AWS re/Start, a full-time, classroom-based skills development and training program, has been preparing individuals for careers in the cloud and connecting them to potential employers since 2017. In that time, collaborating organizations have reported that more than 20,000 people have secured technology jobs after completing the program.
The 12-week training program is free to learners, and includes scenario-based exercises and instructor-led sessions in core AWS Cloud skills. It is delivered in collaboration with organizations worldwide, including nonprofits, private training organizations, and governments. Collaborating organizations connect AWS re/Start graduates to job opportunities with employers, such as Compass UOL, NTT DATA, Inc., Thailand, and CGI Deutschland B.V. & Co. KG.
AWS re/Start was first launched in 2017 in the United Kingdom to train young adults and military veterans on cloud computing skills. It has since expanded to more than 270 cities across 70 countries. AWS re/Start teaches in-demand skills needed for entry-level tech roles, and recently expanded its curriculum to include artificial intelligence and machine learning concepts.
AWS re/Start has provided participants with job-specific training for roles including technical support specialist, systems administrator, cloud automation lead, infrastructure engineer, and many more, as well as supporting people in effective communication, collaboration, resume writing, and interview coaching to prepare them for employer interviews.
Life-changing opportunity
One of the 20,000 participants to achieve employment as a result of the program was Olumuyiwa Kolayemi, now a senior platform engineer at Slalom Build, a business and technology consulting firm based in Boston, Massachusetts.
He arrived in the U.S. from Nigeria a few years ago. Although he had a master’s degree in agricultural and environmental engineering, he found that his existing credentials couldn’t translate into a job. Then the pandemic hit.
“It gave me an opportunity to reflect on what I was really passionate about,” Kolayemi said. He always had a curiosity for technology and had some experience with IT networking from a short course in computing he’d taken in Nigeria, but that was in 2009.
“I’d learned how to set up ‘cyber cafes’ at the time, and loved it, but I wasn’t able to pursue a career in cloud computing back then. When I relocated to Boston and I couldn't secure a job with my master's degree, I realized I needed to learn more about the cloud to secure a job in the technology sector.”
Preparing for an entry-level cloud job
Kolayemi came across a social media post about AWS re/Start by Per Scholas, an IT workforce development nonprofit that’s one of re/Start’s collaborating organizations.
He applied and was enrolled within the month.. Kolayemi describes his re/Start journey as “life-transforming.” The program taught him cloud fundamentals and hands-on skills, as well as providing career coaching, interview prep, and the confidence to re-enter the job market with purpose.
Thorough technical and professional training
“I was surprised how thorough the training content would be,” he said. “And not only on the tech side of things. We also received career coaching on everything from interviews, to ensuring that your LinkedIn profile highlights your knowledge, to working on your resume to showcase your skills. Everything I learned was very close to the real-life scenarios I later encountered at work, so it really set me up for success. I've been able to build upon what I've learned and continue to grow my career.”
After graduating from re/Start, Kolayemi quickly landed a role at Ultra-Commerce as a cloud system engineer. Ten months later, he joined Slalom Build as a platform engineer. “I’m a consultant and a senior platform engineer, which means I work with clients on their cloud modernization journey—moving their servers and databases from their own on-premises data centers to AWS, and modernizing software delivery lifecycle of workloads running on AWS,” he said.
Continuous learning and development
Even in his job, Kolayemi hasn’t stopped learning. He recently earned the AWS Certified AI Practitioner certification, and applied his skills to a real-world project—helping a client implement generative AI to improve onboarding processes.
Beyond his own growth, Kolayemi is committed to helping others. He supports AWS Certification study groups, mentors peers, and participates in the AWS Community Builders program, where he shares his knowledge through workshops and training. He even led a six-week cloud computing bootcamp for graduating students at his alma mater in Nigeria, helping three students pass their first AWS Certification exams.
Growing demand for AI and cloud skills
With more companies moving to the cloud and the demand for cloud talent surging, AWS re/Start continues to be a powerful leg-up for aspiring tech professionals around the world, and an opportunity for people who’ve never even considered a future in cloud computing.
“Before re/Start, I had very little background in cloud computing at all and whatever knowledge I had was more than a decade old,” said Kolayemi. “It didn’t contribute to my success with AWS re/Start because it was a different technology entirely. This means everyone can acquire cloud computing or AI skills without a technical background. We have people that are teachers and painters who don't have any background in technology and they’re doing really well.”
Learn more about AWS re/Start.
