Goanna Solutions partners with Amazon for AWS re/Start

Indigenous-owned enterprise Goanna Solutions has teamed up with Amazon Web Services (AWS) on its new AWS re/Start initiative — an inclusive cloud-computing training program targeting the under- and unemployed.

The full-time digital skills course offers integrated training and connects its graduates with employers, preparing them for an entry-level career in cloud computing — or a later credential.

According to LinkedIn, cloud computing skills such as machine learning and data analysis were cited as the most in-demand hard skills sought by employers in 2019.

AWS re/Start will be delivered as part of Goanna Solutions’ Yapang initiative, which aims to diversify Australian workforces and improve career access for disadvantaged groups.

“It is exciting to collaborate with AWS to launch AWS re/Start through our Yapang Initiative. We are committed to fostering a more diverse and inclusive technology sector and creating new opportunities for our graduates as they become entry-level cloud practitioners,” said Liam Harte, Goanna Solutions Social Impact Lead.

“Initiatives like these provide a wide range of people with a new option to explore a career in cloud computing and secure long-term employment.”

Adam Beavis, Managing Director for Commercial Services in Australia and New Zealand at AWS, said programs such as this are important in the current climate — in which more than 1 million Australians are predicted to be unemployed during COVID-19, and nearly 80% of IT decision-makers see hiring as a challenge.

“The AWS re/Start program enables us to invest in local talent by providing accessible technology skills development and job opportunities to the entire community,” Beavis said.

“Cloud skills are in higher demand than ever before, and it is our mission to enable all students, as well as the current workforce, to help organisations meet their hiring needs for qualified skilled professionals.”

The first AWS re/Start cohort commenced in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane last week, offering 12 weeks of free virtual classroom-based training led by an AWS-accredited instructor.

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