Citizenship

How Service Members Can Upskill for a Digital Career

Explore Digital Careers

Build upon your military experience to start a new career

Picture a military service member using a virtual reality headset to learn how to recognize improvised explosive devices in combat situations. Or a fighter pilot gazing through augmented reality goggles that display real-time information while keeping the pilot’s eyes trained on the target. Imagine being part of a team that accurately forecasts where a wildfire might strike and helps evacuate citizens accordingly.

All these operations need a robust digital infrastructure, and you can help build that digital future for the country.

At Booz Allen, we value the experience you bring from the military and can help you build upon it to find a rewarding career in digital technology. Our digital experts harness the potential of cloud solutions, edge computing, and modern software development to create inclusive human experiences that drive human performance. While there are many types of digital jobs, the path from the military to a career in a digital field is constant: Start with advanced technical training, add quality on-the-job experience, and grow your skills with continuing education.

What We Look for When Hiring

The most common things we look for when hiring for digital jobs are:

Knowledge of programming languages such as Java or C++
Cloud computing or modern software certification(s) such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud Developer Certificate and Microsoft Azure Cloud Certification
A current security clearance or the ability to obtain a security clearance

Our Proven Training Partners

To get you started, we’ve compiled a list of proven training partners that provide quality digital training to service members and veterans—many at no cost to you. Browse the list below to find a training provider that can equip you with the skills you’ll need to build on your military experience and start your digital career.

Trusted Training Provider	Top Skills Gained	How to Sign Up	Key Notes for Service Members Preparing to Leave the Military
freeCodeCamp	JavaScript, Python	Go to freeCodeCamp	Enroll in courses for in-demand programming languages offered free of charge by this nonprofit.
VetsinTech Programming Foundations with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS	JavaScript, HTML, and CSS	Enroll for free through VetsinTech	Take free, self-paced online course via Coursera that require, on average, 4 hours per week for 5 months to complete
VetsinTech AWS Security Learning Path	Six AWS certifications including AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner	View cohort dates and register	Sign up for free 3-month self-paced online courses; application and commitment interview required.
Microsoft Software and Systems Academy (MSSA) Cloud Application Development	Azure application development, C# application programming, and database programming	Learn more and apply at Microsoft Software and Systems Academy	Full time 17-week training program offered as a SkillBridge program to transitioning service members at no cost. Also offered to guardsmen, reservists, and veterans. Vouchers available for Azure Cloud certification.
Microsoft Software and Systems Academy (MSSA) Server and Cloud Administration	Azure administration, cloud models, and Windows Server workloads	Learn more and apply at Microsoft Software and Systems Academy	Full time 17-week training program offered as a SkillBridge program to transitioning service members at no cost. Also offered to guardsmen, reservists, and veterans. Vouchers available for Azure Cloud certification.
Booz Allen Tech Excellence Cloud Engineering Program	AWS Cloud, DevOps best practices	Learn more at BoozAllen Careers	Get recruited into this in-house training program by telling your Booz Allen recruiter that you’re interested in participating.
Booz Allen Tech Excellence Software Development Program	Java, Docker, Kubernetes, Spring Boot and Spring Data	Learn more at BoozAllen Careers	Get recruited into this in-house training program by telling your Booz Allen recruiter that you’re interested in participating.
Google UX Design Certificate	UX research, design, and testing concepts and responsive web design	Enroll today on Coursera	Complete this self-paced program at any time prior to or after your date of separation.

SkillBridge Programs

For digital careers, having hands-on experience in the digital field of your choice is invaluable. We encourage service members to consider participating in a DOD SkillBridge program prior to their date of separation. While there are hundreds of DOD SkillBridge organizations, we currently partner with two that match service members to employers that offer fellowships: Hiring Our Heroes and Hire Vets Now.

Fellowships offer valuable professional experience as well as the time and space to upskill before you transition out of the military. At Booz Allen, we’ve created a digital training track in Udemy to help our fellows gain a basic understanding of software engineering and development including a beginner’s guide to C++ and Java. If you’re just getting started with computer programming, be sure to let your fellowship coordinator know you want to use this experience to upskill.

Recommended SkillBridge Partner

How to Participate

Key Notes for Service Members Preparing to Leave the Military

Hiring Our Heroes Fellowship Program

Apply at Hiring Our Heroes

Hiring Our Heroes has three cohort opportunities per year.

Hire Vets Now Fellowship Program

Apply at HireVets Now

Hire Vets Now offers fellowship opportunities on a rolling basis.

Meet Odell Hodges, a Digital Upskilled Veteran at Booz Allen

Odell Hodges, Junior Software Developer

Ever motivated by the next challenge, Odell Hodges joined the Marine Corps as a supply chain management specialist, a role that taught him about the complex systems undergirding the Corps’ equipment, suppliers, facilities, and logistics. Not long before his time in the service ended, he saw a promotion for Microsoft’s Software and Systems Academy (MSSA) and something clicked. Upon separation, he bought a one-way ticket to San Antonio to study cloud applications and development at MSSA. He then joined Booz Allen’s Tech Excellence Modern Software Developer course before immediately jumping into his next challenge—pursuing a certification in AWS cloud.

Odell’s path

Supply chain knowledge from military + MSSA Cloud Application Development Course + Booz Allen’s Tech Excellence Modern Software Developer Course + AWS Cloud certification