The establishment of AWS data centers in Zurich has led to an increased demand for specialists and provided the impetus for the development of an apprenticeship program.
With the opening of its own data centers at three locations in the greater Zurich area in November 2022, the need for local specialists at Amazon Web Services (AWS) increased. According to a study, the establishment and operation of the AWS Europe region (Zurich) supports study per year at external companies. In this context, AWS plans to invest CHF 5.9 billion by 2036. As part of the global Grow Our Own Talent Initiative and to support the training of needed professionals, AWS is initiating an apprenticeship program at its data centers. The start is planned with two job profiles: From summer 2024, the training courses to become an ICT specialist EFZ and an automation technician EFZ will begin in AWS data centers. The ICT specialists will become part of the Data Center Operations (DCO) team, and the automation specialists will be integrated into the Data Center Engineering Operations (DCEO) team.
The basic training courses are carried out in cooperation with our training partner Siemens, which has an exemplary apprentice training center in Switzerland. AWS and Siemens are linked by a global training partnership in which AWS provides cloud training and Siemens provides its training expertise.
"We are delighted that Amazon Web Services has announced that it will be offering young school leavers apprenticeships at its data centers in the Greater Zurich Area to help them enter the ICT industry. In view of the ongoing shortage of skilled workers, especially IT specialists, the promotion and training of young talent is important for an attractive business location and is very much welcomed by the Canton of Zurich."
Fabian Streiff, Head of the Office for Economy of the Canton of Zurich
Teams in AWS data centers specialize in different task areas and are responsible for the maintenance and expansion of the critical infrastructure. They ensure that the comprehensive cloud infrastructure is continuously operated efficiently and securely, which is extremely important for customers of all sizes. The teams at three locations concentrate on the following main tasks:
A high level of security and adherence to strict compliance standards are key to guaranteeing protection and reliability for customers. Continuous improvement and maintenance of the data centers secures the cloud infrastructure and protects against risks, making these teams an indispensable component in the provision of cloud services.
An overview of what it means to work in an AWS data center can be found here.
Apprenticeship vacancies are published on the websites of the Canton of Zurich (see below) and on the AWS job page (see below). Good secondary school leavers with levels A and B can apply for the 3-year apprenticeship as an ICT specialist. The 4-year apprenticeship as an automation technician is open to secondary school leavers at level A and cantonal school pupils who wish to embark on a vocational training course. In addition to an interest in innovation, IT and technology, applicants must have a good command of English.
Links to the application:
Automatiker*in EFZ: Application page from AWS | Berufsberatung.ch
ICT specialist EFZ: Application page from AWS | Berufsberatung.ch
As part of the revision of Curriculum 21, AWS was involved in the design of new cloud modules in the area of ICT vocational training. A small working group developed three new modules that give students an introduction to cloud technologies and have been anchored in the curriculum since 2022 (here is an example of how these modules can be implemented with AWS). Since 2022, AWS has also supported the Swiss Professional Championships for ICT Specialists, which was also held in the field of cloud computing for the first time. In preparation, AWS offered free training for the participants and ensured the operation of the competition platform during the professional championships.
"AWS Switzerland is making an important contribution to Swiss ICT training by providing modern cloud services and continuously engaging in the creation of teaching content. By creating its own apprenticeships from summer 2024, AWS is making a direct contribution to the training of local specialists that the Swiss economy urgently needs for the digital transformation. We greatly appreciate this important contribution and look forward to continuing our collaboration with AWS."
Matthias Bauhofer, Head of Vocational Education and Training at ICT-Berufsbildung Schweiz.
"As a technical teacher at the Technical Vocational School in Zurich, I really appreciate the uncomplicated and collegial collaboration with AWS. The comprehensive cooperation of AWS extends not only to the technical level, but also includes the further training of technical teachers and IT learners. This dedicated support enables us to integrate innovative teaching methods and practical, up-to-date training content into our lessons. Our learners thus receive a hands-on, varied and cutting-edge education. The collaboration with AWS in the IT education sector is therefore very important to me."
Marcello Calisto, Vocational Teacher (IT), TBZ Technical Vocational School Zurich