16-07-2025
AWS Academy Might Be The Game-Changing Opportunity Gen Z Needs
AWS Academy is offering Gen Z a free 12-month subscription to AWS Skill Builder.
Education, in the traditional sense, has long been regarded as the primary means of achieving career advancement and job security. Even Caroline Hoxby, PhD, the Scott and Donya Bommer Professor of Economics at Stanford University, touched on this during an interview back in 2015 for the Stanford Report. She revealed that, 'College-going has increased in every recession since the 1960s.' So, it's no surprise that Millennials would follow suit and get on the same bandwagon as previous generations. As the saying goes, if it's not broken, why fix it? However, here's the thing: it was broken. We just didn't know it at the time.
During the Great Recession, Millennials spent years poring over books, networking within academic circles, and trying to obtain all the correct answers to prove themselves and move closer to their career goals. However, instead of reaching their professional pinnacle of success, many of them have accrued 47% of the nation's outstanding student loan debt. It's no wonder that Gen Z is leery about following in their footsteps.
Perhaps that's why, even though young adult unemployment has reached 6.6%, many within Gen Z are opting out of college and embracing the trade route. They don't want to be strapped with endless debt.
So, Is College A Trend Of The Past?
Does this mean that college is no longer a top choice for Gen Z? Well, not necessarily. I think we need to look at the top goals of this generation. They're not apathetic towards higher education. If anything, they want their investment to produce an ROI. And who doesn't?
Gone are the days of attending university for a college experience. Gen Z wants more than mere foosball competitions. They want to feel like their four years amount to more than great memories. Perhaps, this is why this generation, more so than others previously, is passionate about AI-integration and implementation within the classroom. And they're not the only ones. Professors are already establishing AI leadership committees and exploring AI options within their institutions.
Why Professors Are Turning To AI Right Now
Abigail Michelini, PhD, Assistant Professor of English and Co-Head of the AI Subcommittee at Northampton Community College, states, 'One of the first assignments I designed was a critique of generative AI. I asked students to take my old research paper, prompt, and plug it into ChatGPT. Then, I asked them to critique the paper.' She goes on to state, 'Many of my students have expressed gratitude for the ability to talk openly about generative AI in a writing classroom, to experiment with it, and to learn how to use it ethically and responsibly.'
Paul Canetti, CEO and Co-Founder of Skej, an AI scheduling assistant company, and an Adjunct Associate Professor at Columbia Business School, also views AI as a complementary tool alongside traditional learning within higher education. He states, 'I encourage my students to become really proficient in AI tools, and to be forward thinking in how they can leverage them on the job, so that when interviewing they're not pitching themselves against AI, but instead coming across as someone who if they were hired would be able to do much more and better work than your average entry-level graduate.'
How AWS Academy Is Creating AI Equity
This may be why AWS Academy is so passionate about providing the right tools for students and teachers when it comes to AI training and skill development. In fact, their newest innovation, being announced today at the AWS Summit in New York City, aims to reach 2.7 million college students and early-career professionals worldwide within its first year.
Michelle Vaz, Managing Director of AWS Training and Certification, shares details about this new venture, stating, 'Through this initiative, we aim to democratize access to AI and cloud skills through hands-on practical training.' She goes on to explain, 'Through this investment, we're providing AWS Academy students globally with a free subscription to AWS Skill Builder for 12 months, allowing them to learn foundational and specialized AI content.'
AWS Academy, Microsoft Learn for Educators (MSLE), IBM Skills Academy, and LinkedIn Learning are all packed with timely presentations that equip students with the skills they need to master AI in both the classroom and the boardroom.
Together, we can find new ways to connect Gen Z's need for educational instruction and practical application. Perhaps, these programs will give you the jumpstart you need to step into the future of AI with confidence.
