profession such as Adaptability & Resilience, all too often, they just don't realise it. Project STARS helps them see their value and understand how it fits into project management.
Simon Parsons Wellingtone

Feedback from Project STARS delegates

The Project STARS has opened up many ideas for new career pathways. I've met some incredible women, that I've really bonded with, sharing our experiences has been really valuable. The mentors we have been introduced to are so inspiring and our trainer has been amazing. Beyond delivering all the course knowledge, he has given us confidence, reassurance and support, his attitude and passion for the project is truly motivating us towards success.

Kim Beechley

Confidence and opportunities is the big one for me. Project STARS has given me the confidence and the tools to branch out further and achieve skills I didn't think would be possible for someone like me. I met an amazing bunch of spouses and listened to inspiring role models and, more importantly, learned and had fun!

Victoria Jones

The Reality For Military Spouses

Military spouses are, in many ways, the unsung heroes of service life. While partners are deployed or posted, it is spouses who are left managing the household, raising families, supporting children through school moves, and holding everything together, often in a new location, without their own professional network, and with a CV that has gaps employers do not always understand. 

Frequent relocations, disrupted networks, and employment gaps create real and persistent barriers to building a career. Many talented and capable people find that their experience is not fully recognised by civilian employers, and that opportunities rarely align with the realities of military life. 

Project STARS was created to address this directly, to give military spouses a structured, supported pathway that acknowledges the unique challenges they face, and meets them where they are. 

About Project STARS

The programme is a military-focused pilot targeting an initial cohort of around six delegates. It is designed not just as a training course, but as a complete employability journey spanning three connected phases: 

Transferable Skills: What Military Life Has Already Taught You

A core principle of Project STARS is that military spouses already demonstrate many of the competencies that define great project managers. Through service life, participants will have built skills that organisations actively seek out: 

• Planning under pressure 
• Managing change and uncertainty 
• Stakeholder communication 
• Coordinating logistics 
• Adapting to new environments 

Project STARS does not start from scratch. It builds on what participants already know and helps them translate that lived experience into professional credentials that employers recognise. 

What Spouses Will Gain from Project STARS Programme

The programme is designed to make participants genuinely job-ready, not just qualified. By the end of the pilot, each delegate will have achieved: 

• APM PFQ qualification
  An industry recognised PM Qualification.  
• Real work placement
  6 placement days with a corporate partner, gaining hands-on experience. 
• CV and interview support
  Workshops on CV writing, LinkedIn, and interview skills. 
• Mentoring and guidance
  Ongoing career mentoring and expert support throughout. 
• Wellingtone's role in the supporting military spouses
  Wellingtone will deliver the APM Project Fundamentals Qualification training and as overall Project Management Lead, Wellingtone is also responsible for the programme's governance. 

Inspiring the Cohort: Our Guest Speakers

Alongside the APM PFQ training content delivered at Lyneham, the programme includes inspirational guest sessions from Military Spouse/Project Professional role models, leaving delegates buzzing with drive and energy for their future career journeys.

Guest speakers have included Nicola Jill 'CT' Crabbe AfIES, MAMP of BMT and Natalie Edwards, MSc, FAPM, MCIMSPA of Hitachi Rail. Both shared their own stories and advice as Military Spouses who have built successful project management careers, giving delegates real, relatable proof of where this path can lead.

Programme Timeline

Each cohort follows a clear sequence of milestones:

A Career That Works With Military Life

Project management is one of the most accessible and flexible professional paths available, with opportunities across defence, engineering, technology, and the public sector. Many roles offer remote and hybrid working arrangements, and the skills are genuinely transferable across industries. 

Wellingtone is proud to play a central role in bringing Project STARS to life, and we look forward to seeing more military spouses complete the programme and take their next step into the workforce with real confidence.