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Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University launched PRAISE, a certificate program that combines CMU online courses with mentorship and applied work at Microsoft for selected early-career engineers. Participants are studying machine learning and AI-augmented software engineering, with additional courses planned for spring. Enrollment numbers, selection criteria and measured outcomes have not been disclosed in the source report.
Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University have launched the Preceptorship for AI-accelerated Software Engineering, or PRAISE, a certificate program pairing online computer science courses with hands-on workplace mentorship for selected early-career Microsoft software engineers. The program is intended to help participants build skills for software development in workplaces where AI tools are increasingly part of daily engineering work.
Under the program, participants take online courses through CMU’s Kenneth C. Griffin School of Computer Science while continuing their jobs at Microsoft. At the company, they are paired with senior engineering preceptors for structured guidance and apply what they learn to their regular work. CMU and Microsoft describe the arrangement as a combination of formal study, mentorship and practical application, rather than a stand-alone university course.
This semester, students in the certificate program are taking Machine Learning in Production and Preceptorship in AI-Augmented Software Engineering I. CMU says the classes cover incorporating machine learning into software and using AI tools during software development. In spring, participants are scheduled to take DevOps: Engineering for Secure Development and Deployment and the second course in the preceptorship sequence.
The courses can be applied toward a master’s degree in software engineering, according to CMU. That gives participants a route to continue their education beyond the certificate, though the report does not say how many employees are enrolled, how the company selects them or whether the program will lead to a degree for any participant.
Training Engineers Alongside AI Tools
PRAISE addresses a change in how early-career engineers gain experience. Tasks once commonly handled by junior developers could be affected by AI tools, while engineers still need to judge when to use those tools and take responsibility for the software they produce. The program’s structure aims to join AI-related coursework with supervised work, rather than treating tool use as a skill learned only informally on the job.
For Microsoft, the partnership offers a way to connect formal instruction with engineers’ day-to-day work. For CMU, it extends computer science education to people already employed rather than enrolled in a traditional full-time campus program. Whether the approach improves participants’ performance or transfers effectively to other employers remains to be shown: the source report gives no outcome data or independent evaluation.
The partnership also reflects a broader workforce question: how companies and universities can prepare new engineers as AI changes parts of software development without assuming that the technology removes the need for junior staff. The program’s value will depend on how well its courses and mentorship translate into sound engineering judgment, not simply familiarity with AI tools.
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How the Partnership Took Shape
CMU’s report traces the idea to a visit in October 2025 by alumnus Mark Russinovich, Microsoft Azure’s chief technology officer, deputy chief information security officer and technical fellow. In a talk at CMU’s School of Computer Science, he discussed how AI tools can assist senior engineers and raised concerns that junior engineers may not receive the same level of benefit.
That discussion led CMU and Microsoft to consider how education could help early-career developers use AI in workplace settings. Michael Hilton, a teaching professor in CMU’s Software and Societal Systems Department, said traditional entry-level tasks have helped new engineers build expertise. He described the partnership as an effort to combine academic research and industry practice in a way that reflects everyday software development.
The initial program is aimed at selected early-career Microsoft employees, not the public at large. CMU says it hopes to expand enrollment and has raised the possibility of working with other industry partners later. No commitment to add other companies or a timeline for expansion was given in the report.
“When I joined Microsoft, these tools were part of my day-to-day, and I wanted to make sure I knew how to fully take advantage of them.”
— Jace Watson, a Microsoft software engineer and PRAISE participant
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Program Size and Results Unknown
The CMU report does not state how many engineers are participating, the eligibility or selection criteria, or the cost of the program. It also provides no completion figures, assessment results or evidence measuring whether participants become more effective engineers or use AI tools more safely and productively.
It is not clear whether the certificate will be offered to employees beyond the initial selected group, how many participants may pursue the courses toward a master’s degree, or whether other companies will join. CMU presents wider expansion as a possibility, not a confirmed plan. The claims about the program’s expected impact are statements of intent from the university and company, rather than reported results.
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Spring Courses and Possible Growth
Participants are expected to take DevOps: Engineering for Secure Development and Deployment and the second part of the AI-augmented software engineering sequence in spring. Those classes will extend the curriculum beyond machine learning and AI-assisted development into secure deployment and operations.
CMU says it hopes to grow PRAISE and add students to its certificate program. It has also said the model might eventually be opened to other industry partners, but has not announced a schedule or named prospective partners. Further reporting on enrollment, course completion and participant outcomes would help establish how the program works in practice.
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Key Questions
What is the PRAISE program?
PRAISE stands for Preceptorship for AI-accelerated Software Engineering. It is a CMU–Microsoft certificate program combining online computer science courses with mentorship and practical work for selected early-career Microsoft engineers.
Who can take part?
The source report says the program is for selected early-career Microsoft employees. It does not provide eligibility requirements, application details or the number of available places.
What are participants studying?
This semester’s courses are Machine Learning in Production and Preceptorship in AI-Augmented Software Engineering I. Spring courses are scheduled to cover secure development and deployment and the second part of the preceptorship sequence.
Can the certificate count toward a degree?
CMU says the courses can be applied toward a master’s degree in software engineering. The report does not specify degree admission requirements or how many participants plan to continue.
Will PRAISE expand to other companies?
CMU has said it hopes to grow the program and has raised the possibility of adding other industry partners. No expansion plan, partner or timeline has been announced.
Source: hn
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