Major in the Cloud: NOVA and AWS Announce First Cloud Computing Degree

Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) Educate program, today announced a Cloud Computing specialization as part of its Information Systems Technology (IST) Associate of Applied Science degree starting in Fall 2018. The program will be one of the first cloud computing degrees in the nation offered by a community college.

The two-year IST Cloud Computing degree program is built to address the high concentration of tech employers in the Northern Virginia region and the demand for employees with cloud computing skills. “Cloud and distributed computing” has been the #1 LinkedIn skill for the past three years in a row.

“A key part of the new Virginia economy is building up our talent pipeline to match our education system, and aligning our training programs around the skills needed, such as cloud computing, for 21st century jobs. Community colleges like NOVA are important engines for workforce development, and this collaboration with Amazon Web Services marks an exciting first step in a broader plan to bring cloud computing education to students across the Commonwealth of Virginia,” said Ralph Northam, Governor of Virginia.

The 63-credit associate degree program is mapped to skills and competency-based credentials required by AWS and other employers who leverage cloud-based services. All students will receive membership in the AWS Educate program and gain hands-on experience with leading cloud technology and tools.

This degree program marks an exciting first step in a much broader plan to bring cloud computing education to students throughout the state of Virginia, as this degree also seeks to bridge into high schools and four-year institutions.

Educators looking to learn about the Cloud Associate Degree can request more information here.

Read the announcement in NOVA’s press release here.

See full video of Governor Ralph Northam’s message on the NOVA Cloud Computing degree here.