YOUTHWORKS PH, a private-sector driven youth employability program of the United States Agency for International Development and Philippine Business for Education, collaborated with Amazon Web Services to provide free cloud computing training to youth pursuing a tech career.

A ceremonial signing event was held by US Embassy and USAID officials, PBEd executives, and the AWS Philippines country head.

The 12-week AWS re/Start program can help unemployed and underemployed youth develop vital cloud skills and connect them with employers for job opportunities.

“AWS re/Start is a great fit in the YouthWorks PH work-based training model, which provides on-the-job training to improve upskilling in digital technologies. As our industry partners prepare for the workforce demands of Industry 4.0, this collaboration can help in building an inclusive and diverse local and global pipeline of new cloud talent. We are on cloud nine launching this collaboration for PH workforce development,” Love Basillote, Philippine Business for Education executive director, said.

AlphaBeta research, commissioned by AWS, found that an estimated 86 million more workers will need to be trained in the Asia Pacific region over the next year to keep pace with technological advancements. Together, PBEd and AWS re/Start can help equip young Filipinos with cloud computing skills, career and resume coaching, and interviews with local employers so they can pursue tech careers and help support the country’s digital transformation.

“AWS re/Start seeks to bring new talent into the workforce, which can establish a win-win scenario for individuals to launch successful careers in cloud, can assist organizations to increase their competitive edge with in-demand talent, and can help communities to thrive and grow. We are proud to work with PBEd to build the diverse, robust cloud workforce of the future enabling the Philippines to accelerate its digital transformation,” Stephen Thomas Misa, country head of AWS Philippines, said.

Starting in November, the first AWS re/Start graduates will be assigned to support cloud services at BDO Unibank as part of their on-the-job training.

“BDO is committed to delivering innovative products and services that exceed customer expectations. As we take our financial services to the next level with the use of cloud technologies, having the right people for the job is crucial. Graduates from AWS re/Start can play a critical role in this big step towards our digitalized future,” Nestor Tan, BDO Unibank president and CEO, said.