CBA launches AWS CloudUp for Her program

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia has launched an AWS 'CloudUp for Her' skills development program, with over 1200 women registered to take part in the first cloud certification course.

Operating in partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS), the bank is piloting the ‘CloudUp for Her' program course to build foundational cloud skills.

In February, NAB kicked off its own AWS ‘She Builds CloudUp’ program with more than 500 women partaking in that course. 

Speaking with iTnews, CBA's executive general manager for institutional banking and markets technology Victoria Ledda said the latest skills program has attracted "over 1200 women" to register from "across the group."

“I believe this is the largest cohort that AWS has seen in the APAC region for a similar program, so it's a pretty remarkable achievement," Ledda said.

“For me, specifically, it's exciting to see that women across the group, not just in technology, have decided to invest time and effort in picking up a new skill, which is obviously cloud.”

The seven-week course offers trainees “foundational skills and capability for public cloud” that has a “specific Amazon Web Services angle.” 

It’s also tailored to those with “little to no public cloud knowledge” with hopes trainees will take up more advanced public cloud courses after.

“It's the first stepping stone and we hope that women then start to invest more time and effort into more advanced courses, and their confidence increases.”

The industry-wide certification can be applied anywhere outside of CBA, with Ledda stating this will open career opportunities and options for women should they decide to take up roles within technology.

The cloud course comes with flexible work options, with women able to opt for in-person lessons or remote sessions.

Ledda said the bank initially had a more “modest” target set of around 500 registrations, but “there's been so much excitement around it".

"It's not just about learning a new skill - it's also the power of creating a community and a common mission and so we certainly felt the excitement and camaraderie in our launch event.

“There's definitely a feeling of a common goal and a whole community around it, which is exciting”.

The course is open to all women employed within CBA and “it doesn't require any technology skills.”

As a result, the bank has seen a “big take up in the non-technology parts of the group” including interest from finance, risk, operations and the business departments, according to Ledda.

“That's obviously very pleasing, but it's also recognition that cloud is playing a more and more critical role within CBA, whether individuals are within the technology division or not.”

Ledda said as part of its technology strategy, cloud is a “key component and pillar” of the bank's work, with AWS a key partner for the bank.

The course was designed in partnership with AWS “in defining the program and the skills required, and so it's like a co-investment across the two parties”. 

As the course is a first for the bank, once the training is finalised CBA will assess “the success on the back of this course, and then hopefully, we'll be able to run these on a regular basis, but also introduce more and more advanced cloud courses.”

Ledda said she undertook a similar course “a couple of years ago” after finding herself in a ‘similar situation to many of these women.”

“I didn't have a lot of cloud expertise and knowledge and I realised that cloud was becoming more and more relevant and an important skill to have.”

“I resisted learning cloud for a while and then I actually made a decision to invest the time and effort and it was, for me personally, a career changer”.

“Within six months I was proficient; within 18 months, I was actually presenting at conferences on cloud initiatives that I was part of; so it definitely has a personal element to me, I feel very invested in this program”.

Ledda added to this day public cloud remains “one of my critical skills set in my current role”.

Future skills

The new course will also help CBA tackle the technology talent shortage as “it's definitely investing in not just skills for the present but also skills for the future”.

Ledda said that the program not only opens opportunities for women on a personal level but also “for the group as a whole” as “there's definitely a strong investment in upskilling for the future.”

Ledda said she would “love to see a strong community of women with technology skills develop at CBA”.

“After this initial pilot will definitely seek feedback from our women and then look to improve the program and iterate on it and hopefully it will be able to run on an annual basis”.

“It'll be great to see within a few years that the vast majority of women at CBA have taken this course”.

As the bank works towards a gender diversity target of 40 percent female by 2025, Ledda said it's hoped “that this program inspires more women into taking technology roles and jobs and to think about a career in this space”.

“As a woman in technology myself, I am very passionate about this programme and similar programmes because I believe that it can really help bridge the gender gap in technology.

“One of the key drivers here is supporting gender diversity in technology. We recognise that it is fundamental and critical to close the gender gap in technology”.