Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), an Amazon.com, Inc. company (NASDAQ: AMZN), has placed 20 unemployed Information Technology (IT) graduates within Home Affairs Departments across Gauteng through the Youth Employment Services (YES) Program. The initiative, delivered in collaboration with YES, AWS’s Equity Equivalent Investment Program (EEIP) partner - Titan Centre of Excellence, and the Gauteng Departments of Home Affairs, contributes to addressing South Africa’s youth unemployment, while accelerating the government’s digital transformation and building sustainable information technology careers for South Africans.

The graduates will receive foundational and associate level AWS cloud training and certification, workplace experience, compensation, and ongoing mentorship through to December 2026. These young professionals will contribute to the technical modernization of Home Affairs, directly contributing to the Departments' digital service delivery transformation strategy.

“AWS’s partnership with the YES programme and the Departments of Home Affairs addresses the youth skills gap in the country. The 20 graduates will obtain an AWS cloud practitioner certification and practical public sector experience, enhancing their employability in South Africa's competitive job market. This demonstrates how public-private partnerships can drive digital transformation and meaningful employment opportunities,” says James Hickman, Amazon Web Services Country Manager for South Africa.

“We are equipping South Africa's public sector with skilled cloud professionals to accelerate digital service delivery, while providing unemployed graduates with globally recognized cloud certifications, practical experience, and sustainable income,” added Hickman. 

This initiative advances AWS's commitment to skills development in South Africa and in Africa, supporting young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related industries while advancing the country and continent's digital transformation and creating economic opportunities for underrepresented communities. Since 2020, AWS has placed 180 graduates at various organizations in South Africa.

Speaking on her journey, AWS YES programme graduate Emihle Majeke said: "The AWS YES programme opened doors I may not have otherwise accessed and played a pivotal role in my professional growth. In 2023, I was placed at Solvyng where I gained valuable exposure to an industry-aligned cloud practitioner environment. This experience enabled my progression into my current role working as an AWS Authorized Instructor at the AWS Skills Center in Cape Town, where I deliver cloud training and support the Center’s skills development initiatives. I was subsequently recognized as a YES Top 35 Under 35 achiever and I’m now seven-times AWS certified, reflecting my continued commitment to learning and excellence in cloud computing. AWS's commitment to youth development has been transformational in my career journey."