AWS and The Dream Collective aim to bring more women into tech

The Dream Collective and Amazon Web Services (AWS) have launched SheDares, an interactive learning program for women seeking to change careers or return to the workforce.

The no-cost learning platform caters to “early- to mid-career professional women who might not have previously considered a role in the tech industry,” said AWS.

The SheDares initiative was inspired by research that revealed barriers to women contemplating a career in technology. These barriers included not knowing where to begin, perceptions of a steep learning curve, and a lack of visible female role models.

SheDares helps ease the transition with expert advice on how to break into the technology sector, worksheets on how to apply new learnings, a career skills quiz, and fireside chats with women who have successfully transitioned from non-tech to tech.

Four self-paced 45-minute modules offer participants the chance to improve their understanding of transferable skills and jumpstart their careers.

“In my experience, many skills are transferable to tech, such as creative thinking, problem solving, analytical thinking, and attention to detail,” said Melanie Botha, head of training and certification, at AWS.

“The Dream Collective and AWS will supplement the self-paced training with additional live panel events held throughout the year. These panels expose women to conversations with senior technology leaders who have pivoted their careers, including speakers from both AWS and industry partners.”

A participant can choose from three pathways after training: Build Skills, Ready to Pivot, and Explore a Little More. AWS has carefully curated each pathway to elevate the learning experience.

For instance, the Build Skills pathway outlines practical recommendations for deeper learning and includes cloud training courses designed by AWS experts. After completing the course, participants may also take the AWS certification exam.

The Ready to Pivot pathway is ideal for women seeking job opportunities at AWS, including its customers and partners in Australia. Also on this path are details on targeted job placement programs, such as AWS re/Start and AWS Tech U, an accelerated workforce development program.

Explore a Little More, as the name suggests, is for participants who wish to learn more. This pathway points participants to upcoming AWS events, including workshops on innovation, webinars on cloud computing, and more.