Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), an Amazon.com, Inc. company, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education today hosted over 150 educational technology experts and leading professionals at the inaugural AWS Kenya Education Conference 2022.
To help individuals lead prosperous lives in the digital age, local, national, and regional leaders are reimagining education systems, skills training, and private-public partnerships. AWS works with governments and public institutions around the world to upskill, reskill, and prepare individuals for the cloud jobs of today and tomorrow.
Amazon Web Services came up with a commitment to training 25 million youth who are mostly unemployed ad enabling them in the cloud computing field with a vision of attaining this number in 2035 in Sub-Sahara Africa.
Mr. Robin Njiru, the Regional Public Sector Lead for West, East & Central Africa at AWS said: “Amazon Web Services is on a mission to accelerate the digital transformation of education collaboration with Kenya’s education community which includes government, learners, educators, administrators, and researchers. AWS is committed to improving the quality of education by providing flexible, affordable technology solutions for education.”
Mr. Robin Njiru, the Regional Public Sector Lead for West, East & Central Africa at AWS
AWS Re/Start program commenced in Kenya in 2021, mainly entailing giving IT skills to the youth in the cloud computing sector which in turn enables more career options as well as linking the trainees to potential employers.
Sub-Sahara Africa is key in the program training bearing a massive young generation that keeps growing from day to day as so far the AWS re/start has trained more than 800 unemployed youth.
In Kenya, the AWS cloud career training program AWS re/Start has welcomed more than 500 unemployed youth in Kenya in less than two years, preparing them for a life-changing career in cloud computing.
Together with partners like Ajira Digital, Mastercard Foundation, and GetINNOtized, AWS is building an inclusive and diverse pipeline of new cloud talent in Sub-Saharan Africa by engaging unemployed or underemployed young people who otherwise might not have had access to this career path.
AWS Re/start program has focused more on training unemployed youth and specific learner audience intending to fit and support the massive pool of youth within Sub-Sahara Africa.
“There is a pool of talent that may not be connected with the employer hence through the training of IT skills, we enable the learner numerous career options, also enabling the linking of the trainees with the potential employers,” said Marine Houmeau Regional Program Lead Sub-Sahara.
Marine Houmeau Regional Program Lead Sub-Sahara.
Marine says that the program of Re/Start has also involved Persons with Disabilities in the training of cloud computing skills ensuring there is the inclusion of players from various fields combing up the diversity aspect.
AWS is currently also offering re/start skills training throughout the country including refugee camps after setting up training in the Kakuma and Dadaab refugee camps to encompass everyone with interest in the program and empower career paths.
In addition, AWS and the Ministry of ICT have joined forces to provide free foundational cloud content through the Ajira Digital platform accessible to all citizens as well as in over 300 training centers across the country from early 2023.
The conference targeted decision-makers in state agencies under the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of ICT, research organizations, Edtech companies, publishers, and representatives of leading academic institutions in Kenya.
One of the students receiving a graduation certification after completion of the training delves deeper into the numerous lessons attained during the program and the vast network, she has attained during the cohort.
“After the assessment, I got IT skills and this is something that I wasn’t so connected to having not studied IT earlier on but upon learning I got various career options that have enabled my attainment of a job with ease. I am enabled as a lady and feel empowered that I can engage anyone anywhere as well I would like to urge fellow learners to consider this option to learn more,” said Cecilia a graduand of the AWS Re/start program.
Marine extended gratitude to some of the partners who have enabled make the AWS Re/Start program a success in the Kenyan learning sector, partners like; Ajira, Azubi Africa, the Danish Refugee Council, and the Fireside Foundation.