How I Became a Software Engineer

I’ve always been an analytical thinker—problem-solving, pattern recognition, dissecting complex systems, you name it. But for the longest time, programming intimidated the hell out of me. I used to look at lines of code and feel like I was staring into a black hole. There’s something about its unforgiving syntax, the never-ending bugs, and the feeling of drowning in documentation that makes programming seem tedious and daunting. It’s easy to feel like you’re not smart enough, or that you’ve missed the boat.

But here’s the truth: if it’s easy, it probably ain’t worth it. Anything that can truly change your life is supposed to be hard. Difficulty is not a barrier—it’s a filter that separates the curious from the committed.

So I got committed. 🔥 

I became serious about programming and started treating it like my job. I coded at least 8 hours a day. Every morning, I’d grab a strong coffee, fire up my IDE, and start working through tutorials, building projects, and solving challenges on platforms like LeetCode and HackerRank. I even started journaling my errors just to learn faster from my mistakes. Slowly but surely, what once felt like chaos started turning into clarity.

Then, I discovered an incredible opportunity hosted by Microsoft called the Microsoft Software & Systems Academy (MSSA). It’s designed specifically for transitioning service members, veterans, and now even veteran spouses. Official website: https://military.microsoft.com/programs/microsoft-software-systems-academy/

Here are the three tracks they offer:

1. ➡️ Cybersecurity Operations (CSO):

• This path is exclusive to transitioning veterans with at least 2 years of IT experience. It’s heavy on threat detection, risk mitigation, and incident response.

2. ➡️ Cloud Application Development (CAD):

• This is the software engineering track. You'll learn object-oriented programming, databases, web development, and get a deep dive into C# and .NET. This is the path I took.

3. ➡️ Server and Cloud Administration (SCA):

• Prepares you to become a network engineer. While it doesn’t get the same limelight as software dev, this field is mission-critical and in high demand.

🚀 Pro-Tips for Applicants:

• Join the Reddit community: r/MSSA. Once you’re in, ask around to join the Discord server. It’s an active, supportive hub of people in all stages of the program.

• Study their stories. People post their application tips, interview experiences, and what they wish they’d done differently.

• Show your passion. Don’t just say you’re into tech—prove it. Build something, write something, fix something. Show initiative. Show them that you LOVE programming.

• Register a new Outlook email just for MSSA-related use. Make it professional. This is the email that will be associated with your application and your future job inquiries. therefore, [email protected] may not be a good choice 😆 

Who Can Apply?

• Transitioning active-duty service members (within 180 days of separation)

• Veterans

• Veteran spouses (yes, they’re expanding access—take advantage!)

⌛️ Timeline: (This may change, so verify on the official website)

• Application window: Several times a year

• Duration: ~17 weeks full-time

• Schedule: Intense! Full-day classes, projects, and homework

I participated in the CAD track. Yes, it’s rigorous—think bootcamp-style, full days with coding assignments at night. But it’s doable, and more importantly, it’s transformative. You don’t just learn to code; you build real relationships. Guest speakers, peer support, alumni connections—it’s a professional ecosystem.

Upon graduation, you get access to job pipelines and career events exclusive to MSSA alumni. These are opportunities you can’t get anywhere else.

After graduating, I landed a full-time role as a Software Engineer at a mid-size firm. I’m working on internal tools and cloud infrastructure. It’s not just a job—it’s a career I actually love. I solve real problems, ship real code, and work with smart, driven people every day. If you're a transitioning veteran looking for your next chapter, MSSA might just be your launchpad.

You got this!

Don’t hesitate to shoot me an email at [email protected] to talk more about it! I look forward to hearing from you! 😀