Beyond the classroom: Free AWS skills training is changing lives in India

India produces approximately 2.6 million graduates in science, technology, education, and mathematics (STEM) every year, the second most in the world after China. Yet the path from education to employment remains challenging for many people.

Youth unemployment in India is nearly three times the national average at 14.8 percent for those aged 15–29, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS). Among graduates with diplomas or advanced degrees it climbs to 29.4 percent. The world’s second-largest STEM talent pool faces a widening gap between what classrooms teach and what employers need, leaving many graduates without the skills the job market requires.

Emerging technologies are creating new opportunities all around the world, and Amazon has committed to helping millions of people build the skills they need for the jobs of tomorrow. Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers free AI and cloud training to support learners of all ages and backgrounds — from educators and students to adults changing careers and individuals that have long sat outside the technology economy.

AWS re/Start is a workforce development and training program for unemployed and underemployed learners, preparing talent for entry-level roles in AI, cloud, infrastructure, support, and operations. The program’s 8–12 week cohort-based experience is free to learners and equips them with in-demand skills and an opportunity to prepare for the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam.

In 2026, AWS re/Start in India crossed a significant milestone with 10,000 learners reporting successful job outcomes in technology. Many AWS re/Start graduates in India have no prior experience in tech, and for learners with limited access to quality technology education, this skilling model creates a direct pathway between aspiration and opportunity.

From Maliwada to a global technology career

Prajwal (featured in video) grew up in Maliwada, a small village in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district of Maharashtra. His father worked at a local company and his mother worked at construction sites. The family lived in a single-room house where the roof leaked every monsoon. “I still remember there were times where I used to try to study while keeping my books dry in the rain,” said Prajwal.

Despite the financial constraints, his parents enrolled him in an English medium school, determined that he would access the opportunities they never had. Scoring well in entrance exams, Prajwal secured admission to an engineering college in Pune, but affording the fees was a separate challenge.

He began working at a local mess during college to support himself. It was during this time that he was introduced to AWS re/Start through ILMTEC, one of the program’s collaborating organisations in India that reach deep into non-metropolitan cities and smaller towns.

“It was not just a course for preparation of certification,” Prajwal of AWS re/Start. “I came across various AWS services in IT, and I was able to crack the AWS Cloud Practitioner certification after completing the program.”

The certification and career readiness training opened doors that had previously felt out of reach. Prajwal received offers from multiple global organisations and ultimately accepted a role at a leading technology company. When asked about his biggest achievement, Prajwal does not mention the offer letter.

“The main achievement was going back home and telling my mother that now you are not going to work anymore. That was the biggest thing for me,” said Prajwal. He also bought his father a new bike, replacing the one he had ridden for 15 years. “The smile in his eyes, the happiness in his eyes, was something I was very much proud of.”

In India, AWS re/Start operates two tracks: a 12-week pathway for learners with no IT or computer science background, and an eight-week pathway for those with a technical foundation. Both offer hands-on cloud training, AWS Certification preparation, and career readiness support including interview coaching, resume development, and professional skills.

Economic mobility at scale

AWS re/Start is delivered at no cost to learners through a global network of more than 150 collaborating organisations across 70+ countries. These organisations recruit learners, deliver curriculum, support certification, and connect graduates to opportunities with potential employers.

Collaborating organisations have reported more than 30,000 job outcomes among graduates of AWS re/Start. Behind many of the 10,000 job placements in India is a shift in household economics just like Prajwal’s. A first-generation technology professional can change the financial trajectory for themselves and their family. His story is illustrative of the kind of intergenerational impact that employment-linked skilling programs create when delivered through trusted community organisations at scale.

“Today, when I look back to a kid who was struggling to study under a leaking roof, it seems like pretty much impossible,” said Prajwal. “Getting offers from various global organisations, this is not just a victory for myself. This is a victory for my parents, and I will always be grateful to AWS re/Start for the support.”

To learn more about launching careers in AI and cloud technology, see AWS re/Start.

This post was written by Ankur Batra, Program Manager, AWS re/Start.