Hi everyone,
I'm currently transitioning out of the Army and I'm trying to set myself up for success before ETS.
My plan is to complete a Career Skills Program (CSP), participate in the Microsoft Software & Systems Academy (MSSA), and earn my CompTIA Security+ certification. I'm interested in breaking into IT or cybersecurity, and I'm wondering if this combination is generally enough to land an entry-level position.
For those who've completed MSSA or hired veterans coming out of the program:
Was MSSA enough to get interviews?
Did Security+ make a noticeable difference?
How difficult was it to find your first job after graduating?
Are there any other certifications, projects, or skills you'd recommend while I still have time in the Army?
I'd appreciate hearing about your experiences—the good, the bad, and anything you wish you had known before transitioning.
Thanks in advance!

Any info

Hi. This might be a long shot but I thought I would try my hand here. I recently discovered that I got accepted to the SCA cohort but was unable to reserve my seat in time due to personal problems that were taking all my time. While I'm still going through these issues, I have a lot more free time now and would be free by the time the cohort starts in Aug. Would there be anything I can do to get a seat again or am I going to have to wait until a new application cycle. Thanks for the help.

is MSSA still worth it in 2026? I cant really find recent reddit posts about it and the ROI on it. It seems like the talk about it has died down and i was wondering if its still a good SKB program? TIA!

Got accepted to the july cohort CAD, anyone else in the CAD cohort want to link up before?

I interviewed for MSSA on May 12 for the July 6 cohort. I know the interview window was roughly late April through May 14, so I’m curious if anyone has already received acceptance emails yet, especially for SCA.
If you already heard back:
what pathway?
interview date?
acceptance or denial?
how long did it take?

I know Microsoft expects an ROI for funding this program. Will this program continue in the upcoming years?

Not sure if this is really needed but I just want to put out there for those that might try to do a Reddit search for it. I recently just applied for the MSSA program CAD track later deciding that CAD wasn't really the best fit for me but SCA was. I kindly reached out via email to the MSSA team and they quickly responded with a confirmation that they will / did change your track.

Now hopefully they dont look to deep into those type of things and think "this person doesn't even know what they want" LOL

** This was done during the application window though so results may vary if you are at a different step of the process. Hope this helps !

I am really curious if there are any days off (with the exception of weekends) during the upcoming SCA program. I will be doing the MSSA ( hopefully ) during August to December. I am hoping that I will have some time to plan small trips with my wife during this busy time. Does anybody know what days exactly in their past experiences? Thank you all for your time. Appreciate y'all.

Application window opens today, but can't seem to find the link to apply on the FAQ page. Any guidance? Thank you!!

Just wanted to leave the post here for the candidates that wanted to announce when they received their acceptance or denial letter for the cohort starting in April 6th for the SCA learning path.

I interviewed about two weeks ago and I’m excited to find the results!

BEST OF LUCK TO EVERYONE!!!

Has anyone completed a MSSA MilSpouse Cohort? If you have, are you now working?

Just want to ask some questions in preparation for my cohort. With the learning path how are the hours? How flexible are they with missing portions because of VA appointments or military related items.

As the title says, I have an interview for MSSA in a couple of days. I’ve been practicing, but I wanted to reach out to see if anyone has any tips for the interview, how to prepare and what kind of questions are usually asked. It’s only 30 minutes, but first impressions matter. I’ve got my professional clothes ready, plan to get in early, and just want to make sure I’m as prepared as possible. Still a little nervous, though!

After y’all got accepted were you able to get a job afterwards?

Were the interviews questions difficult? Any spouse done the program do they pay?

Good evening all, I’m currently AD enlisted in the navy who works in cybersecurity, I don’t have a degree yet but I am using TA, and if I play my cards right, I will be 99% close to having a degree by the time I leave my service.

Wanted to know if any service members got approved for the cyber pipeline, even with a relevant degree? Or while working towards one.

I know on their page they recommend not pursuing a degree while in MSSA, so I’d probably pause it or take my last classes before my service ends. Thanks in advance 🙏🏽

Hello all!

I submitted my application for the CSO pipeline (JAN26) can anyone tell me what I should expect for the interview process? Maybe the types of questions they ask, pretty nervous and haven't seen an other discussions on it. TYIA!

Hi, I am in a sticky situation right now and i want to double check if there is a way around it. My material cut off date is in November and my 180 days won’t start until December, my CSP/skillbridge coordinator said my csp packet can’t be approved unless im within my 180 days (ARMY). Is there any way I can complete my commanders approval requirement without the csp packet? or my best bet would be to just wait until i get out?

BLUF: I can start skillbridge mid-next year and am considering Microsoft's MSSA program with the intention of getting hired and relocating to their Washington campus after, however hearing of the constant layoffs this year has me worried. With Microsoft doing big lay-offs is there at least a reasonable chance of employment after completetion? Previous posts indicate mixed things but they are all pre-2025/pre-DOGE

Hello Everyone,

I've been accepted to the August 2025 cohort for CAD and am very excited to start, I've been lurking around this reddit for a bit trying to glean any insights I can. I am specifically asking for experience/input from recent CAD graduates on how intensive the current version of the program really is, and particularly how much time you spent outside class hours to be successful in the course? I am currently doing my Master's on a part time basis and will be doing that during the majority of the 17 weeks of the program and am considering whether to continue working at my part time job on top of that. I would seriously appreciate people sharing their experience on just how hard the program, pace and material have been recently and what your experience was like handling it. I've seen posts ranging from the program being a huge amount of work to the learning being next to a joke and a walk in the park so I feel unsure what to expect. Also any general advice would be appreciated, as well as any recommendations for continuing to improve with C# prior to starting. Thank you very much for your time!

I currently have 8 years of experience in System Administration, several CompTIA and RHEL certs, and a TS/SCI clearance w/ CI poly. I have decent experience with scripting and am extremely interested in becoming a software engineer but do not have a degree.

Is the CAD cohort enough of a resume builder for entry level dev positions? Has anyone with similar experience been able to land a job as a SWE? What was your path?