Job-se eking spouses and partners of new UA staff are in luck this year.

Nancy Stiller, of the Employee Career Development Center, has created the Accompanying Partner Employment Program to help these new Tucsonans.

"There is a trend in higher education to deal with the issue of spousal/partner employment," Stiller said.

Denise Allyn, administrative associate for UA Political Science Department, served on the employment program advisory committee. The program is a good one she said, because often a new faculty member's partner is giving up his or her career to relocate to the UA.

"It's a marvelous program to give spouses a lead on employment," Allyn said.

Schools like Oregon State University, the University of Arizona, Pennsylvania State and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have successful spousal employment programs, she said.

These programs and her own experience, she had to find a job after her husband transferred to Tucson to join the UA Political Science Department, gave her the idea to start an employment program here.

"I know what it's like to come to a new place," Stiller said. "I was sensitive to the issue."

The program, which began three months ago, helps relocated partners create or update resumes, get to know the job market and provide access to DISCOVER, a computerized career planning program.

This is so the person will be best prepared to find employment on their own, she said.

"I don't get people jobs. I get help (for them) to do it themselves."

Job listings provided are from all over Tucson, not just within the university, Stiller said. And the partner does not have to be a spouse, which is unique to UA's program. They just need to have accompanied the person from their former location to Tucson.

"People ask, Do you really mean partner?" Stiller said.

Yes it does. The language in the accompanying partner brochure is specific about that, she said.

To use the service, the partners must have moved to Tucson no more than a year ago.

For more information, call Stiller at 621-2340.