AWS re/Start brings cloud skills development to Toronto, Canada

AWS re/Start has created its first program cohort in Canada. The AWS re/Start program in Ontario is delivered in collaboration with Youth Employment Services (YES), a non-profit employment agency that helps low-income and vulnerable youth in the Toronto area and beyond find and maintain employment.

With nearly 813,000 young Canadians (age 15-24) displaced from their place of work between February and May 2020, Canada is facing an all-time high in youth unemployment. That’s where AWS re/Start comes in. As a skills development and job training program, AWS re/Start prepares learners for entry-level careers in the cloud and connects them to potential employers.

AWS re/Start is a full-time, 12-week, classroom-based (virtual, at the moment) program that prepare learners for entry-level cloud positions in operations, site reliability, and infrastructure support. Through real-world-scenario-based exercises, labs, and coursework, students learn how to build Linux, Python, networking, security, and relational database skills. In addition to cloud concepts, the students learn interview and professional skills to help them successfully launch cloud careers.

“I arrived in Canada late last year, and the prospects of me continuing to work in Electrical Engineering just weren’t feasible with the number of years it would take me to get accredited,” explained Toronto AWS re/Start learner, Vrutika Nagar. “I attended an AWS Summit in the spring, and discovered that cloud computing offers me a rich area for growth. I am very thankful for the AWS re/Start program and the team at AWS and YES because I am confident I will be working in this new field soon.”

“I already have a BA in Economics from the University of Toronto, and have pursued a few different careers since graduating. This AWS program is very appealing because my father instilled a passion of computer science in me, and I see that cloud computing has good career prospects,” said Oriana Cardarelli-Goddard, AWS re/Start learner in Toronto. “I’m already using some of my math skills in the program and feel supported with the extra help I’ve received with things like my resume.”

YES believes employment is empowerment and the cornerstone of safe and healthy communities. “We want to make sure that unemployed and underemployed youth have access to the career paths, training, and ultimately job offers that will set them up to have long lasting careers. We know cloud computing has changed the way we live and work, and the opportunities are endless in the job market for cloud talent,” said YES President Timothy Lang.

Ontario employers share this belief that inclusion and diversity have a positive impact on the Canadian workforce. In the words of one company, “At Fiix Software, we value diversity in our employees, which has led to innovation and stronger performing teams,” explains Dean Delpeache, Sr. Manager of Talent Acquisition at Fiix Software. “Working with YES and the AWS re/Start program supports our objective of finding qualified talent with expertise in the AWS Cloud, which is necessary for our organization. We are excited to partner with YES and grateful for the support they bring to the tech community.”

The Canada cohort is a part of a global AWS re/Start initiative to reskill individuals and prepare them for cloud careers. In addition to Canada, the AWS re/Start program has cohorts in the United Kingdom, the United States, France, the Netherlands, and Australia. Employers who are interested in getting involved with AWS re/Start can fill out an employer interest form on our website or contact us aws-restart-employers@amazon.com.