AWS Program Offers Education and Connection
Once students verify their higher education status and complete their profile, they’re able to earn badges and unlock rewards.
Students will first receive premium Skill Builder access, where they can choose from more than 900 courses to further their education. They can earn badges to unlock rewards by engaging on the platform. At seven badges, they will earn $10 in AWS Credits. Fourteen badges earn an additional $20 in credits, and at 21 badges they will receive the AWS foundational certification exam voucher, worth $100. Credits can be used to offset fees for core cloud infrastructure services.
“Success looks like a student moving from learning to building as they prepare for their careers,” Suttles says. “Concretely, that means engaging with Skill Builder's over 900 courses and hands-on labs, connecting with the developer community, building real projects and earning a certification to showcase their achievement.”
READ MORE: Community colleges can use data to align curriculum with workforce needs.
While there are no direct partnerships between AWS and the individual universities with participating students, Suttles says, students interested in finding community with other participants at their institutions can start or join an existing AWS Student Builder group.
Although this initiative is student-led, there are other ways for colleges and universities to enhance their cloud computing and AI curriculum through AWS, Suttles says. AWS Academy, for example, offers free cloud computing curriculum to higher education institutions.
“Simply giving students access to tools isn't enough,” he says. “What matters is ensuring students graduate with demonstrable skills to succeed in their careers.”
