With all the jokes about the weather in Seattle, here’s a cloud that locals can be proud of – the tech cloud. It should be no surprise that Seattle has become the cloud computing capital of the world.
One of the companies leading the way is Amazon. This month they launched AWS Academy, a global program that provides educational institutions with access to AWS-developed and authorized curricula so they can more easily offer cloud computing courses to their students. Northeastern University’s Seattle campus has been offering the cloud computing course to the public since October 2016, during AWS Academy’s beta phase.
It’s a smart move for both Amazon and Northeastern University, as widespread adoption of Amazon Web Services continues and employers are looking for people with AWS skills. AWS Academy fits right into Northeastern University Seattle’s commitment to offering students industry-aligned graduate programs. Taking the AWS: Foundations of Cloud Computing course through the campus’ Level Education bootcamp offering allows students to add new skills to their toolbox and get quality instruction from a top-tier university. Students do not need to be enrolled in a graduate program at Northeastern to take the AWS: Foundations of Cloud Computing course.
While bootcamps, across the nation and online, offering coding programs continue to pop up, universities like Northeastern are thinking more strategically about how to leverage their quality and network to ensure the success of their students. By partnering with universities, companies like Amazon will play a pivotal role in helping redefine what a university education means in today’s tech world.
It’s a huge opportunity for everyone involved. Northeastern University – Seattle took a hard look at the area’s cloud computing space and built its program to fit the needs of students looking to get a leg up on the competition. Many job seekers in the Seattle area have both technical and non-technical degrees, but lack the experience it takes to get a position in the future of the tech industry.
Business Insider stated in its 2017 Cloud Computing Report that 67 percent of companies used a cloud-based solution in 2015 for some part of their business, up 19 percent from the prior year.
TBR predicted worldwide public cloud revenue will increase from $80B in 2015 to $167B in 2020. TBR also found that 49% of the market believes public cloud is just as or more secure than private cloud, reported Forbes.
With growth comes jobs. The market for cloud computing experts is growing so rapidly that there’s already a shortage of qualified workers to fill these new jobs.
In the last 12 months there were 8,559 job listings posted in the Seattle metropolitan area requiring AWS, according to Burning Glass Technologies Labor Insight. In this last month alone there were 480 job postings.
The average salary for those holding AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate Level is $123,801, a 10 percent increase from 2015, according to the Global Knowledge 2016 IT Skills and Salary Survey.
Northeastern’s Level Education first started with a data analytics bootcamp when they saw a growing demand for data analysis skills amongst employers. They then added cloud computing. It was their model – to create innovative bootcamp programs that filled a need with emerging technologies and high demand skills being the theme. The typical Level Education student is already working in tech but wants to add cloud computing to their resume as the demand for cloud skills rapidly increases. They want to stay relevant and qualify for more job opportunities. Some of them are also current computer science or information systems students who want to differentiate themselves from the pack.
Level was started in Boston at Northeastern’s Boston campus, leveraging its experiential learning programs to bring added value to existing students. The university is known for its industry-aligned learning approach. Their co-op program integrates classroom study with professional experience where students alternate semesters of academic study with semesters of full-time employment in positions related to their academic and/or career interests in the U.S. or globally.
Using this same approach, Northeastern is also able to leverage its global network for Level Education graduates who ultimately enroll in the course because they are looking for additional job opportunities.
When Northeastern’s Seattle campus opened its doors in 2013 they made sure people knew why the east coast school was setting up shop in the Pacific Northwest. They came to the Pacific Northwest to be the Innovative University for an innovative city.
“As soon as we began to analyze job openings in the Seattle area, we knew there was an opportunity for us to be a leader in cloud computing education,” said Northeastern University – Seattle Dean & CEO Scott McKinley. “Our new bootcamp is one-of-a-kind in this neighborhood, and with an Amazon-designed curriculum, our bootcamp graduates are well prepared to fill those cloud computing jobs.”
“When you come to an environment like Level that really fosters learning and career development, I think that is something you don’t want to take for granted, said Level graduate, Tyler Gambill. “And to be privileged enough to come here and get first hand experience with people in the industry has been invaluable to me and that is something I will never forget.”
Northeastern University – Seattle is currently the only local university offering a stand alone cloud computing course with AWS Academy authorized curricula, with an AWS Academy accredited instructor. Level AWS: Foundations of Cloud Computing is designed to help students develop technical expertise in cloud computing and prepare them for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate certification exam. The 8-week curriculum is taught through instructor-led classes, hands-on labs, online learning and project work at Northeastern University’s South Lake Union campus.
“The course not only prepares candidates for success in an increasingly cloud-run world, but also serves as a solution for top employers who need talented employees who are well educated in cloud computing,” said Level Education program director Jim Knapik.
The program is currently accepting students. You can find out more about Level Education at Northeastern University — Seattle and the AWS Cloud Computing class here. To receive updates on local jobs and trends, register for Northeastern University Seattle’s report here.
