Hyppolitte Djouda: ‘Perseverance is something I learned when I was in MSSA’
Joining the military was an important step for Hyppolitte Djouda to repay the country that he believed provided him with the chance to better his life. Little did he know it would also give him the chance to jumpstart his post-service career.
Djouda, a native of Cameroon, came to the U.S. in 2008 to earn his master’s degree in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Jackson State University. While at JSU, he was struck by the notion of earning his stripes as an American through the military.
“For me, the Army was a way to embrace the American culture,” Djouda says. “To embrace the life in America and also to give back. What do you do for the country that has done so much for me? Because it’s not anyone that comes from any little country that has this opportunity.”
Djouda joined the Army in July 2014 and was stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina as a health care supervisor. He was attached to the world-renowned 82nd Airborne Division, helping that infantry unit, which specializes in parachute assault operations, with their training preparations.
“As a health care supervisor, you have four to five soldiers under your leadership and you have to ensure all the procedures are followed,” Djouda says. “We make sure all our equipment is ready to be deployed, from ambulances to respirators, everything we need in a combat environment.”
While Djouda did not deploy in any combat zones, as the 82nd performed live training operations both at Fort Bragg and abroad, there were instances where Djouda and his team had to step in and assist injured soldiers and transport them to nearby hospitals. By the time Djouda left the Army at the completion of his contract in 2019, he had planned and executed 45 medical missions.
Djouda was eager to take the next step in his post-military career while also utilizing his educational background when he learned about the Microsoft Software and Systems Academy (MSSA).
“I thought about how I could transition and still bring value to this great organization – the Army, specifically, and the Department of Defense, in general,” he recalls. “So, as I was looking at some of the programs that allow service members to transition, I ran into MSSA. I talked to one of my leaders and he gave me some insight into the program. That’s when I contacted the office.”
Djouda was specifically interested in the development side of the training, so he signed up for the Cloud Application Development (CAD) path, which gives members the skills and training they need to become a software developer by using tools and programs like C# and Microsoft Azure.
“My goal was to get the foundation I needed and then get hired by one of the (partner companies) who work with the MSSA program,” he says.
Indeed, after completing the 17-week program, Djouda was hired quickly by TIAG, a Virginia-based technology company that provides strategic, transformational solutions to private industry and across the Department of Defense (DoD).
Djouda has worked for TIAG for five years, starting fresh out of the MSSA program as a junior developer. He has been promoted three times during his tenure, including into his current role as database software developer, where he builds cloud applications that are used by DoD providers to help soldiers as they prepare for deployment. He credits MSSA for helping him stick through tough times as he transitioned into the civilian workforce.
“Perseverance is something I learned when I was in MSSA,” he recalls. “When you are doing code, sometimes it doesn’t work. It’s not because you don’t know what you’re doing. You don’t have to give up. You just have to stick with it. And when I started working, when my code didn’t work, I would take a break and then come back to it.”
Djouda also credits the emphasis on professional skills in the MSSA program as a key element in his ability to succeed in the work world, giving credit to MSSA corporate engagement program manager Terry Henderson for his work in that area.
“Sometimes there are little things that we lack or don’t focus on that are really important,” Djouda says. “Terry taught us some of the skills we needed in order to land the job, like presenting yourself and saying who you are, how to build your resume, how to interact and connect with people.”
Over the next few years, Djouda hopes to continue to learn new skills and move into a senior data architect position, where he can take his passion for data and shape how it’s processed and designed. He hopes that other military members who want to continue giving back consider MSSA as an option that can help them achieve their goals.
“MSSA is a very good program that helps veterans transition into this civilian work and get into the information technology world,” he says. “It’s not easy and you have to work hard, but it’s a good program and I’m very happy I learned about it. I joined and today I’m working and I’m still serving the United States Army.”