6 min read
Jan. 5, 2024
Empowering career growth through AWS Cloud Institute
Two instructional designers for the new virtual cloud-skills training program share how building new career pathways for others brings meaning and purpose to their work
Written by the Life at AWS team
Britton Zahn
AWS Cloud Institute Instructional Designer
AWS Training and Certification launched AWS Cloud Institute in 2023 to provide an accessible and structured pathway for cloud skills development—built by AWS experts with input from companies around the world in need of cloud talent.
In as little as one year, people with or without any technical background can gain the skills needed to launch a career as a cloud developer. The curriculum includes 12 live or on-demand digital training courses, more than 100 interactive labs, two capstone projects, and preparation for two AWS Certifications—with three different pacing options based on learners’ preferences and availability.
Life at AWS met with two of the Institute’s instructional designers, Breeanna Duncan and Britton Zahn, to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the program and discover how the learning experience is providing direct pathways to new professional opportunities.
“College isn’t an option for everyone because the time commitment and cost can be too much, especially when you are working just to get by. Knowing that this is the reality for so many, my hope is that AWS Cloud Institute can be a quicker and more affordable way for people to build in-demand skills that will open up new opportunities and new career paths that will change their lives.”
Britton Zahn
AWS Cloud Institute Instructional Designer
Rewarding work
For Zahn, one of the most fulfilling aspects of building the program is the opportunity it’s providing for those coming from underrepresented groups or nontraditional tech backgrounds. As someone who witnessed the inequities in education and career development in his hometown, he’s proud of how the AWS Cloud Institute is bridging such gaps.
“College isn’t an option for everyone because the time commitment and cost can be too much, especially when you are working just to get by,” Zahn said. “Knowing that this is the reality for so many, my hope is that AWS Cloud Institute can be a quicker and more affordable way for people to build in-demand skills that will open up new opportunities and new career paths that will change their lives.”
For Duncan, the chance to develop curriculum and build a career-focused program from the ground up aligned perfectly with her personal and professional mission to encourage and empower others. After shifting from marketing to pursue a master’s degree in adult education and training, she said finding her ideal career path has been an exciting personal journey. Now, she finds it especially rewarding to help others do the same.
“The best thing about this program is the possibility of future development tracks. We’re currently offering the Cloud Application Developer Track, but the end goal is to be able to offer more. This is an amazing opportunity for full-time working adults who will be able to further their career aspirations in the world of tech,” she said. “To be part of this groundbreaking offering, where I get to witness people enhance their careers or make a career change, is one of the main reasons I got into this field.”
As instructional designers, Duncan and Zahn are passionate about making learning engaging and fun, especially for those who might not thrive in traditional education settings.
"AWS Cloud Institute is giving a lot of people the opportunity to learn and grow their career in a way that didn’t exist before," Zahn said, "and I’m so grateful for the chance to help build this program and be part of the change."
Breeanna Duncan
AWS Cloud Institute Instructional Designer
"To be part of this groundbreaking offering, where I get to witness people enhance their careers or make a career change, is one of the main reasons I got into this field.”
Breeanna Duncan
AWS Cloud Institute Instructional Designer
Building with a Day 1 mentality
At AWS and Amazon, there’s a saying: “It’s always Day 1,” which embodies the company culture and operating model that puts the customer at the center of everything. Working backwards from customers’ pain points to create meaningful solutions requires the courage to fail, which has inspired Zahn and Duncan as they’ve helped build an educational program from the ground-up.
“As an Instructional Designer, I look at the AWS Cloud Institute learning program as a whole,” Zahn said. “I identify learning objectives and make sure we deliver the content needed to lift our learners from where they are to where they need to be. With this program, this means delivering information in a way that is engaging, fun, and impactful, which all lead to better knowledge retention.”
Depending on where the team is in their development cycle, a typical work day can vary from designing the look and feel of a module to writing and editing scripts to making videos.
“Each day looks different, but there is always an opportunity to innovate, which is one of the many reasons I love being a learning professional,” Zahn said. “My peers at every level are some of the most intelligent, skilled, and all-around greatest people I have ever been lucky enough to work with. I think that’s the magic that makes AWS special, because my experience of having a phenomenal team is not the exception, it seems to be the rule.”
By offering engaging, industry-aligned training, Zahn and Duncan are delighted to empower a diverse range of learners and contribute to developing the next generation of cloud talent.
"AWS Cloud Institute is giving a lot of people the opportunity to learn and grow their career in a way that didn’t exist before and I’m so grateful for the chance to help build this program and be part of the change."
Britton Zahn
AWS Cloud Institute Instructional Designer
Want to become a cloud developer?
AWS Cloud Institute is a virtual training program that will help you launch your career as a cloud developer in as little as one year - regardless of your technical background. Built by AWS experts with input from companies who need cloud talent, we’ll help you build in-demand skills, solve real-world business problems, create a portfolio, and launch your cloud career.
Interested in AWS?
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