Financial services firm Nedbank and cloud infrastructure multinational Amazon Web Services (AWS) are providing 15 unemployed youths with free cloud computing skills development and job training through the AWS re/Start programme – a free, 12-week training programme covering fundamental AWS Cloud and practical career skills.

The 15 youths were onboarded into Nedbank for 12 months of workplace training and skills development, and are joined in the AWS re/Start programme by five Nedbank employees who want to develop their cloud and digital skills, says Nedbank Cloud Migration and Transformation lead Bianca Swartz.

The programme covers the cost for learners to take the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam, validating their cloud skills with an industry-recognised credential. Ultimately, AWS re/Start helps individuals prepare for roles in operations, site reliability and infrastructure support.

No prior technical or digital experience is required from the learners entering the programme. Through scenario-based exercises, hands-on laboratories and coursework, individuals build Linux, Python, networking, security and relational database skills.

The programme also focuses on ensuring that individuals develop professional skills such as adaptive communication, time management and résumé building, as well as preparing them for employer meetings and interviews. It is part of AWS’s larger commitment to train 29-million learners for free by 2025.

These skills are especially needed in a world where technology expertise are falling short of the requirements as society moves into a world in which the way of work will change forever, spurred on by the Covid-19 pandemic that has decimated lives and economies across the world, says Swartz.

“AWS re/Start is more than just a training programme. It is a change-your-life initiative that helps individuals launch successful careers in the cloud. We are proud to work with Nedbank to equip the unemployed youth with the in-demand cloud skills that will help organisations accelerate their innovation with the AWS Cloud,” says AWS re/Start global team lead Tejas Vashi.

“The re/Start programme is a stand-out component of our broader 12-month cloud learnership programme. Through the [business-led Youth Employment Service] YES initiative, we identified the 15 learners whom we have on-boarded.

"Our five internal staff taking part in the re/Start programme are eager to upskill themselves as part of our and the country's digital transformation journey. We will collaborate with AWS on re/Start for three years, and we aim to grow the size of the programme,” says Swartz.

“With AWS re/Start, we are building an inclusive, diverse global pipeline of new cloud talent by engaging unemployed youth with no prior technical skills or qualifications who otherwise might not have had access to this career path,” she says.

To connect with AWS re/Start graduates or learn more, fill out an employer interest form or visit https://aws.amazon.com/training/restart/.