In between classes on device learning and application engineering, Jace Watson isn't heading rear to his dorm or finding a quiescent location to study location on Carnegie Mellon University's campus.
That's since Watson isn't equal in Pittsburgh. He's in Seattle, operating at his full-time job as a application engineer at Microsoft and taking classes through the Preceptorship for AI-accelerated Software Engineering (PRAISE) program, which CMU and Microsoft launched to train first occupation application engineers for the quickly changing device discipline landscape.
"When I started undergraduate, it was the commencement of AI being item that everybody had admission to on their own computers. As I got nearer to graduation, it started becoming apparent how big AI tools would be in the workforce, but using AI wasn't a huge part of my education," Watson said. "When I joined Microsoft, these tools were part of my day-to-day, and I wanted to create certain I knew how to completely obtain advantage of them, which is why I sought out the additional learning chance through CMU and Microsoft."
The CMU/Microsoft PRAISE program offers first occupation Microsoft workforce a chance to obtain online courses in CMU's Kenneth C. Griffin School of Computer Science during receiving hands-on mentorship at the company. At Microsoft, selected first occupation engineers, or preceptees, activity alongside elder engineering preceptors to build AI-accelerated application engineering skills through organized guidance, mentorship and use to their day-to-day Microsoft work. Participants can additionally enroll in SCS classes focused on application engineering and synthetic intelligence.
"This alliance alongside Microsoft is concerning providing the Griffin School of Computer Science's high-quality device discipline learning to group who aren't in the traditional learning scheme but are seeking direction to navigate a quickly changing landscape," stated SCS Dean Martial Hebert. "SCS and Microsoft acknowledge that we all have a part to perform in supporting and planning the nation's workforce, and the CMU/Microsoft PRAISE program is an innovative stage in that direction."
The idea for the program came concerning following CMU alumnus Mark Russinovich's (ENG 1989, 1994) sojourn to SCS in October 2025. The chief innovation officer, delegate chief data safety authoritative and specialized chap for Microsoft Azure said concerning how AI tools assistance elder engineers, but noted that the identical flat of advantage isn't accessible for younger engineers.
"AI changes the work, but it doesn't eliminate the need for younger engineers or for individual judgement and accountability," Russinovich said. "By combining Microsoft's engineering cognition alongside CMU's scholarly expertise, PRAISE offers a example we're arrogant to guide and anticipation others in industry and academia volition adopt."
From that discussion, SCS and Microsoft began considering how learning could assistance younger engineers conquer the challenges of using AI in the workplace.
"It used to be that first occupation application engineers would do a lot of tasks that would build up their expertise," stated Michael Hilton, a instruction prof in CMU's Software and Societal Systems Department (S3D). "Combining forces between academics and practitioners allows us to bring our ability together and create solutions that diagram on device discipline investigation during position up to the regular realities of application development."
This semester, Microsoft workforce enrolled in the CMU PRAISE certificate program are taking Machine Learning in Production and Preceptorship in AI-Augmented Software Engineering I. These classes train students on how to merge device learning into the application they compose and to use AI tools during evolving that software.
"That judgement for whenever to use AI have to be viewed as ongoing education, which is why we're partnering alongside Carnegie Mellon University on syllabus as part of the PRAISE program," Microsoft wrote in their notice of the partnership. "The intent is to set students up for achievement in the office and accelerate preceptees alongside ceremonial curricula to complement the direction from the preceptor on how to build and provision alongside confidence."
In the fountain semester, students volition obtain DevOps: Engineering for Secure Development and Deployment and the second fractional of the Preceptorship in AI-Augmented Software Engineering way sequence. These courses can be applied to a master's flat in application engineering, allowing students to additional their learning at SCS. CMU hopes to develop the program and add additional students to the certificate program, perchance one day beginning the entrance to another industry partners.
"I am tremendously enthusiastic concerning the effect this program volition have on younger engineers at Microsoft," stated Jonathan Aldrich, an S3D prof who directs the PRAISE certificate program. "With so many companies worldwide faced alongside upheaval because of AI in application development, I accept this program volition rotate into a template for quickly leveling up new developers throughout the industry."
To study additional concerning the program, visit Microsoft's Command Line.
