Three Things I Learned During the Microsoft Software & Systems Academy

It has been my privilege for the past 16 weeks to participate in the Microsoft Software and Systems Academy (MSSA). I have learned a number of valuable lessons, but today I wanted to share three which have greatly impacted me.

1. Problem Solving in an Open-Ended World

As a helicopter pilot in the United States Army, my job for seven years has required incredible flexibility and outside-the-box-thinking. Still, generally, there was a “correct” way to do something. The beautiful thing I learned about software development while working on collaborative projects was the number of “correct” solutions is limited only by your creativity and imagination.

There are 31 students in my class and for every coding exercise, we received there were at least 20 different solutions to the same problem, using the same set of tools. Being a helicopter pilot was a dream come true, but I am ready to move into an industry where the rules are always changing because someone uses their imagination and redefines reality.

2. It’s Not Really Work When You are Having Fun

I came into the Microsoft Software & Systems Academy (MSSA) with next to no experience in software development. I have completed a project programmed in C# which downloads raw historical stock data from the internet, runs it through a series of algorithms, and produces a filtered product of stocks statistically likely to be profitable. The historical prices and calculations are saved in a database I created with Microsoft SQL Server. Additionally, I have completed a web scraping sub-project which I used on the SEC EDGAR Database to fill in company information for the 4800+ stocks I am currently tracking.

The purpose of this project is to create a research tool people can use to narrow the scope of their search while looking for the next profitable company to invest in. I really enjoy the process of researching companies and creating software tools which help to predict the future of the market. To date, my hobby investing account is up 18% over the past year because of these tools I have created.

3. The Value of Mentorship and Networking

MSSA program marked the beginning of my transition out of the military, a job in which I have served for more than 12 years. The prospect of entering a new industry is both exciting and a little scary. I have the opportunity to pursue the dream of a career in Information Technology.

This is not a journey I would be taking were it not for the advice of Dr. David Pinion, a man I count as a mentor, and his book, Do Good and Fear No Man: Life Lessons from a Career in the US Marines. He wrote that a life skill everyone should acquire is computer programming. I tried it out, fell in love, and two years later here I am.

During the first week of the course, American Corporate Partners (ACP) was mentioned as a resource. ACP provides a 1:1 mentorship for transitioning veterans by industry leaders who help to guide the servicemember into civilian life. I could not have asked for a better mentor. He has provided me with invaluable insight into the corporate world, for which I am grateful.

Throughout the past 16 weeks, Terry Henderson has assisted the Fort Bragg cohort with the development of interviewing techniques and job searching skills. His belief that everyone has value has been an inspiration when the rejection letters seemed to be coming in faster than I could send out the applications. His advice has resulted in a far more effective job search, which is still currently ongoing.

I have had the privilege of connecting with quite a few amazing people on LinkedIn and several have gone out of their way to help me by recommending me for positions within their organizations. I am truly overwhelmed when I think about all the people, from recruiters to friends and connections, who have spent time helping me develop my personal brand.

I look forward to continuing to grow in creative problem solving, pursuing projects I enjoy and paying forward the assistance and support I have received, wherever my new career takes me.