AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance Expands to France to Enhance Cloud and AI Talent
AWS is expanding its Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance to France, aiming to address the rising demand for professionals skilled in cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI). This initiative brings together leading educational institutions, community organizations, and employers to create a robust ecosystem for training and job placement.
Addressing the Skills Gap in France
The AWS alliance seeks to tackle a significant challenge: the shortage of digital skills in France. More than half of French companies report a lack of basic digital skills, yet only 19% find qualified candidates without difficulty. The alliance is designed to bridge this gap by aligning educational programs with the specific needs of employers.
Key Participants and Objectives
The Tech Alliance in France includes educational institutions such as Epitech and ECE Paris, community organizations like France Travail, and employers like Capgemini. This collaborative model aims to accelerate digital transformation and economic growth. AWS has set a target to connect 25,000 learners with employers by 2030.
Alignment with European Digital Strategy
This initiative aligns with the European Commission’s Digital Decade policy, which aims to make Europe a digital leader, with 75% of French companies using AI by 2030. A study by Strand Partners suggests that digital transformation could add €589 billion to the French economy by then if the pace of AI adoption is maintained.
“The shortage of talent in digital jobs is currently one of the main obstacles…” – Institut Montaigne
Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration
The Tech Alliance fosters collaboration between education, employers, and governmental bodies like France Travail. Educational institutions integrate practical experience into their curricula, and employers gain access to a pool of talent trained in the technologies they need.
Benefits for Learners and Employers
For learners, the alliance offers opportunities to gain in-demand cloud skills. They also benefit from direct contact with employers. Companies gain access to trained talent, which improves their ability to adapt and to utilize new technologies
According to Julien Groues, AWS Vice President for France and southern Europe, “The central objective of the Tech Alliance is to create concrete synergies between the worlds of education and business.”
Impact and Expansion Plan
Initially concentrated on three pilot areas—Paris, Lyon, and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region—the Tech Alliance aims to stimulate employment in cloud computing, with approximately 130,000 jobs expected to be available by 2030 in France, according to an OPIIEC study.
Existing AWS Training Programs
This initiative builds on existing AWS training programs:
- AWS Educate offers hundreds of hours of cloud training accessible from age 13. Learners can explore job openings and gain digital badges.
- AWS Academy provides comprehensive cloud programs to higher education institutions, preparing students for industry-recognized certifications.
- AWS Skill Builder gives access to over 600 courses in 14 languages, including 200 in French.
Commitment to Diversity
AWS is committed to diversifying the tech sector’s talent pool and offers programs targeting underrepresented digital audiences, including women, seniors, and people with disabilities, in partnership with Datascientest.
Through collaborative efforts, the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance acts as an important force for employment in cloud-related jobs and supports the digital transformation agendas of businesses. Learn more about joining the Tech Alliance on their homepage.
