Microsoft Military Affairs — Microsoft Military Affairs

Helping the military community find opportunities in today’s digital economy.

Microsoft is transforming how we support the military community. Together with our partners, we take a holistic approach to preparing the military community for entry into high-impact, in-demand tech jobs in any industry.

we still serve

Military training is career training

Portrait of smiling male entrepreneur standing with arms crossed and employees sitting at office desk

Skilling veteran talent for the IT frontier

Veterans and transitioning service members bring deep experience to the table. Our mission is to enable the military community to develop foundational tech skills to get their start—and then build on their core skills in a rewarding career in tech.

U.S. Air Force loadmasters fold the American flag aboard an HC-130 Hercules.

Veterans have cultivated career skills that transfer to all dimensions of the tech sector.

We erected Microsoft Military Affairs in 2014 to bridge the IT talent gap and underemployment in a highly skilled but underutilized population—the military community.

3 in 5 veterans are underemployed. Microsoft and our dedicated partners are changing that.

We solve for the IT skills gap by getting veteran talent tech-ready.

Our mission is to provide transitioning service members and veterans with the technical and career-navigation skills to build from their enormous skillset in today’s growing technology industry.

Opening the door to an undertapped resource

Anyone can learn to code—not every hire brings the core veteran skillset. We provide veterans with proven talent the technical tools and mentorship to get them started in IT.
Investing in skilling and career training for the military community

Our offerings equip the military community with the technical know-how to enter IT in a career path aligned to their interests, passions, and skills.
Solving for the IT skills gap

Through our corporate partner program we match skilled veterans with over 1,000 employers—including our own hiring teams—to continue advancing in tech, while bringing the ‘unteachable’ veteran skillset to your team.
Introducing employers to veteran talent

Corporate partners have special access to our curated and Microsoft-trained veteran talent pool—who are skilled for entry-level engineering and technical service roles.

10 years ago we created the Microsoft Software and Systems Academy (MSSA) program to connect the dots between the shortage of technical talent and the abundance of under-employed military talent. 10 years later, we’ve infused >3.6k MSSA graduates throughout the IT industry.

More on MSSA’s journey and graduate impact

Announcing MSSA for military spouses

Learn more

Impact

774

Microsoft employees mentor veteran hires
4,111

MSSA program graduates
1,100+

companies have hired MSSA graduates
2 in 3

MSSA graduates rank mentorship as a program highlight
94%

graduation rate from MSSA
91%

MSSA graduates are employed in tech
8

years of active duty service (average for incoming MSSA participants)
96%

employment rate of all graduates seeking employment
>90%

graduates have an active security clearance
2013

graduation year of our pilot cohort (December, Joint Base Lewis-McChord)

Learn about our veteran-to-IT talent pipeline—and how to get 24/7 access

Microsoft’s mission

Empowering every person and organization on the planet to achieve more

Providing a path forward for U.S. military service members

Transitioning from a military career to the civilian workforce is more than a career change—it’s a paradigm shift. Our work is to facilitate service members’ transition to rewarding careers in tech, where military training has already prepared them to shine.

Microsoft’s technical training resources are at your disposal

Whether you’re seeking quick lessons in technical topics, to expand your knowledge with self-paced learning paths, to develop your resume with industry-recognized certifications, or work with Microsoft as a SkillBridge transition program—Microsoft is invested in empowering the military community in their career growth in our industry.

Learn IT, anywhere

Whether you are deployed, active duty, transitioning to civilian life, or a veteran—the technical training to enable your career journey is at your fingertips.

Technical training, your way. Learn more

Empowering the military community with Microsoft’s learning ecosystem

Learn new skills and discover the power of Microsoft products with step-by-step guidance, or jump-start your career by demonstrating your achievements through earning industry-recognized Microsoft certifications. Start your journey today by exploring learning paths, modules, and certifications from the Microsoft learning ecosystem.

Not quite sure what your next step is?

Read career transition stories and lessons from veterans working in IT at Microsoft and our corporate partners.

Skilled up and ready to interview?

If you’re ready to dive into a career at Microsoft, browse open roles and opportunities for veteran talent.

Join our community

Community is integral to what we do and offer at Military Affairs. Our team of learners, instructors, mentors, coaches, and colleagues are passionate about the network we’ve built—and where we’re headed.

Colleagues-turned-mentors helped me adjust to the workplace and now I’m thriving up the ladder.

Nargiza — USMC, software engineer

If you’re hesitant about pivoting into IT from the military, don’t be afraid or forget all that you’ve overcome so far.

Johnny — USMC, security technical program manager

I’ve grown more as a professional from the relationships I’ve made than I could have imagined.

Desi — USCG, software engineer

It feels amazing to work for an organization that celebrates my service career and invests in my professional development.

Dhananjay — USA, software engineering manager

Veteran skills are job skills. Learn how our community thrives in tech by applying the core skills developed in their military service.

Keep your GI Bill funding—this one's on us. As of January 2021, Microsoft is fully funding MSSA program costs.

Transforming lives through meaningful opportunities

We’re passionate about the impact that the military community has at Microsoft and within our partner network. We’ve taken a holistic approach to supporting veterans through career transition and skilling them for meaningful careers in the IT sector.

IT engineers checking servers in server room

Making tech training accessible

Upskill with a short video lesson, self-guided learning path, industry-recognized certification—or go all-in on an intensive training program.
Robust mentorship

Our mentorship programs for veteran hires and trainees encompass technical and professional skills—so you’re never more than a question away from a helping hand.
Networking and interviews

We’re invested in getting veterans hired—at Microsoft and the more than 1,000 partners in our corporate partner network.
Transition Support

With camaraderie of mentors and colleagues undergoing the same career transition, you aren’t leaving community—you’re joining one.

Learn about MSSA’s proven training model—taking you from novice to entry-level in 17 weeks.

We partner with other leading institutions and veteran organizations to holistically support the military community in their career transition.

Microsoft partners with numerous tech industry leaders to offer training, mentorship and employment opportunities.

Expanding access to veteran skilling

The word is out about the MSSA training model, and veterans across the country are increasingly able to access our curriculum through local programs.

Why we’re so excited about Los Angeles Veteran Technology Training Academy (LAVTTA)

View of downtown Los Angeles city from Griffith Observatory during sunset, in Lalaland Hollywood

The Los Angeles Veteran Technology Training Academy (LAVTTA) opened its doors in 2021 and has already tech-skilled tens of veterans into their new career.

Morning light at sunrise of Downtown Los Angeles with snowy mountains in the background.

This effort will result in veterans earning certificates that will lead to jobs in software engineering, cloud application development, and cloud administration.

Los Angeles skyline, California, USA by night.

LAVTTA is a FREE full-time, 16-week, training program that includes a solid technical foundation and uses practical, hands-on exercises, virtual labs, and includes access to earn certifications in Microsoft Azure.

Aerial view of a Southern California neighborhood at sunset with a hazy atmospheric gradient.

LAVTTA is the product of a public-private partnership between the Mayor’s Office of Military and Veterans Affairs, Microsoft, The Los Angeles County Workforce Development Board, JVS SoCal, and Fast Lane US—a certified Microsoft learning partner.

LAVTTA is free to all Veteran Angelenos and will make Los Angeles an unmistakable leader in technology training.

Over 1,000 companies have hired veterans trained at MSSA

Learn why

To recruit and retain top talent, be sure your company is veteran-ready—not just veteran-friendly

How companies set veterans up for success

Inclusion is Innovation

Anything is possible when everyone is included. Discover stories told and illustrated by members of the military community, at Microsoft and around the world.