Since the launch of the Microsoft Software & Systems Academy in 2013, the program has become a leader in training veterans and active duty service members for the IT industry. Chris Cortez, VP of Military Affairs at Microsoft, joined to talk about how the company is preparing service members for the digital economy. Cortez fills us in on why Microsoft sees IT as the best way to help veterans transition to life after the military. He stresses that nearly 500,000 IT jobs have gone unfilled, adding that not enough people in the labor market have an IT background. With 1 million veterans expected to be looking for jobs over the next 5 years, Cortez sees this as a great opportunity. The former military veteran goes on to tout the effectiveness of the Microsoft program. He says it's not about finding a job, it's about finding a career. According to Cortez, the average salary for the program's graduates is $70,000, and over 90% are either employed or went to graduate school.