STAUNTON, Va – Mary Baldwin University announces its membership in the AWS Academy, an Amazon Web Services (AWS) program that provides colleges and universities with a ready-to-teach cloud computing curriculum that prepares students to fill high-demand technology positions.

“We are proud to make the AWS Academy curriculum available to our students,” said Will Webb, executive vice president for academic affairs and dean of MBU’s Palmer College of Professional Studies. “The rapid rise of cloud computing is creating a growing number of high-quality jobs at organizations around the world, and the technical skills that students develop through this program will position them well for their careers today and in the future.”

Mary Baldwin’s status as an AWS Academy member illustrates the university’s growing focus on career-connected learning, employer partnerships, and higher education innovation.

The AWS Academy content will give students a competitive advantage in an industry that’s experiencing explosive growth.

“Across many industries, the demand for cloud knowledge and skills exceeds the supply,” said AWS Academy Global Program Lead Tracy Applegate. “And talent shortages are expected to have severe consequences for individual companies and the communities in which they operate.”

AWS Academy curriculum was designed to help academia help fill the gap and bolster the global talent supply chain.

Courses provide students with an overall understanding of cloud computing concepts like core services, security, architecture, pricing, and support. The AWS Academy curriculum is developed and maintained by AWS subject matter experts to ensure it reflects state-of-the-art services and best practices. Courses will be taught by MBU professors who are approved by AWS Academy.

“The data tells us cloud computing skills are the number one hard skill sought by companies right now,” Webb said. “Preparing our students and educators with industry-recognized cloud certifications is one way we are showing our commitment to workforce and career development for our students. This work aligns directly with Mary Baldwin’s mission statement to ensure professional success for our students by equipping them with the skills, experience, confidence, and credentials they need to navigate a dynamic global economy.”