Skip to Content
800-533-8762
  • Careers
  • Newsroom
  • Health Care Professionals
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
UPMC
  • Find a Doctor
  • Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
      Allergy & Immunology Behavioral & Mental Health Cancer Ear, Nose & Throat Endocrinology Gastroenterology Heart & Vascular Imaging Neurosciences Orthopaedics
      Physical Rehabilitation Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Primary Care Senior Services Sports Medicine Telemedicine Transplant Surgery Walk-In Care Weight Management Women’s Health
      See all Services
    • Services by Region
    • Find a UPMC health care facility close to you quickly by browsing by region.
      UPMC in Western Pa. Western Pa. and New York
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Services
  • Locations
    • Locations by Type
    • Locations by Type
      UPMC hospitals
      Hospitals
      Physical Therapy
      Physical Therapy
      Urgent care
      Walk-In Care
      UPMC Outpatient Centers
      Outpatient Centers
      UPMC Imaging Services
      Imaging
      Community Health Centers
      Community Health Centers
      See All Locations
    • Locations by Region
    • Locations by Region
      UPMC in Southwest Pa. Southwest Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Northwest Pa and Ny. Northwest Pa. & Western N.Y.
      UPMC in West Central Pa. West Central Pa.
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Locations
  • Patients & Visitors
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
      Patients and Visitors Resources Pay a Bill Classes & Events Medical Records Health Library Patient Information
      Patient Portals Privacy Information Shared Decision Making Traveling Patients Visitor Information
      Man uses mobile phone
      Pay a Bill
      Nurse reviews medical chart
      Request Medical Records
  • Patient Portals
  • Find Covid-19 updates
  • Schedule an appointment
  • Request medical records
  • Pay a bill
  • Learn about financial assistance
  • Find classes & events
  • Send a patient an eCard
  • Make a donation
  • Volunteer
  • Read HealthBeat blog
  • Explore UPMC Careers
Skip to Content
UPMC
  • Patient Portals
  • For Patients & Visitors
    • Find a Doctor
    • Locations
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Pay a Bill
    • Services
    • More
      • Medical Records
      • Financial Assistance
      • Classes & Events
      • HealthBeat Blog
      • Health Library
  • About UPMC
    • Why UPMC
    • Facts & Stats
    • Supply Chain Management
    • Community Commitment
    • More
      • Financials
      • Support UPMC
      • UPMC Apps
      • UPMC Enterprises
      • UPMC International
  • For Health Care Professionals
    • Physician Information
    • Resources
    • Education & Training
    • Departments
    • Credentialing
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Newsroom
  • UPMC >
  • About UPMC >
  • Community Commitment >
  • ... >
  • Community Impact Stories >
  • Military and Veterans >
  • Trystan H.
Community Commitment
Commitment to Employees
Community Partnerships
Community Impact Stories
412 Food Rescue
Beverly’s Community Baby Showers
BikePGH
Birthing While Black
CDC Grant for McKeesport
Community Human Services
Community Vaccinations
Davis Consulting Solutions
Eagle's Nest Leadership Corporation
Fabric Health
Family Care Connection
Girls on the Run®
Global Links
Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
Hamot Health Foundation
Health Access Initiative for Recovery (HAIR)
Hilltop Urban Farm
Interactive High School Career Fair
Juneteenth
Junior Achievement BizTown®
Magee Gardens
Mamm O’Glam Event
Military and Veterans
Pathways to Work
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
Project Bundle-Up
Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh
Roots of Faith
Summer Safety
The Pittsburgh Promise
UPMC Living-at-Home
Voices for Independence
Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh
Economic Impact
Employee Volunteerism
UPMC Center for Workplace Culture and Community Engagement
Sustainability Initiatives
Veteran Employment and Education
Community Health Needs Assessment
Community Commitment
Commitment to Employees
Community Partnerships
Community Impact Stories
412 Food Rescue
Beverly’s Community Baby Showers
BikePGH
Birthing While Black
CDC Grant for McKeesport
Community Human Services
Community Vaccinations
Davis Consulting Solutions
Eagle's Nest Leadership Corporation
Fabric Health
Family Care Connection
Girls on the Run®
Global Links
Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
Hamot Health Foundation
Health Access Initiative for Recovery (HAIR)
Hilltop Urban Farm
Interactive High School Career Fair
Juneteenth
Junior Achievement BizTown®
Magee Gardens
Mamm O’Glam Event
Military and Veterans
Pathways to Work
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
Project Bundle-Up
Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh
Roots of Faith
Summer Safety
The Pittsburgh Promise
UPMC Living-at-Home
Voices for Independence
Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh
Economic Impact
Employee Volunteerism
UPMC Center for Workplace Culture and Community Engagement
Sustainability Initiatives
Veteran Employment and Education
Community Health Needs Assessment

Chat Keywords List

  • cancel or exit: Stops your conversation
  • start over: Restarts your current scenario
  • help: Shows what this bot can do
  • terms: Shows terms of use and privacy statement
  • feedback: Give us feedback
Continue
Chat with UPMC
RESTART
MENU
CLOSE
Trystan H., Department of Defense SkillBridge Program
Trystan H., Department of Defense SkillBridge Program

Life Changing Is ... Providing New Opportunities

Trystan H., Department of Defense SkillBridge Program

"Everyone deserves a shot. Take that shot and run with it."

Trystan worked in the Navy for eight years in cybersecurity, re-enlisting once. As he came toward the end of his service, he began thinking about what he wanted to do next.

Although he was born in California, Trystan's wife — whom he met in the military — was from Pennsylvania. But although he knew where he was going to live, he didn't know where he was going to work.

“I was stressing out, trying to figure out how am I going to translate into a civilian career from the military," he says. "I do count myself lucky that I did work in (information technology) because there were a lot of opportunities for that. But I didn't know anyone in Pennsylvania. I didn't know any jobs in Pennsylvania. I just knew that that's where we were going to be."

That's when he learned about the Department of Defense's SkillBridge program. Through SkillBridge, military members in the final six months of their deployment can get internships with civilian companies.

As he researched jobs in Pennsylvania, Trystan found a remote work opportunity in information technology (IT) at UPMC. He applied and interviewed for the position and landed a three-month internship.

Trystan says he found the work similar enough that most of his skills translated. He worked with personal identifiable information (PII) in the military and continues to do so at UPMC.

The biggest difference in his new job was the atmosphere. He says going from a more regimented military lifestyle to a more relaxed work environment was a "culture shock."

"I had to learn that it's not as serious," he says. "Every second's not as serious, and everyone collaborates a little more and has more of a flexible opinion.

"I hadn't come to terms with working hours. I was staying a little too long, and they would tell me to get off and go be with my family and not on the computer. I would even show up to meetings 15 minutes early.'"

Trystan says he also received advice from a fellow veteran of the SkillBridge program in making the transition from military to civilian work.

As time went on, Trystan became more accustomed. At the end of his internship, Trystan's manager offered him a full-time position. He accepted.

Since coming to UPMC, Trystan says his home life has improved greatly. In the final year of his deployment, his wife was living in Pennsylvania while he was living in Virginia, where he was stationed.

"I used to drive 6 1/2 hours from Virginia up to Pennsylvania just to be with family for the weekend, and then another 6 1/2 hours back after two days," he says. "So, I think it's improved my home life because I'm not away."

UPMC is a proud supporter of the Department of Defense SkillBridge program. We are the largest SkillBridge employer in Pennsylvania, offering work in a wide range of fields.

Trystan says he recommends the SkillBridge program — as well as UPMC — to any military members he talks to who are nearing the end of their deployment. He's thankful for the opportunity it provided to him.

“I tell them get on SkillBridge, talk to someone, talk to a hiring manager," he says. "You don't have to do the SkillBridge process, but please reach out to people and start getting help.

"Everyone deserves a shot. Take the shot and run with it."

At UPMC, Life Changing Medicine means helping people find the right opportunities.


See All That UPMC Does in the Community

Community Commitment

Community Commitment

Working in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh and a wide range of community organizations, we are committed to improving the health of the communities we serve.

Charitable Giving

Charitable Giving

Life Changing Medicine at UPMC is made possible every day through the generosity of numerous individuals, corporations and foundations.

Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer Opportunities

With volunteers ranging from teens to seniors and options involving office work or patient care, there's a place for all qualifying volunteers at nearly two dozen UPMC hospitals.

UPMC
200 Lothrop Street Pittsburgh, PA 15213

412-647-8762 800-533-8762

Patients And Visitors
  • Find a Doctor
  • Locations
  • Pay a Bill
  • Patient & Visitor Resources
  • Disabilities Resource Center
  • Services
  • Medical Records
  • No Surprises Act
  • Price Transparency
  • Financial Assistance
  • Classes & Events
  • Health Library
Health Care Professionals
  • Physician Information
  • Resources
  • Education & Training
  • Departments
  • Credentialing
Newsroom
  • Newsroom Home
  • Inside Life Changing Medicine Blog
  • News Releases
About
  • Why UPMC
  • Facts & Stats
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Community Commitment
  • Financials
  • Supporting UPMC
  • HealthBeat Blog
  • UPMC Apps
  • UPMC Enterprises
  • UPMC Health Plan
  • UPMC International
  • Nondiscrimination Policy
Life changing is...
Follow UPMC
  • Contact Us
  • Website/Email Terms of Use
  • Medical Advice Disclaimer
  • Privacy Information
  • Active Privacy Alerts
  • Sitemap
© 2025 UPMC I Affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences Supplemental content provided by Healthwise, Incorporated. To learn more, visit healthwise.org
Find Care
Providers
Video Visit
Portal Login