AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance expands to Texas

The tech industry in the state of Texas is booming, with a growing demand for skilled workers in cloud, information technology (IT), software development, and data analytics roles. According to the Dallas Federal Reserve, high tech represents almost 5 percent of Texas’ gross domestic product (GDP) and more than 9 percent of employment. The tech sector in Texas has added jobs at an average annual rate of 4.7 percent over the last decade, more than double the overall state job growth rate.

To help meet this demand for talent, the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance is expanding into Texas, with support from key collaborators across industry, education and government. The alliance aims to help modernize tech programs of study at higher education institutions, connect learners to in-demand tech jobs, and support the development of a highly-skilled tech workforce in the Lone Star State.

“As the pace of technological change advances in every market, the need for a globally diverse, digitally skilled pipeline has never been more important. The expansion of the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance into Texas further demonstrates our commitment to bring together government, education, industry, and nonprofits to address this critical need and enable future economic growth,” said Valerie Singer, AWS global education lead.

The initial launch of the Tech Alliance in Texas focuses on the Houston and Dallas metropolitan areas. These two major hubs are home to a diverse array of employers seeking tech talent and a robust system of educational institutions ready to prepare the next generation of cloud and IT professionals. This launch represents a critical step in addressing the talent gap in the state’s tech industry.

Four of the state’s higher education institutions have come together as part of the region’s initial launch: Texas State University, Houston Community College, Dallas College, and Kilgore College.

Several of the state’s most innovative companies will collaborate with AWS to identify talent needs, provide real-world learning experiences for students, and hire qualified candidates into tech roles. These employers include: Brooksource, CoreStack, DLZP Group, JPMorganChase, TanChes Global Management, and TEKsystems.

“JPMorganChase has been deeply ingrained in the Texas community for more than a century and a half, tracing its origins back to the First National Bank of Houston,” said Stacey Laurent, vice president and lead technical program manager for JPMorganChase. “We prioritize investing in our community’s individuals. As proud members of the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance, we eagerly anticipate contributing to the worldwide movement that revitalizes tech education and fosters a diverse, skilled pool of talent, enriching the landscape of Texas.”

Recently, Texas has been recognized for its innovative approach to aligning education policy to its economic goals. Central to these policies is the push to ensure post-secondary programming leads to high quality career pathways for Texans. This alignment of education, workforce, and economic development goals fits perfectly with the goals of the Tech Alliance and provides a unique partnership opportunity with the state. To ensure that the program continues to amplify the state’s priorities, AWS will work closely with the Texas Workforce Commission and the Texas Economic Development Corporation.

AWS has a long history of collaborating with organizations in Texas to advance workforce development and skills attainment initiatives. Participation in the Greater Houston Partnership’s UpSkill Houston Executive Committee and the Dallas Regional Chamber’s Board of Directors has helped position AWS as a regional voice in workforce and economic development. These organizations will partner with AWS to leverage their extensive networks and community connections to promote Tech Alliance programs and connect learners to opportunities.

“Through its employer-led UpSkill Houston initiative, the Greater Houston Partnership has invested heavily in advancing the skills and opportunities for Houstonians, ensuring employers have the skilled talent they need to grow and compete,” said Peter Beard, senior vice president of regional workforce development for the Greater Houston Partnership. “Collaborating with AWS as a member of the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance will amplify the work we are already accomplishing in Houston and advance the alignment of our talent pipelines to in-demand technology jobs in all industries.”

Further north, the Dallas Regional Chamber has a similar mission and enthusiasm for the Tech Alliance.

“Our organization is focused on improving the education, talent, and workforce pipeline to support a high-quality life for all people in the Dallas region,” said Elizabeth Caudill McClain, senior vice president of talent strategies at the Dallas Regional Chamber. “The launch of the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance poses an exciting opportunity for business leaders across Texas to join together to address the skills gap for high-demand IT jobs while also supporting the economic mobility of Texans—a win-win for the future of our companies and communities.”

AWS launched the Tech Alliance in June, 2023 at the AWS Summit Washington, DC, bringing together a global coalition of higher education institutions, employers, government, and collaborating organizations to address the tech skills gap. The Tech Alliance is currently represented in nine countries: the US, Egypt, Spain, Singapore, Italy, Germany, India, Colombia, and Brazil. Texas becomes the fifth US state engaged, joining New York, Illinois, Washington, and West Virginia. Since its global launch, the Tech Alliance has connected more than 23,000 learners from 900-plus higher education institutions with more than 350 employers.

To learn more or get involved, please visit the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance homepage.