AWS Educate angles to fill cloud posts
Amazon Web Services (AWS), a global cloud computing service provider, is set to promote its AWS Educate programme, hoping to reduce a cloud workforce shortage.
The company sees soaring demand for cloud jobs at all levels because cloud services have been widely adopted and play a large role in digital disruption, said Vincent Quah, regional head for education, research, healthcare and non-profits in Asia-Pacific and Japan.
He said cloud computing has become an important aspect of digital strategies because it is scalable, agile and offers a payas-you-go system, making it more popular.
Global research firm Gartner expects global spending on cloud computing to reach US$216 billion (7.22 trillion baht) in 2020, up from $111 billion in 2016.
This means more demand for skilled cloud developers and users, especially over the next two years.
Jobs related to cloud computing have topped employer demand on LinkedIn in recent years.
Mr Quah said AWS attracts millions of customers each month, both in the public and private sector.
In the first quarter of 2018, AWS’s revenue rose 49% year-on-year to $5.4 billion. The company neared a $22-billion run rate, with its growth over the last year driven by both existing customers and new ones.
To reduce shortages in the cloud workforce, AWS in 2015 introduced AWS Educate: online self-learning cloud computing courses that let students in universities and vocational schools access courseware and resources free of charge.
Students taking part in AWS Educate get $100 for learning and use of AWS services for online self-learning. If the credit runs out, students have to pay $75 for student starter kits.
Meanwhile, instructors can access and download cloud courseware and worksheets free of charge.
Mr Quah said 1,500 institutions have signed up with AWS Educate globally, of which 12 are from Thailand.
Any universities and vocational schools can apply through the company’s website.
The system suggests 30 career-learning pathways related to the cloud, recommending appropriate courses so that users can seek skills matching their desired job.
Once they finish their course of study, students receive digital badges and certificates of completion.
Mr Quah said the company will verify students through universities and school domain names.
Last November, AWS widened its Educate programme to students aged 14-17 to increase basic cloud literacy.
Cloud career pathways for students include analytics and big data, cloud architecture, operating and support engineering, and software development engineering.
In Singapore the data scientist path has proved popular, while software development engineers have been sought in India, Mr Quah said.
“We are also open to working with nonprofit organisations to train them for cloud skills like in Singapore, where we teach girls and re-skill former military personnel,” he said.