• AWS and SOLS Foundation launch the TVET Academy.
• Programme to provide B40 students with technical skills and support.

SOLS Foundation has partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to launch the Technical & Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Academy programme, with the goal of making a significant difference in the lives of students from underprivileged backgrounds.

The programme is intended to offer students in the B40 group (the bottom 40% income bracket) with the skills and knowledge they need to find work, advance in their professions, and achieve middle-class economic stability—something many would struggle to achieve without this kind of support.

What is SOLS Foundation?

For those unfamiliar, SOLS Foundation is a Malaysian non-profit organisation dedicated to providing education and social empowerment to underprivileged populations. The foundation’s mission is to ease the challenges that such individuals face and improve the quality of life in disadvantaged communities by offering sustainable employment opportunities.

SOLS Foundation runs a wide range of programmes, including those focusing on education, mental health, and technology, to help transform individuals’ lives and uplift entire communities.

What AWS brings to the table

The collaboration with AWS in the TVET Academy Programme adds a key layer of technical skills to its services. AWS, which is well-known for its cloud computing capabilities, is expected to contribute cloud computing and technology-related training; crucial in today’s digital-first job market. While the specific details of AWS’s training content for the programme have not yet been revealed, the business normally focuses on cloud infrastructure training, deployment skills, and hands-on experience with its services. These are talents that are becoming increasingly valuable in a variety of industries, particularly as more businesses transition to cloud-based solutions.

However, there is an important question regarding whether the training will be broad enough to prepare students for any cloud platform or if it might encourage vendor lock-in. AWS normally provides accreditation courses for paying customers, which help individuals improve their career prospects by specialising in AWS services. These certificates, such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect, are highly valued in AWS-using industries, but they may restrict students to AWS-specific skills, making it more difficult for graduates to work on alternative platforms such as Google Cloud or Microsoft Azure.

On the other hand, many of the underlying concepts taught in cloud computing—such as cloud architecture, security, data management, and infrastructure deployment—are transferable across platforms. These skills are foundational to cloud technologies in general, meaning that students can apply their knowledge to other platforms, even if the tools and services vary slightly.

To fully benefit from the programme, students may need to supplement their AWS-specific training with general cloud knowledge. This would provide them with a more flexible skill set that could be applied to a variety of cloud environments, expanding their work options.

Preparing students for a digital future

The Ministry of Youth & Sports plays a key role in implementing the initiative. Digital News Asia reported that the programme is created exclusively for final-year students, assisting them in building not only technical skills but job readiness, life skills, and professional competencies. It’s about more than just finding a job; it’s about long-term professional development. The programme also provides job placement assistance, which helps students make a smooth transition from studying to work.

AWS is sponsoring 103 students from three TVET Institutes to complete the seven-month programme. The sponsorship is a significant contribution, focusing on equipping students with the tools and confidence they need for sustainable employment.

SOLS Foundation is enthusiastic about the programme’s potential to positively impact students’ lives. Danutcha Catriona Singh, Managing Director of the SOLS Foundation, emphasised how transformative the programme may be. “We’re committed to transforming lives through education and skill development,” she said.

Throughout the programme, students will receive personalised guidance to help them complete their final projects and obtain the skills they need to enter the job market.

Certification and recognition

Having successfully completed the programme, students are awarded SOLS certificates in their areas of expertise. The official certificates validate the new skills learned and directly enhance employability. Students will be able to present these certificates to employers, demonstrating the abilities they have acquired.

TVET institutions involved in the programme will likely benefit from their students’ success. Students’ ability to obtain certificates in Digital Skills or Professionalism improves the prestige of these institutions. As a result, institutions may see increasing enrollment rates and stronger relationships with businesses that provide students with job opportunities.

The programme provides long-term follow-up, tracking students’ progress for 12 to 18 months after graduation. This offers institutions valuable insights into how effectively their training prepares students for the workforce, enabling them to continuously improve their educational offerings. The long-term data also helps demonstrate the programme’s effectiveness to stakeholders, including students, other interested employers, and funding bodies.