How to apply for the AWS Community Builders program, 2023: What I did to be One.
The 2023 session of the AWS community builders program launched on January 9, 2023, and the application deadline is January 23rd, 2023. Which means you barely have two weeks to complete your application.
In this article, I will share with you what the AWS community builder program is, what I did to qualify for the program, and what you can do to be part of the 2023 AWS community builders program. I will also share some benefits of being in the program.
What is the AWS Community Builders Program?
The AWS community Builders program is an outreach program geared towards providing resources and support to technical builders using AWS services, who create content and contribute to helping people in different communities understand AWS services while learning on AWS. The program brings in people who contribute in one way or another to AWS services, either as Ambassadors or Volunteers.
AWS community builder program was launched in 2020 by Amazon Web Services to provide more technical resources, networking opportunities, and mentorship to passionate community leaders and AWS volunteers who share knowledge and give back to their communities.
The program is launched twice a year, and it is an opportunity to join and learn from a large community of leaders and tech enthusiasts.
How do you get selected for the AWS Community Builders program?
No specific criteria are stated to qualify for the program. However, it evaluates how valuable your contribution(s) have been to the community. The application requires you to share links to activities you’ve carried out that showcase what you did in 12 months.
In this article, I will highlight what I did that potentially qualified me for the program. This should give you ideas on what to do and what resources to use.
It is important to note that THIS IS NOT A JOB.
Benefits of the AWS community Builders program
Some of the benefits of being an AWS community builder are:
- Added to a huge network of other AWS community builders
- Education and Mentorship
- AWS credits to build on the console
- One-year subscription to Cloud Academy
- Free AWS certification vouchers
- Access to some webinars
- AWS community builder swag kit
- Discount tickets to AWS re: invent (check out how this also got me a grant to attend AWS re-invent in Vegas for Free )
- More perks while you are a member of the community
How do I apply?
If you are interested in the AWS community builders program, the process starts now; you need to keep a track record of your community activities and what you have done to promote AWS services.
You can check out the FAQs here
What I did to become an AWS Community builder.
Here are some tips on what I did to be selected as a community leader; this should give you some ideas on what to do.
1. Volunteering for a Community Organization
Before Applying to the program, I volunteered in two African AWS community organizations. Wirfon Cloud and Cloud Heroes Africa.
Both communities aimed to introduce and teach AWS Cloud computing services to a group of interested Africans for FREE. I was a:
- Teacher
- Mentor
- Coach
I was a WIRFON Cloud Community lead. As the first batch of a community that started as a study group and eventually grew to an organization pioneered and led by Ngo Banjika, we designed a Cloud computing course curriculum. We introduce cloud concepts to students interested in learning Cloud concepts.
Some of the courses are uploaded on the Youtube channel. We also have leadership sessions every Saturday. If interested, join the telegram and LinkedIn groups. We have helped over 90 students become Cloud practitioners, Solutions Architect Associates, and AWS Solutions Architect professional certifications. However, we have provided and shared resources with more than 500 students and still do.
I mentor students and help give them career advice on tech, particularly cloud computing. Give motivational talks when required and needed. I also have had one-on-one consultations with some students to help trace a path for career growth. This is pioneered by Shang Samoa Alphonse!
These are community programs that AWS encourages, which I think impacted my application.
2. I am a Blogger
I also have a website (www.shulikatata.com) on which I blog about emerging technologies and provide career resources for those either seeking to learn these technologies and how people using them can leverage them for both personal, professional, and financial growth. I have a handful of articles and some on AWS. I think this was a huge contribution to my qualifying for the Community Builders program.
3. AWS ambassador on LinkedIn
I share AWS resources and motivate interested candidates on different platforms, particularly Linkedin. I speak at community meetups and share my engagements and experiences for others to benefit.
4. Share course material on Slideshare
The course material I prepared where shared on Slideshare for others to access. It is a resource to view and share slides on different topics. There’s a lot on cloud computing; check it out. Feel free to download and use it for your studies.
5. A member of Women In Cloud (WIC)
I am also a member of Women in Cloud, an organization that brings together women in the Cloud and shares cloud resources benefiting women in the cloud computing world. Join women in Cloud to benefit from these resources and network with some of the most influential women making strides in cloud computing. It’s not just for women; anyone can join.
These were some of the activities I did that got me a spot at re: invent. You can still attend as an individual. If you have a Youtube channel, make sure to share it!
Other things you can do or you can leverage to apply for the aWS Community Builders program.
Youtube channel
Do you have a youtube channel that talks about and promotes AWS services? This will be a great resource for your application. Prepare links to your content and share them with your application. If you don’t have a youtube channel but have content to share, you can create one and upload your content to it.
Presentations
If you have any presentations you have ever made about AWS or cloud computing services, please be sure to add them to a publicly accessible link that can be shared. I use SlideShare to share my PowerPoint presentations.
Interviews
Have you had a media presence or been interviewed on a podcast or any other media platform, either locally or professionally? Use this and share the information on a public social platform proving your work promoting AWS activities.
Social Media Posts/tweets
Any social media posts or tweets and retweets/LinkedIn reposts will also be useful if they are AWS-related and provide information to your network. Copy the link and add it to your application.
Tiktok videos
Are you a Tiktoker and have videos that might be useful, copy these links and share them when applying.
Attend Local and Community events
AWS organizes community day events and other events. See if there’s one in your city and apply to attend one. Make sure to take pictures and share on your social media platform. Tag AWS on them.
