{"id":86499,"date":"2019-03-04T17:18:55","date_gmt":"2019-03-04T17:18:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.microsoft.com\/?p=431572"},"modified":"2019-03-04T17:18:55","modified_gmt":"2019-03-04T17:18:55","slug":"the-first-graduates-of-microsofts-military-spouse-technology-academy-are-ready-for-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/2019\/03\/04\/the-first-graduates-of-microsofts-military-spouse-technology-academy-are-ready-for-work\/","title":{"rendered":"The first graduates of Microsoft\u2019s Military Spouse Technology Academy are ready for work"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mar 1, 2019<\/span> <\/p>\n

\n
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Microsoft celebrated the graduates of its Military Spouse Technology Academy pilot program on March 1, 2019. <\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Today, Microsoft hosted a recognition ceremony to celebrate the 19 graduates of its pilot Military Spouse Technology Academy (MSTA) program<\/a> in Tacoma, Washington. This 22-week program helps military spouses prepare for and find long-term and meaningful careers in server and cloud administration.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re thrilled that the graduates of the Military Spouse Technology Academy pilot program now have a brand-new opportunity to enter the technology sector,\u201d said U.S. Marine Corps Major General (Ret.) Chris Cortez, vice president of Microsoft Military Affairs. \u201cMSTA is part of our continued commitment to the military and veteran community. Military spouses are a flexible, responsive and well-educated group, and we\u2019re eager to do our part in helping them find fulfilling and long-lasting careers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Behind the Military Spouse Technology Academy Program<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Danny addressed the cohort during the recognition ceremony.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

MSTA\u2019s goal is to empower this community with relevant training for meaningful careers in technology. The program was singularly constructed with spouses\u2019 needs in mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cMilitary spouses are the backbone of support upon which members of the military accomplish their daily mission, whether here in the states or in foreign countries,\u201d said Danny Chung, chief of staff at Microsoft Military Affairs and MSTA program director. \u201cThe MSTA program affords military spouses an on-ramp into meaningful careers in tech, increased quality of life for the military family, and fantastic talent for companies like Microsoft and our partners.\u201d<\/p>\n

Military spouses face unique challenges to finding purposeful work\u2014including frequent moves, unpredictable schedules and ongoing child-care responsibilities. Although 56 percent of military spouses have an associate\u2019s degree or higher, they face an unemployment rate of 16 percent<\/a>, four times the national 4 percent average. In addition, 38 percent of military spouses are underemployed<\/a>, earning less than nonmilitary spouses with equivalent experience, education level or both.<\/p>\n

At Microsoft, we feel this is something we can help change.<\/p>\n

About the First MSTA Cohort<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This first MSTA cohort displays a breadth of backgrounds, experience and knowledge typical of what military spouses have to offer. The 19 members hold 35 college degrees and over 40 certifications. Graduates hail from more than eight countries and collectively speak 20 languages, including Portuguese, Spanish and Mandarin.<\/p>\n

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Annie was among the 19 recognized for her completion of the MSTA pilot program.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Annie Pineda, a member of the MSTA pilot cohort, struggled to complete her bachelor\u2019s degree as a young military spouse. \u201cI think I went to a total of three different universities to finish my degree,\u201d she explained. A strong determination to succeed carried her through her educational journey, but since graduating, she\u2019s struggled. \u201cIt\u2019s really easy to just stop looking once you don\u2019t find a great job the third, fourth, fifth time,\u201d Annie said. \u201cIt\u2019s tempting to just give up, but I think I\u2019m here celebrating today because I didn\u2019t give in. I kept looking and I kept wanting to learn and I kept persisting.\u201d<\/p>\n

That persistence led her to the pilot program. \u201cMSTA gives me hope not only for myself, but also for other spouses,\u201d she said. \u201cPrograms like this \u2014 especially MSTA \u2014 recognize that it\u2019s hard to find a job, it\u2019s hard to just graduate from undergrad. I feel MSTA levels our playing field with civilian spouses, or other spouses who don\u2019t face some of those challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the program\u2019s final weeks, each participant interviewed for a position with Microsoft or one of MSTA\u2019s hiring partners. They will hear about job offers in the next few weeks. It\u2019s an important step toward the next phase of their careers.<\/p>\n

Microsoft\u2019s Commitment to the Military Community<\/strong><\/h3>\n

At Microsoft, our dedication to the military community is holistic, empowering transitioning service members, veterans, spouses and children with skills for the workforce of tomorrow. Last November, Hiring Our Heroes Awarded Microsoft the USAA Military Spouse Employment and Mentoring Award<\/a> for the company\u2019s work supporting military spouses.<\/p>\n

Our wraparound support for the military is also evident in Military Affairs\u2019 cornerstone program, the Microsoft Software & Systems Academy (MSSA)<\/a>. It provides transitioning service members and veterans with essential technology and soft skills required for today\u2019s digital economy. In addition, Microsoft\u2019s YouthSpark brings STEM education to children of military families.<\/p>\n

Check back to this site for updates on Microsoft\u2019s support for the military community.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mar 1, 2019 Microsoft celebrated the graduates of its Military Spouse Technology Academy pilot program on March 1, 2019. Today, Microsoft hosted a recognition ceremony to celebrate the 19 graduates of its pilot Military Spouse Technology Academy (MSTA) program in Tacoma, Washington. This 22-week program helps military spouses prepare for and find long-term and meaningful […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":86500,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[153,50],"class_list":["post-86499","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-microsoft-news","tag-military-affairs","tag-recent-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86499","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=86499"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86499\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/86500"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=86499"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=86499"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=86499"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}