Amazon Web Services (AWS) is introducing two AWS certifications focused on artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and generative AI, to upskill Africans and help them pursue in-demand cloud jobs.
The certifications, which are available globally, are offered together with free and low-cost training programmes to help people prepare for certification exams.
With industry-recognised credentials, professionals looking to build careers in AI can be better positioned to compete for in-demand jobs in the booming cloud technology space.
The programmes are in line with Amazon’s “AI Ready” initiative, which aims to provide free AI skills training to two million people globally by 2025, through the company’s digital learning centre.
AWS offers more than 100 AI, ML and generative AI courses and learning resources on AWS Skill Builder and AWS Educate to help participants prepare for the future of work.
“The certification programmes are targeted at students who are beginning to explore a career in AI, or professionals in a business role with a solid grasp of AI concepts, or an ML specialist operationalising AI models,” says AWS in a statement.
“Organisations recognise that taking advantage of AI and generative AI will require a broader skill set beyond programming. This includes professionals in marketing, sales, project and product management, human resources, finance, accounting and beyond. IT professionals with limited exposure to AI/ML and generative AI can make informed decisions, while leveraging their core skills when building or managing AI solutions.”
AWS Certified AI Practitioner is a foundational-level certification. It is designed for people from a variety of backgrounds and experience, to showcase their understanding of AI and generative AI concepts.
AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate is for individuals with at least one year of experience building, deploying and maintaining AI and ML solutions on AWS.
The company believes AI will transform the way people work across multiple roles. According to a study commissioned by AWS, organisations are willing to pay a premium for professionals with AI skills. This includes salaries that are up to 47% higher for IT workers, 43% higher for those in sales and marketing, and 42% higher for those in finance.
For AWS Certified AI Practitioner, training resources consist of eight free courses, including Fundamentals of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, Exploring Artificial Intelligence Use Cases and Application and Essentials of Prompt Engineering.
Registered participants will learn about real-world use cases for AI, ML and generative AI; how to select a foundation model; and concepts and techniques involved in crafting effective prompts.
From 13 August, people can register for the beta exams of AWS Certified AI Practitioner and AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate.Click here for more information on the new certifications and to enrol in an exam prep plan.
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