COUNTRY FOCUS : KENYA
It was a difficult journey and I felt on numerous occasions that my dream was perhaps too big and unachievable . But Praesignis believed in me and I am now a Junior AWS Facilitator within the company .
By the end of the first week of the programme , I knew this is the career path for me ,” Dhlamini said .
Her mentor from Praesignis saw her potential and encouraged her every step of the way . “ Without his belief in me , I probably would not have done as well as I did during the programme ,” she noted . “ It was a difficult journey and I felt on numerous occasions that my dream was perhaps too big and unachievable . But Praesignis believed in me and I am now a Junior AWS Facilitator within the company .” world-scenario-based learning , hands-on labs and coursework . The comprehensive programme also provides job interviewing and resume coaching to prepare individuals to take the next steps in their career . By the end of the course , graduates have hard skills , soft skills and earn their AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Certification , an industry-recognised credential validating cloud computing skills .
Ayanda Dhlamini viewed her interest in IT as a hobby , never believing she could pursue it seriously . This all changed when she was chosen to participate in AWS re / Start . “ I discovered that I liked working in IT , especially in the cloud environment .
Dhlamini has further developed her career and has now attained an AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate certification , a rigorous credential that demonstrates individuals ’ hands-on experience designing available , cost-efficient , fault-tolerant and scalable distributed systems on AWS .
Dhlamini believes her success will also go a long way to encouraging other young black women to follow a career in IT and cloud .
“ My initial understanding around the fundamentals of
IT has changed and here I am teaching foundational cloud computing skills in a programme that empowered me to believe in myself . I want to encourage other women to embark on an IT career and empower themselves ,” she said .
New Nyali Bridge in Mombasa , Kenya
Grace Nkosi , another re / Start graduate had a desire to transform the IT industry . Nkosi has long had a passion for IT and decided to take her interest further by applying for the AWS re / Start programme . “ I always saw myself as being part of an industry that is transforming the world . I believe cloud is transforming not only the IT sector , but the day-to-day world we live in . This programme enabled my vision to come true : to be part of an industry that can make a positive difference in the world . It was amazing being in this programme ,” she said . “ While not always easy , through sheer persistence and hard work , I managed to achieve my ambition of working within the IT sector , more specifically the cloud .”
Nkosi is now working full time at Praesignis as a Training Administrator for the IT Tech support class of the 2021 AWS re / Start programme . p
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