Amazon Web Services (AWS) is bringing its workforce-led higher education technology program initiative to Texas.
AWS’ Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance, launched in 2023, brings together educational institutions, government agencies and businesses to align college curricula and upskilling programs with the needs of in-demand tech jobs. Texas State University, Houston Community College, Dallas College and Kilgore College are currently members of the alliance, according to a news release last week.
Valerie Singer, general manager of global education at AWS, said the schools can access AWS Academy, an online bank of cloud-computing curricula, to prepare students for certifications in technology fields like data analytics, security and machine learning. They can also use online learning programs Udacity and Coursera to offer more in-depth courses on, say, generative AI or specific coding languages.
The Skills to Jobs program provides schools with hands-on learning opportunities such as internships and hackathons, as well as soft skills training such as resume writing assistance and interview practice.
In addition to education partners, companies like talent acquisition firm Brooksource and JPMorgan Chase are among the major employers ready to connect students with tech jobs. On the government side, we will work with the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) and the Texas Economic Development Corporation.
In 2022, TWC told Industry Insider that ensuring a skilled workforce for high-demand jobs is one of the commission’s top three goals for fiscal years 2023-2027.
“Texas’ civilian workforce will grow from 14.4 million in 2022 to 15.2 million in 2028. This changing labor market and strong economic growth require TWC to find innovative ways to support employer needs and provide training and work-based learning opportunities in fast-growing occupations like health care and technology,” TWC’s strategic plan states.
Texas isn’t alone in need of filling a talent gap: Research firm Cybersecurity Ventures estimates there will be a global cybersecurity talent shortage of 3.5 million by 2023, with 750,000 of those jobs in the United States. Texas is the fifth U.S. state to partner with AWS to help fill this need.
AWS launched the Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance in June 2023 in partnership with three states: New York, Illinois, and Washington. West Virginia joined earlier this year, with a focus on rural education. The alliance also operates in Egypt, Spain, Singapore, Italy, Germany, India, Colombia, and Brazil, according to a recent AWS news release. AWS estimates that the effort has connected more than 23,000 learners at more than 900 higher education institutions and more than 350 employers worldwide.
Singer said New York is serving as a model for other states in the U.S. Typically, alliances start in a few key areas with a number of education and employment partners and then expand statewide as new partners offer to join. In New York, this center is New York City, and in Texas, it’s Dallas and Houston.
Singer added that the alliance partners not only with traditional four-year universities but also with community colleges and technical schools to ensure it is inclusive of a wide range of people, especially those who might not otherwise have access to this specialized education.
He said the program has placed 1,200 students in jobs in New York City starting in 2023, and AWS plans to expand to several more states over the next fiscal year.
“We strongly believe that employers need to continue to innovate,” she said, “and if they don’t have the right digital skills in their portfolio, they’re not going to be able to innovate in the cloud or anywhere.”
