Start your journey
Shifting from military to civilian life is challenging—but you can do it. Your service has already instilled the skills and experience you need to build a rewarding career in tech.
With foundational IT knowledge from MSSA, your path to tech is an open road.
Our 17-week training program is designed to prepare participants for in-demand careers in cloud development or cloud administration.
- security operations analyst
- cybersecurity solution analyst
- security technical specialist
- security engineer
- IT network support engineer
- project + program manager
- technical account manager
- IT sales
- software engineer
- service engineer
- customer success engineer
- technical project + program manager
Just as the military has its own language, so does industry—and that goes double for IT.
Our approach to career transition goes beyond technical knowledge. You’ll be engaged by professional skills and career mentors that will equip you to deploy the skills you gain in training, and to translate your experience for IT—so you can maximize the enormous skills you already bring to the table and negotiate your best career package.
Evolving your career takes more than new skills.
Participants have the opportunity to interview for careers at Microsoft or one of our hiring partners.
MSSA graduates have been hired into many types of roles, in developer + engineering, as well as IT services and support. Engineering and developer roles can require some extra work to supplement MSSA projects, but as a participant you will be surrounded and supported by fellow veterans and graduates who understand the challenges you face—and are ready and waiting to help you succeed.
Multifaceted mentorship is a keynote of our career transition training.
Technical mentors support your learning and answer questions about navigating work environments.
No resume? No problem. You’ll be guided through every step of your job search.
Your Career Development Manager will be a daily presence to see you through, from start to end.
You’ll [probably not] be surprised by the cohesion and resourcefulness you’ll find within your cohort.
Transition is hard. But you have a team.
Career-ready in 17 weeks
Every MSSA participant is a career switcher in some stage of transition from military service. Our technical and professional development curriculum are designed to enable military career switchers to identify the career path they want—and the tools to achieve it.
Career transition is tough, but veterans are tougher.
“Those shifting out of military service are often overwhelmed when seeking civilian employment. It’s not always clear to them that their skills and experiences align with what the private sector seeks. Especially in tech, veterans are uniquely qualified for some of the most in-demand and under filled roles—and often have the security clearances companies need and want.”
USMC Major General (Ret.) Chris Cortez
Vice President, Microsoft Military Affairs
Meaningful career skills to round out your training
“The amount of knowledge I was able to gain, resume prep, the interviewing skills, the opportunities they set you up with—all those things made a huge difference in how I re-entered civilian life.”
Solaire Brown
USMC, cyber defense, Microsoft
Put your skills to work
We partner with more than 1,000 companies across industries to help participants begin building their careers immediately following graduation. Participants are able to interview with Microsoft and actively hiring companies from our hiring partner network.
Beyond the technical training, what makes MSSA different is the transition element of professional development for veterans.
“When you transition in MSSA, you get to actually sit there with a group of your peers, people that are in the same situation you are, with all different types of experience. You transition from duty together, learn from that group, and also have that space to realize your potential.”
Rudy Gonzalez—USMC, MSSA Career Development Manager
Committed to your journey
The support doesn’t end after 17 weeks! Graduates can engage with our career development managers for ongoing support in their job search. We remain in your corner with continuing networking resources to help you land the career you’ve prepared for.
If you’re still exploring how tech fits in with your goals, you’re in good company.
Learn from other service members that made the leap to a career in tech.
Vets at work in IT
Ready to learn how to build local, server-based and cloud stored applications?
Did that ^ make any sense? We’ve demystified the tech jargon so you know what is actually being said.