The Western Cape Government has announced the formal launch of Amazon Web Services (AWS) first worldwide AWS Skills Centre in Cape Town, as well as AWS Africa (Cape Town) Region’s anticipated investment of R46 billion between 2018 and 2029.
Premier Alan Winde and Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities Mireille Wenger, as well as other national government leaders, attended the official opening of the AWS Skills Centre in Cape Town, the first such facility outside of the United States. They affirm the programme’s potential to improve South Africa’s workforce readiness and economic growth.
AWS has worked with local community leaders, educational partners, government authorities, and job seekers in this endeavour to create a thorough and informative learning experience.
This programme is supported by key personalities such as Western Cape Premier Alan Winde, AWS leaders Maureen Lonergan, Tanuja Randery, and Rashika Ramlal, among others, who recognise its potential to improve South Africa’s workforce readiness and economic growth.
“AWS is committed to removing barriers to accessing the skills training needed to advance their careers,” said Maureen Lonergan, Vice President of AWS Training and Certification. “The Cape Town region is brimming with talent, and workforce upskilling can play a critical role in driving innovation, catalysing economic growth, and accelerating digital transformation throughout South Africa.”
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Immersive Learning for Everyone
The Cape Town AWS Skills Centre houses eight enthralling exhibits that demonstrate real-world applications of cloud technology. The Cloud Discovery Space, a fun component of the centre, explains how the cloud helps with space exploration, gaming, machine learning, cybersecurity, and other activities. The centre delivers an immersive learning environment, including live, instructor-led training from AWS specialists, essential cloud computing learning modules, and the ability to obtain an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification. In addition, the centre organises career coaching and networking events to connect students with potential job placement prospects.
Addressing Skills Gaps and Transforming the Workforce
The development of the AWS Skills Centre in Cape Town is in line with the global need to address skills gaps in the technology sector. According to the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Future of Jobs study for 2023, organisations perceive skills gaps and people acquisition issues as major barriers to industry transformation. This emphasises the importance of training and upskilling activities, particularly in domains such as big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence.
The astounding figure of over 100,000 individuals taught in cloud capabilities since 2017, including both free and commercial training, demonstrates Amazon Web Service’s investment in South Africa’s cloud expertise. This programme helps not only individuals advance in their careers, but also Amazon’s larger objective of delivering free digital skills training to 29 million people worldwide by 2025.
A Learning Centre in Cape Town
The AWS Skills Centre in Cape Town reflects a dedication to information dissemination and skill development, mirroring the notion that an educated workforce lays the path for long-term economic prosperity. With its immersive learning experiences and inclusive approach, this establishment represents an important step towards tackling the industry’s skills gap and developing future cloud leaders.
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Amazon’s Continued investment in free cloud training
In addition to supporting the South African community, AWS Skills Center Cape Town is helping to fulfil Amazon’s goal of providing free digital skills training to 29 million people around the world by 2025.
AWS’s free training offerings range from on-demand, self-paced courses to cohort-based workforce-development programs.
Recall that Amazon had, in mid 2022 announced plans to expand operations to Belgium, Colombia, Chile, Nigeria, and South Africa by April 2023. This Centre is a great step in the direction of the e-commerce giant’s plan to penetrate the African market.