Durham Tech approved to join Amazon Web Services Academy

Students enrolled in the IT and Cloud Systems Administration program at Durham Tech will soon have a new certification to add to their resume.

On April 1, Durham Technical Community College was notified of approval to join the Amazon Web Services Academy (AWS), which was created to bridge the gap between academia and industry regarding cloud computing – a means for storing and accessing data over the Internet in lieu of a computer’s hard drive.

More than 160 colleges and universities across the country are members of the Academy, and Durham Tech is one of only three colleges in North Carolina to offer the benefit to IT students.

As cloud technologies continue to increase within businesses, the need for employees with cloud computing skills is in high-demand. According to Global Knowledge, two-thirds of IT decision-makers are reporting a gap between their team’s skill levels and the knowledge required to achieve organizational objectives.

Durham Tech will help meet this need by integrating the AWS Academy Cloud Foundations course into CTI 141: Cloud and Storage Concepts class during the fall semester, which will prepare students to become an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner. Students will learn cloud concepts, AWS core services, security, architecture, pricing, and support.

“The Academy will ensure students are getting the most relevant IT instruction for their careers,” said Harry Bulbrook, Director of Information Technology and Network Security. “Understanding cloud services is one of the more key things expected these days so this will make students more employable and give them something they wouldn’t otherwise have.”

The College also offers courses related to other industry certifications through academy partnerships with Cisco, Red Hat, VMware, Dell/EMC, Palo Alto Networks, CompTIA, and the National CyberWatch Center.

For questions about the Academy, contact Harry Bulbrook at 919-536-7200 ext. 8151 or bulbrookh@durhamtech.edu.