From flipping burgers to solutions engineer – Charlotte’s AWS re/Start story

Editor’s note: This is the final article of a four-part series that highlights AWS Education Programs. Our Education Programs remove barriers to education and forge new paths for individuals to develop cloud expertise and enter the technology workforce.

It’s been a busy week celebrating the fourth annual International Day of Education (IDOE). In case you missed it, we’ve been highlighting AWS Education Program graduates who have transformed their lives and careers with cloud skills training. In our first two spotlights, we met AWS Academy graduate, Anadi Sharma, and AWS Tech U graduate, Zaiba Jamadar. In our final post of the series, we get an insider’s look at Charlotte Wilkins’ inspiring journey from fast-food management to associate solutions engineer.

Meet Charlotte

The global COVID-19 pandemic has affected many workers around the world. For instance, 27-year-old Charlotte from Manchester, United Kingdom. In March 2020, Charlotte was working as a shift manager at McDonald’s, when she found herself on furlough after the pandemic forced the restaurant to temporarily close due to lockdown mandates. With 10 years of experience in the bustling food service industry, Charlotte wasn’t sure what to do with her new-found free time. “I wanted a career change,” Charlotte recalls. “I was already interested in technology but wasn’t sure what skills were needed. I’d heard of cloud computing and knew how useful and convenient cloud technology was becoming but hadn’t considered it as a career option because I didn’t have any technical experience.”

Charlotte’s AWS re/Start journey

Finding herself on furlough and with more time on her hands, Charlotte strove to upskill to a new career by taking various free coding courses online. But the courses didn’t keep Charlotte engaged and she wasn’t sure if she was learning the right skills to land a new job. “I kept looking for more free tech courses online and came across AWS re/Start,” Charlotte remembers. “The program appealed to me because I would have a mentor and other classmates to learn with and I’d learn a wide range of topics and skills needed to find a job in tech.”

AWS re/Start is a full-time, classroom-based skills development and training program that prepares individuals for careers in the cloud and connects them to potential employers. A technology background is not required to apply. The program is focused on unemployed or underemployed individuals, including military veterans, their families, and young people.

Through scenario-based learning, hands-on labs, and coursework, learners can gain the technical and soft skills needed for an entry-level cloud role. AWS re/Start also provides learners with resume and interview coaching to prepare them for employer meetings and interviews.

Charlotte was accepted to the August 2020 AWS re/Start cohort in collaboration with Generation, a global nonprofit organization focused on connecting people with employment. During Charlotte’s 12 weeks with AWS re/Start, she appreciated learning professional development capabilities in addition to in-demand tech skills, such as networking, security, and programming. “The program also covered employability skills like resume writing and practice interviews, which I really benefited from as I didn’t feel as confident in myself before the program,” Charlotte recalls.

Charlotte found certain subjects more difficult than others, but AWS re/Start challenged her to stretch beyond her comfort zone. When she struggled, Charlotte would prepare her favorite study snack of tea and biscuits and reach out to her mentor for help. “My mentor was really helpful and made sure we understood the topics, as most of us didn’t have any tech experience. We all felt like we could ask anything without feeling stupid.”

From french fries to full-fledged techie

Charlotte never expected AWS re/Start to help her become so confident. The program enabled her to hone her tech and employability skills and earn an industry-recognized credential. “Before the program, I was very shy and nervous. But with the support and encouragement of my mentors and peers, I became more sure of myself,” Charlotte states. “In fact, I passed the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification on my first try!”

With this certification in hand, Charlotte validated her technical skills to potential employers. “After graduating and passing my AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam, I posted my certification badge on LinkedIn. This was seen by potential employers, including Matillion, where I now work as an associate solutions engineer,” Charlotte shares. As an associate solutions engineer, Charlotte couples the tech skills she learned from AWS re/Start with the customer service, multitasking, and teamwork expertise she perfected in her ten years with McDonald’s.

“AWS re/Start helped me change my life and achieve the career transformation I always wanted. The confidence I’ve gained has helped me in all aspects of my life. And now that I’m no longer working night shifts at McDonald’s, I joined a women’s and non-binary club and started playing football.” Charlotte has some advice for anyone that thinks they don’t have the tech skills to pivot into a new career. “I really recommend AWS re/Start to anyone who is a bit lost and wanting a career change into tech but doesn’t have the skills or experiences. As long as you are interested and willing to learn and put the work in, this program provides everything you need.”

Learn more about what AWS Education Programs can do for you

Thanks for celebrating IDOE with AWS Training and Certification! If you’re interested in participating in or hiring from AWS Education Programs, you can learn more about Amazon’s workforce programs for the public and our commitment to provide free cloud skills training to 29 million people around the world by 2025. Learn more about AWS Training and Certification.