AWS and e& launch AI and cloud coaching programme to construct UAE’s future-ready workforce

Amazon Internet Companies (AWS) and expertise group e& have unveiled plans to equip the UAE workforce with the abilities wanted to thrive in an AI-driven digital economic system.

The nationwide “AI Nation – Afaaq” programme, introduced final week at Gitex World 2025 in Dubai, plans to coach 30,000 folks in synthetic intelligence and machine studying applied sciences by means of e& Academy, the corporate’s flagship coaching platform.

The initiative is a part of a strategic $1bn alliance between AWS and e&, introduced in 2024, and represents a major milestone within the UAE’s expertise growth and digital management journey.

In keeping with IDC’s 2024 analysis, whereas 78% of UAE organisations prioritise AI funding, almost half cite a scarcity of AI expertise as a vital barrier to large-scale implementation. By straight addressing this expertise hole, AWS and e& hope to empower the following era of expertise professionals and help nationwide aims such because the UAE Centennial 2071 plan, which seeks to create a diversified, knowledge-based economic system.

The programme will present 30,000 sponsored AWS certification vouchers – learners may even achieve free entry to AWS Talent Builder, a complete on-line platform for self-paced coaching, and dwell “cloud coach” classes designed to organize candidates for certification exams.

Via this mixture of hands-on studying and mentorship, the programme goals to develop a extremely expert expertise pool able to driving innovation throughout sectors and enabling AI-enabled roles all through the UAE economic system.

“As AWS’s strategic associate, e& is proud to allow this nationwide digital expertise programme by means of our e& Academy. By combining AWS’s world coaching excellence with our native experience and established presence, we’re making certain that learners throughout the nation have entry to the instruments and help wanted to achieve the period of cloud and AI. That is about constructing the nation’s expertise base at scale so employers can rent with confidence and other people can step into AI-enabled roles throughout each sector,” stated Harrison Lung, group chief technique officer at e&.

Madhavi Reddy, managing director for the Center East, North Africa, and Turkey at AWS, added: “This initiative represents AWS’s deep dedication to creating world-class digital expertise coaching accessible throughout the UAE. By offering 30,000 learners with industry-recognised certifications in cloud and AI, we’re serving to to construct the sturdy expertise base required for the nation’s digital transformation journey. Our collaboration with e& Academy is essential, enabling us to mix AWS’s world coaching experience with robust native supply, empowering a brand new era of builders to show data into tangible influence for companies and communities alike.”

Via this bold coaching effort, AWS and e& say they’re investing in folks to safe the UAE’s place as a worldwide expertise chief. By creating a large-scale pipeline of expertise outfitted with superior expertise in AI and cloud computing, the programme goals to foster innovation, appeal to additional funding, and make sure the nation’s digital-first technique is sustained for generations to come back.