AWS Public Sector Blog

Get ahead this summer with no-cost cloud training from AWS Educate

Are you one of the many students that spent all year dreaming of summer vacation? Summer is here, but if you’re a motivated go-getter, you may find yourself ready for a challenge or to learn something new now that you’re a month or more into your summer break. You’re in luck: there’s a simple, low stress way to learn new cloud skills. AWS Educate from Amazon Web Services (AWS) helps you build your cloud skills at your own pace, on your own time—no matter where you are on your journey in learning about the cloud.

Why learn cloud skills?

If you haven’t already heard, cloud skills are a big deal. Employers desperately need cloud-skilled workers but there simply aren’t enough qualified applicants to go around. In a November 2021 study, 92% of IT decision-makers reported they couldn’t fill at least one position due to a lack of cloud-skilled candidates. To put it simply: learning cloud skills today can help you land an awesome job tomorrow.

With AWS Educate, you can learn cloud skills on your own time and at your own pace. It’s really that simple. All you need is an email address to get started. No credit card or Amazon account is required.

We invite all new-to-cloud learners as young as 13 years of age* to check out our hundreds of hours of self-paced training and resources — including hands-on labs in the AWS Management Console. Our simple-to-navigate and adaptive user experience guides you to targeted training content based on your knowledge, goals, interests, and age. And when you’re ready to look for an internship or job, learners 18 years and older can use the AWS Educate Job Board to explore, search for, and apply to thousands of opportunities all over the world.

Hear from your peers that used AWS Educate

Are you overwhelmed when presented with a lot of choices? You’re not alone. AWS Educate graduate Umair Yaquoob uses the program to tinker with hands-on labs for just-in-time learning when he wants to dive in to a specific AWS Cloud service or topic. During the pandemic, Umair found himself with some unexpected free time and was looking for a way to stand out in the job market. Newer to cloud computing in general, Umair developed an interest in the AWS Cloud and eventually set his sights on a future career in DevOps. “I spend one to two hours a week on AWS Educate learning about specific topics that interest me,” Umair said about his experience. “I knew I had to take advantage of extra learning to stand out.”

Now working as a platform engineer, Umair is an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner and has his sights set on earning an associate-level AWS Certification next. “I wouldn’t have landed my job without this extra learning,” Umair shared. “Now that I’m working in a cloud role, I go to AWS Educate to search for on-the-job help. I love how you can filter lab work by different topics. It’s straight to the point and easy to find what I’m looking for.”

Not sure where to begin? AWS Educate graduate Sarthak Tyagi said, “The most difficult thing is sometimes learning how to start. Just dive into it. Find something simple that you can easily learn, like Introduction to Cloud 101.” This introductory course helps you learn and practice AWS Cloud fundamentals through hands-on labs for six key AWS services. You get instant feedback as you complete each lab and have a chance to earn an “Introduction to Cloud 101” badge that you can share on social media to demonstrate your cloud-skills mastery.

Sarthak found AWS Educate after taking an AWS Academy course in college. Sarthak says, “AWS Educate has everything you need. It comes in handy by making it interesting, easy, and simple to learn.” Graduating in July, 2022, Sarthak’s cloud skills helped him earn multiple offers of employment. He starts work as a cloud engineer later this year and, with a group of friends, is preparing for AWS Certification with some help from AWS Educate. “I like to learn about a skill by watching and reading and then following up with hands-on practice. I was able to do all of that in the same place with AWS Educate.”

When asked what advice he’d give to others looking to replicate his success, Sarthak shared that it’s all about building a community: “Use your resources to network and find others who can help by giving you tips. Learning is more fun when you do it with friends.” Speaking of community, learners who complete a qualifying course from AWS Educate receive an invitation to join the new AWS Emerging Talent Community, where you can connect with others just like you from across the globe and get learning resources tailored to your career goals.

Get started with AWS Educate

Grab a friend or two and begin your cloud journey at your own pace, on your own time, and at no cost by exploring all AWS Educate has to offer. Get your head in the cloud today with AWS Educate.

*Please note: AWS Educate provides its members with no-cost access to learning content and AWS services designed to build knowledge and skills in cloud computing. It is available globally to learners who meet the minimum age requirements, based on country of residence, in the AWS Learner Terms and Conditions.

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