Microsoft and Saint Martin's University host achievement ceremony at Joint Base Lewis-McChord

Transitioning active-duty service members receive technical certification through the Microsoft Software & Systems Academy.

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. — May 8, 2015 — Microsoft Corp., in collaboration with Saint Martin's University at JBLM, will co-host an achievement ceremony for 31 active-service members who completed the 16-week Microsoft Software & Systems Academy (MSSA) program. The ceremony will recognize transitioning active-duty service members who successfully completed the MSSA program as part of the fourth and fifth JBLM class and are now certified database and business intelligence administrator or server and cloud administrator specialists. Speakers from JBLM, Saint Martin's University and Camo2Commerce will provide congratulatory remarks to the class.

MSSA program participants will be available to speak with the media after the ceremony.

MSSA details
The MSSA program is a full-time, 16-week, information technology (IT) job skills training program for active duty U.S. military service members who have received their separation date. The goal is helping each service member transition to high-quality careers in the IT industry, as well as striving to meet the economy's demand for workers with computer science training.

Launched in November 2013 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the program expanded to Camp Pendleton (California) and Fort Hood (Texas). Nearly 181 service members are enrolled in or have already graduated from the MSSA. Professors from Saint Martin's University and Central Texas College teach MSSA classes using a customized Microsoft IT Academy curriculum. Microsoft employees volunteer as mentors connecting with students via Lync and Skype. At the end of the course, participants are prepared through mock interviews for the opportunity to interview at Microsoft for entry-level roles.

Logistic information for attending media:
Media interested in attending the ceremony should R.S.V.P. no later than 1 p.m. Monday, May 11, by calling the JBLM Public Affairs Office at (253) 967-0152.

For more information, press only:
Rapid Response Team, Waggener Edstrom Communications, (503) 443-7070, rrt@waggeneredstrom.com
Krista Foxwell, Waggener Edstrom Communications for Microsoft, (503) 443-7835,
kfoxwell@waggeneredstrom.com

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://news.microsoft.com. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft's Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://news.microsoft.com/microsoft-public-relations-contacts.

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/PRNewswire -- May 8, 2015/

SOURCE Microsoft Corp.