AWS launches Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance Program in Brazil

Amazon Web Services (AWS) aims to democratize student access to qualifications that align with the requirements of the technology job market. In collaboration with employers and universities, AWS launched the Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance program in Brazil, which connects students with employment opportunities.

According to the 2024 Job Skills report from Coursera, the global talent shortage has reached its highest point in the last 17 years. Many business leaders fear that recent graduates are not truly prepared for the job market, concerned by the rapid growth in the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI).

To address this problem, AWS, talent developers, and educational institutions have developed a map of skills necessary for the primary entry-level technology job roles. This skills map serves as the starting point for the Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance. Eligible institutions will have access to AWS self-guided research tools, such as the skills map and curriculum gap analysis.

Since its launch in 2023, the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance has already engaged 1050 educational institutions and more than 250,000 learners worldwide. The program is based on the long-term commitment by AWS to bring together industry, government, and educational institutions with the goal of improving technical skills training and ensuring it is aligned with job market needs.

As of October 2024, the AWS Tech Alliance in Brazil has positively impacted more than 10,000 learners across the country. In this year alone, the alliance has collaborated with 116 educational institutions to modernize their curriculum; incorporating both technical and soft skills that are in high demand for technology roles in the job market. The Tech Alliance has also organized more than 40 events, successfully connecting talented individuals from their acceleration programs to potential employers. Additionally, they have brought together SENAI Recife, Air Group/Compass UOL, and the Recife City Hall’s Economic Development Secretariat to upskill more than 250 candidates from underserved communities for initial employment.

Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance curriculum

The AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance curriculum is enriched with courses that build highly sought-after skills in the job market, such as, cloud computing and the development of both hard and soft skills necessary to increase the employability of these talents. Additionally, the program includes activities like job fairs, webinars, and panels, organized in collaboration with employers and educational institutions. The skills identified by the program are applicable to a variety of job roles, including: IT support, data analysis, Python programmers, product analysts, networking functions, cloud, and software, among others. Initial collaborators of the program in Brazil on the education institution side include, the Anima Group, YDUQS, Compass UOL and Instituto Matera.

Pictured during the Tech Alliance launch in Brazil are AWS Public Sector and Education employees and representatives from ANIMA Group, YDUQS, and Centro Paula Souza.

AWS Women in Cloud 

AWS customers in Brazil struggle to find diverse talent, including women and minorities. Only 20 percent of the IT workforce in Brazil are women, according to data from the National Household Sample Survey (PNAD 2020) . Therefore, a part of the program is dedicated to women through the Women in Cloud initiative. The focus is to inspire, motivate, and connect students and leaders with cloud computing qualification to employment opportunities, while promoting inclusion in IT and increasing female empowerment.

The AWS Women in Cloud program has already impacted more than 2,800 women in Brazil, trained more than 1,100 students in cloud computing courses, and connected participants with entry-level employment opportunities. The program continues to transform lives and careers. To learn more about the impact of the Women in Cloud initiative, please read this AWS blog post.

One such success story is Paula Casarini. Paula participated in the Women in Cloud initiative and made a career transition into the IT field. Since 2023, she has been working as a solutions architect at AWS Brazil.

“With AWS Women in Cloud, I accelerated my career transition from design to technology by being hired by the largest cloud provider in the market,” says Paula. “Ageism was a challenging factor for my entry into the market, a real and discouraging challenge at 37 years old. The program supported and encouraged me through the presence of other women in IT and employers who seek to foster not only gender diversity, but the inclusion of talented people, regardless of age.”

In addition to providing soft skills training through AWS Women in Cloud, the initiative, branded as “Tech Divas,” held an employment fair on November 13, 2024, which took place at Casa da Indústria in Recife. The event was successful, with more than 90 women interviewed in-person by 12 companies.

Another key initiative is “Career Without Barriers,” which has impacted more than 1,500 talents with disabilities. The Tech Alliance hosted a career day with a preparation track, covering technical and interpersonal skills. More than 300 graduates had the opportunity to interview with companies specifically seeking to hire people with disabilities for technology roles.

Planning for the future

In 2025, the AWS Tech Alliance is expanding with new collaborators joining to develop tech talents across Brazil, such as Intel, MKT55, SENAI São Paulo and COGNA, alongside existing educational institutions, and other AWS customers and partners committed to talent development.

The Alliance is increasing its presence in Brazil’s north and northeast regions in response to growing employer demand for skilled tech professionals in these areas. This expansion aims to meet local workforce needs and support regional economic development.

The Tech Alliance now includes a pipeline of more than 120 companies as participating employers. These organizations actively engage in the initiative, providing employment opportunities and mentoring for newly skilled tech professionals.

As part of Tech Alliance mission to support the development of diverse talent, the AWS Women in Cloud initiative will offer multiple activities throughout 2025. The program kicks off in January with an internship job fair for Select Solutions, one of the Tech Alliance’s employers. This event marks the beginning of Women in Cloud’s efforts to connect skilled women with career opportunities, fostering diversity and inclusion in the technology sector while meeting the growing demand for skilled, diverse talent across Brazil.