Unitar offers AWS re/Start to build local cloud talent

• Aims to build a diverse global pipeline of cloud talent
• Program prepares unemployed individuals for cloud careers

Unitar International University has announced a collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to provide free cloud computing skills development and job training through the AWS re/Start program in Malaysia. 

In a statement, the university said the AWS re/Start is a 12-week training programme that claimed to prepare unemployed and underemployed individuals for cloud careers and connects them to potential employers. 

It added that both parties are building an inclusive, diverse global pipeline of new cloud talent by engaging unemployed or underemployed individuals who otherwise might not have had access to this career path.

The first AWS re/Start cohort in Malaysia began the programme in December 2021 and will graduate in March 2022. 

The university said the cohort of AWS re/Start include a wide range of students at UNITAR from between the ages of 20-56. This group of students comes from a variety of backgrounds including engineering, banking, education & learning, and general administration, Unitar said. 

Throughout the 12-week program, students will complete real-world-scenario-based exercises, hands-on labs, and coursework, to build Linux, Python, networking, security, and relational database skills, it added. 

The programme also covers practical career skills, such as interviewing and resume writing, and also covers the cost for learners to take the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam so they can validate their cloud skills with an industry-recognized credential, it said. 

Puvan Balachandran (pic), CEO of Unitar International University said the university’s vision is to accelerate innovative solutions in a global learning ecosystem for a sustainable future, which it aims to deliver via its mission to create highly employable and entrepreneurial global citizens. 

“This is aligned with the program’s mission to help unemployed and underemployed individuals who might not otherwise have access to technical education to develop the skills they need to pursue entry-level cloud roles,” he added. 

“Unitar will help learners gain job-specific skills, connect with employers, and embark on their cloud careers,” he said..

The AWS re/Start programme is part of Amazon’s upskilling commitment to help 29 million people globally grow their cloud computing skills for free by 2025, the university said.

AWS re/Start has a presence in 95 cities in 38 countries, and the collaboration with Unitar expands the global presence to Malaysia, it said.

Working closely alongside Unitar on this upskilling initiative is Pertubuhan Keselamatan Sosial (Perkeso), a government agency under Malaysia’s Ministry of Human Resources.

Perkeso will connect learners with potential employers in search of candidates with a cloud computing skill set. 

Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed, CEO of Perkeso, said, “Based on real-time vacancies posted on MYFutureJobs, more than 67% of available job opportunities posted by employers require digital and computing skills.

“As such, Perkeso welcomes the initiative by AWS and Unitar to enhance the employability of unemployed jobseekers with cloud computing skills and reduce structural mismatches between labour supply and demand in Malaysia. 

The timely initiative, he said, complements Perkeso’s effort to reduce unemployment and stabilise the labour market during the Covid-19 pandemic.

As of Aug 9 2021, Malaysia’s unemployment rate stood at 4.8% with 768,700 unemployed persons. While there are jobs, according to 451 Research, 85% of organizations reported deficits in cloud expertise. 

Andrew Sklar, head of AWS training and certification, APJ, said the AWS re/Start program establishes a win-win-win scenario for individuals in need, communities in which they reside, and our customers and partners. 

“The programme focuses on connecting unemployed and underemployed individuals to in-demand cloud opportunities, lifting people and economies within that community, and providing AWS customers and partners with a means to build a loyal and diverse workforce,” he added.