Extra tags: Digital Transformation
Technology fuels the future of tomorrow. But the employees of today aren’t equipped to handle the needs that come with digital transformation. Malaysia’s Department of Statistics reports that in October of 2021, the country’s unemployment rate was at 4.3%, amounting to 705,000 unemployed persons. Even among those employed, the Graduate Statistics 2020 indicated a large portion of Malaysians are underemployed in terms of time and skill. This means a significant need for employees to stay relevant and competitive in the current environment.
Most of the time, it’s a matter of skill. The current job market has evolved from past years to meet the demands of businesses today. As automation and digitalisation become embedded into working processes, companies look for specialised skills in potential employees.
The Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint (MyDIGITAL) has identified building agile and competent digital talent as a key thrust that should be achieved by 2030. Contributing to the government’s goal, AWS and UNITAR International University have joined forces to upskill and reskill Malaysia’s unemployed and underemployed. In a recent media session, Andrew Sklar, AWS Training and Certification APJ leader, alongside Puvan Balachandran, CEO of UNITAR Capital Sdn Bhd, came together to announce the introduction of AWS re/start in Malaysia. Having a presence in already 95 cities in 38 countries, the expansion into Malaysia marks the first launch of the program within the ASEAN region. The free 12-week course plays into AWS’s efforts to bridge the skills gap.
According to Andrew, “the mission for us is to equip individuals and teams with skills to leverage AWS Cloud and ultimately innovate in the digital world.” AWS re/start is one of the many programs that AWS has created to educate and create working opportunities for learners. This program provides individuals that would not traditionally work within cloud technology careers to have the chance to do so.
AWS re/start brings people from diverse backgrounds and prepares them for entry-level cloud positions. During the duration of the full-time course, learners are taught IT fundamentals, AWS Cloud materials and employability skills. It looks to be a holistic course that not only prepares future employees with the necessary technical knowledge but working skills as well which include:
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Interviewing.
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Resume Writing.
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Communication Skills.
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Teamwork.
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Project Management.
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Goal Setting.
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Networking.
Graduates of the course are prepared to fulfil roles in cloud operations. Their career trajectories include:
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Software Engineering/DevOps.
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AWS Core Services Support.
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Cloud Infrastructure Deployment.
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Automation on AWS.
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IT Customer Support.
Along with the training, AWS re/start learners are given access to free AWS certification, including exam preparations. Once learners obtain that certification, AWS re/start provides job interview opportunities. Andrew shares, “one of the statistics that we’re very proud of is that AWS re/start connects more than 90% of graduates to interview opportunities.”
The program is a win-win for learners and the organisations too as AWS essentially provides assets for businesses to build their much-needed cloud talent pool. As for the community, opening job opportunities for Malaysians can hopefully address the skills gap and lessen the number of unemployed individuals in the country.
How is UNITAR involved?
AWS provides this training through UNITAR International University who work closely with PERKESO to access job listings for future graduates. The current program allows for remote learning, welcoming learners from across Malaysia. The first AWS re/start cohort comes from diverse backgrounds with a good mix of genders.
UNITAR is currently hosting the AWS re/start program and creating social media campaigns to get the word out to prospective learners.
Regarding the demand for cloud-skilled employees, Puvan states, “demand is something that is a little bit hard to quantify but what we have seen from this age of pandemic is there’s a lot of forced digital transformation and with that, the requirements for a lot more skills in cloud and IT have gone up tremendously. You can see a lot of the low-value jobs have been replaced by a lot of automation that’s happening today.”
The AWS re/start certification will truly be an advantage for job seekers as employers seek more than just their qualifications. In Malaysia, we can observe that many more cloud providers have been taking the initiative to provide the Malaysian workforce with skills to get them ahead. Whether through formal education or reskilling opportunities, players like AWS and Huawei are assisting in the further development of the people.
As more and more learners join these programs, it will be interesting to observe its impact on the nation’s economic recovery and the social implications of this change. This shift to certifications will afford more opportunities for the underprivileged in a country that highly prioritises qualifications.
If you are unemployed or underemployed, the AWS re/start program is excellent to increase your employability. For those interested, the registration form for the program is linked below:
