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Collaboration helps fulfill growing workforce demand in one of the fastest-growing technology fields

This afternoon, in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS), a group of Bay Area community colleges, along with their K12 and California State University partners, came together to officially launch a regional consortium that will prepare students for jobs in one of the fastest-growing, and highest paying, areas in the technology field: cloud computing.

Through its AWS has joined forces with City College of San Francisco, Canada College, De Anza College, Evergreen Valley College, Foothill College, Las Positas College, College of San Mateo, Mission College, and SIATech High Schools. The regional consortium will launch a Cloud Computing Certificate via out-of-the-box resources that will allow colleges to efficiently develop and launch cloud technology coursework.

By responding jointly to this quickly-evolving regional workforce need for cloud technicians, the consortium of K12 school districts, community colleges, and universities will have the resources and agility to scale these programs as quickly as possible while providing the highest-quality education to students.

“Preparing students for livable, 21st century jobs in growing industries is one of our many important goals as a community college,” said Dr. Mark Rocha, Chancellor at City College of San Francisco. “By starting with one of the most well-known cloud technologies and collaborating with local educational partners, we can give students the head start they need to enter this high-paying field.”

In addition to the tools that facilitate curriculum development, the consortium will also provide students with access to some of the Bay Area’s largest employers. By expanding the program’s framework to include high school students and four-year colleges over the next two years, the goal is to develop a diverse pipeline of students for tech jobs.

“Through our Community College to Career Initiative, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group partners with community colleges and industry to strengthen and diversify our regional STEM talent pipeline,” said David Palter, Workforce Development Director for the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. “California Cloud Workforce: Bay Area aligns with this goal, and more broadly offers a thoughtful approach - prioritizing coalition building and leveraging shared resources - to address our region's workforce challenges.”

AWS Educate launched a collaboration with the Los Angeles Community College District several years ago, which has already experienced tremendous success. Through this collaboration, a consortium of 19 LA County community colleges and their sister high schools offer a Cloud Computing Certificate. The CA Cloud: Los Angeles program was designed collaboratively by faculty at Los Angeles community colleges and AWS Educate, with the support of subject matter experts from AWS and other LA-based tech companies to equip students with cloud skills needed for careers in the tech industry.

As part of this initiative, each community college is working with at least one high school in the greater Los Angeles area, including those in economically disadvantaged communities, offering concurrent enrollment in the 15-credit certificate program and other support, such as professional development opportunities like curriculum development workshops and AWS trainings.

The consortium is supported by California’s Strong Workforce Program, a $200M+ annual investment by the state of California to develop a modern workforce.

“With this expansion of AWS Educate’s Cloud Degree program in California, we look forward to providing Bay Area students with an on-ramp into the cloud economy,” said Ken Eisner, Director, Worldwide Education Programs, Amazon Web Services, Inc. “We’re particularly excited about the reach of this consortium into underserved communities across Silicon Valley and into the cities, to help students prepare for opportunities at some of the most innovative and entrepreneurial companies in the world. We commend Bay Area consortium members for building on the foundational work of the California Cloud Workforce Project in Los Angeles and for extending opportunities to students across the state of California.”