Amazon Web Services and the Information Communication Technology (ICT) Authority on Tuesday announced their plans to train 10,000 university students using AWS Academy.

AWS Academy is a program run by AWS and seeks to empower higher education institutions to better prepare students for industry-recognized certifications and careers in the cloud.

Students will from June be able to enroll in a ready-to-teach cloud computing curriculum that prepares them to pursue industry recognized certifications and in-demand jobs.

The curriculum also aids educators to stay up to date on AWS Cloud innovation to equip students with the needed skills to get hired in one of the fastest-growing industries.

When they complete the AWS program, the 10,000 students from various universities in the country are expected to be ready for entry-level tech positions.

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According to data from LinkedIn, cloud adoption has increased among companies across the world increasing their need for individuals with cloud skills to help them achieve their goals.

Speaking at Connected Kenya 2023 in Diani, ICT Authority CEO Stanley Kamanguya said ICT Authority’s mandates includes promoting ICT literacy, capacity, innovation and enterprise.

“In our 10-year ICT Digital Masterplan 2022-2032, we identified that there is a gap in the non-alignment to the industry needs by universities and colleges,” said Kamanguya.

He added, “The program we are announcing today with AWS aims to bridge this gap between academia and industry. We are very excited to roll this out and look forward to further expanding the opportunity to students in other tertiary institutions.”

Similarly, Computer Learning Centre (CLC), an AWS Training Partner in East, West and South Africa, will deliver AWS Training on foundational and associate levels to educators to enable them deliver AWS Academy to 10 public universities in Kenya.

“We at CLC are honored to support ICT Authority’s mission to train and certify 10,000 young people through AWS Academy,’” said CLC AFRICA CEO Aunally Maloo.

AWS works with organizations, education institutions and governments to enable persons on different professional journeys to upskill, reskill and prepare for high-quality jobs.

“During the Connected Kenya 2022 summit, the Government of Kenya launched its ten-year ICT Digital Masterplan 2022-2032. The program we are announcing today with ICT Authority will see AWS Academy provide a curriculum that helps educators at universities stay at the forefront of cloud innovation so that they can equip students with skills needed to get hired in one of the fastest-growing industries. The overall objective of this program is to have more individuals that have job-ready skills needed in the workplace and eventually support the Government of Kenya in realizing a digitally enabled society which is a key outcome in ICT Digital Masterplan 2022-2032,” said Robin Njiru, AWS Regional Public Sector Lead for West, East, and Central Africa.

AWS works with numerous organisations like Gebeya, a Pan-African start-up hosting a custom platform on AWS available online to those chasing careers in tech and to find jobs.

“At Gebeya, we are aiming to train and certify at least 5,000 students within the first year. Our academy and job platform is a critical conduit for facilitating economic growth, fostering innovation, and empowering the next generation of tech leaders by bridging the gap between skills acquisition and employment opportunities,” said Gebeya Founder and CEO Amadou Daffe.

He added, “At Gebeya, we recognize the importance of this link and are committed to providing an integrated platform that connects top-tier tech talent with the world's most exciting companies like AWS.”