How I got to know about MLSA:
I got to know about the , (MLSA) Program from one of my seniors when I was in the 4th semester of college. And once I researched what this program is all about, I was just amazed and wanted to become a part of it. MLSA is a global community of students who are passionate about learning new technologies and building solutions out of them. It helps the students to have a greater impact on the projects and communities that matter.
Application Process:
I applied to this program on Nov 24, 2022, and received the mail about my selection on Jan 18, 2023. The application process consisted of three questions from which it was compulsory to answer any one of them in the form of a 2-minute video. If you are thinking of applying to this program, then keep in mind that your video will be a game changer, because that will be the point where they will check everything. Answer the question with full confidence and make sure that you very well answer the question fulfilling all the requirements mentioned.
First Day Experience:
Once I was onboarded into the program, I received my Student Ambassadors ID via mail and after that, all of my communication with the other members of the program happened with that new email ID. On the first day of getting onboard, we were supposed to create our account in Microsoft Teams with that new email ID. They also provided us with a Student Handbook in which all the necessary information about the program was mentioned.
There were a lot of senior MLSAs in the program who welcomed us with greeting messages in Teams and they all were very helpful in nature and answered all my doubts. There are three major milestones in the MLSA Program: Alpha, Beta, and Gold. Initially, we were called as new MLSAs. There were certain tasks we were supposed to perform to get promoted to different milestones.
From New to Alpha Milestone:
To get promoted to the Alpha Milestone, I was supposed to complete any learning path from Microsoft Learn. Once I got promoted to Alpha, I got benefits like $150 monthly subscription of Azure Visual Studio Enterprise and LinkedIn Learning for free.
From Alpha to Beta Milestone:
Now, in order to get promoted to the Beta Milestone, I had to complete the technical onboarding and also conduct an offline or online event on any Microsoft Technology. Once I completed these two steps, I got promoted to the Beta Milestone and received a Swag Kit from Microsoft which consisted of the things like T-Shirt, Water Bottle, Certificate, ID Card, Stickers, etc. It was compulsory to conduct an event within one year and technical onboarding within 4 months of getting selected as an MLSA to reach the Beta Milestone.
From Beta to Gold Milestone:
Now comes the most precious Milestone called the “Gold Milestone”. In order to reach the Gold Milestone, one needs to serve as an MLSA for at least one year. Reaching Gold demands a lot of hard work and dedication. One has to actively engage in all the activities being conducted and should participate in Ambassadors Projects and conduct events regularly. I have not reached the Gold Milestone yet, but I am giving my best for it. Once you reach the Gold Milestone, you receive a Swag Kit and also when you graduate from your college, you receive an LOR from the Global Director of MLSA Program which you can add in your resume and it increases your chances of getting a good job.