Microsoft and Central Texas College to host achievement ceremony at Fort Hood

FORT HOOD, Texas — Feb. 11, 2015 — Microsoft Corp., in collaboration with Central Texas College at Fort Hood, Texas, will co-host an achievement ceremony for 12 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 Fort Hood class and are now certified software development and testing specialists. Speakers from Fort Hood and Central Texas College, along with Joe Wallis, senior manager, Military Talent Acquisition, Microsoft, will provide congratulatory remarks to the class.

When: Thursday, Feb. 12, 2015, at 8 a.m. PST
What: Microsoft Software & Systems Academy achievement ceremony
Where: Central Texas College Fort Hood Campus, Lobby, Building 3201, Fort Hood, Texas

Wallis and MSSA program participants will be available to speak with the media after the ceremony. Please contact Kimberly Lamberton on behalf of Microsoft at (503) 443-7459 or klamberton@waggeneredstrom.com if interested.

MSSA details

The MSSA program provides software and application life-cycle management training to active-duty service members. The goal is to help each service member transition to high-quality careers in the information technology industry, as well as to meet the economy’s demand for workers with computer science training.

Launched in November 2013 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the program recently expanded to Camp Pendleton (California) and Fort Hood (Texas). Nearly 121 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 interactive lessons and mock interviews for the opportunity to interview at Microsoft for entry-level roles.

Logistic information for attending media:

When you enter the base, please ask for John Miller, media relations specialist, Fort Hood. Miller will provide you with any credentials needed as a guest of the base, and he will escort you to the ceremony.

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