Amazon Web Services opens first skills centre in South Africa

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has taken a significant step towards advancing digital skills in Africa by inaugurating its first international AWS Skills Centre in Cape Town, South Africa. The launch of the centre comes as the continent continues to address the widening digital skills gap. CNBC Africa's Fifi Peters engaged in a discussion with Tanuja Randhiri, Country Manager for EMEA at Amazon Web Services, to explore the motive and impact of this pioneering initiative. The establishment of the AWS Skills Centre is a testament to AWS's commitment to democratizing access to digital skills for individuals from diverse backgrounds. Randhiri emphasized the objective of the centre to eliminate barriers to digital skill acquisition and cited a 2023 World Economic Forum report highlighting the essential need for digital skills training. According to the report, 60% of workers will require training in digital skills by 2027, yet only half of them have access to adequate training. The AWS Skills Centre in Cape Town is designed to cater to individuals who prefer in-person classroom learning or lack computer access at home. With an existing online training infrastructure through programs like AWS Educate, Academy, and SkillBuilder, the launch of the centre aims to complement these offerings by providing interactive in-person training sessions. Notably, AWS has already trained over 100,000 individuals in South Africa, reflecting the success and potential for further impact with the Skills Centre's inauguration. The physical centre offers two distinct spaces: classrooms with instructors for guided training sessions and a cloud discovery area where users can engage with practical applications of cloud technology such as gaming, security, machine learning, and weather prediction. The location of the centre in Cape Town's central business district near the Convention Centre ensures accessibility for interested individuals. Randhiri emphasized that the Skills Centre is open to all adults, irrespective of their prior knowledge in cloud services or digital skills, with a target of training 60,000 individuals through the centre. In the spirit of Women's Month, Randhiri highlighted AWS's efforts to promote gender diversity in technology by collaborating with organizations like Standard Bank and Girl Code to launch programs like 'She Dares' focused on empowering women in the technology space. The conversation further delved into AWS's broader commitment to enhancing digital literacy globally. Randhiri revealed that AWS had already trained 13 million individuals for free, towards their goal of training 29 million people by 2025. This commitment extends to underserved communities through initiatives like the restart program and partnerships with educational institutions. Reflecting on the choice of South Africa for the inaugural international centre outside the US, Randhiri expressed AWS's longstanding investment in the country since 2004. Despite macroeconomic challenges, AWS remains dedicated to supporting local businesses in their digital transformation journey, aiming to enhance innovation and productivity. Randhiri highlighted AWS's significant investments in South Africa, including a 15.6 billion rand investment in cloud infrastructure between 2018 and 2022. This substantial contribution has not only bolstered the local economy but also created thousands of jobs, signaling AWS's enduring commitment to the region's growth and development. The choice to establish the AWS Skills Centre in South Africa underscores the country's continued vibrancy and innovation ecosystem, as witnessed through collaborations with leading enterprises and startups. As Randhiri concluded, the launch of the Skills Centre in South Africa underscores AWS's belief in the region's potential and its dedication to empowering individuals with digital skills necessary for the future. With the AWS Skills Centre poised to become a cornerstone of digital skills development in Africa, the initiative holds the promise of fostering inclusive growth and technological advancement across the continent.