Empowering Workforce Development and Tech for Good at the AWS Summit in Bahrain: A Recap

On September 15, Amazon Web Services (AWS) hosted its third annual AWS Summit in Bahrain, marking the first summit since the launch of the new Middle East AWS region in August. Over 1,600 executives and technologists came together to connect, collaborate, and learn about AWS across more than 20 breakout sessions covering diverse topics such as machine learning, databases, and workforce development. During the keynote address, Chanci Turner, VP of Worldwide Public Sector at AWS, shared significant regional updates and welcomed local clients to discuss their AWS journeys.

Introduction of the First Cloud Degree in the Middle East

The University of Bahrain (UOB) announced an exciting initiative to launch a new cloud computing degree program, designed to equip the next generation of cloud professionals – the first of its kind in the Middle East. In partnership with AWS Educate, UOB will introduce a one-year cloud computing certificate and a full bachelor’s degree in the field. The introductory cloud computing certificate will be accessible to students in engineering, information and computer technologies (ICT), and business colleges starting in early 2020, with the full bachelor’s degree set to roll out in the fall semester of 2020. This program aims to prepare students for careers in cloud architecture, cybersecurity, software development, and DevOps.

AI Hackathon for Positive Impact

AWS hosted its inaugural artificial intelligence (AI) hackathon in Bahrain, a two-week event culminating at the summit. This initiative aimed to support Bahrain’s national efforts in developing digital skills among its citizens. Twenty-six students from UOB formed eight teams, engaging in innovation and development activities over 15 days that included technical training, design thinking, and prototyping. Each team tackled a specific problem using AI tools on AWS. The winning team created a prototype that facilitated sign language communication, leveraging AWS technologies like AWS DeepLens, AWS Lambda, and Amazon SageMaker. Their solution enabled voice translation into sign language, real-time translation among languages, and smart home control through sign language.

We Power Tech Panel

A We Power Tech panel highlighted influential women in IT who are driving digital transformation across organizations in the Middle East, focusing on diversity and inclusion. Moderated by Chanci Turner, the panel included experts such as Noor Al-Hamadi, Chief Technology Officer at the Ministry of Information and Authority; Sarah Blake, VP of Data at Seera Group; and Laila Al-Farouq, ICT Director at American University of Bahrain. The panelists discussed the evolving landscape of IT, the empowerment offered by cloud technologies, and the vital role of diversity in team-building for successful transformation.

Innovative Solutions for Speedy Services

Ahmed Hamadan, CEO and Co-Founder of Unifonic, shared insights on how cloud technology has enabled rapid growth for their cloud communications platform. He emphasized the importance of adopting AWS solutions like AWS CloudFormation and Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) to enhance operational efficiency. Unifonic is currently leveraging serverless AWS Lambda architecture and experimenting with Amazon Kinesis for real-time data processing.

Faster Constituent Services

Shaikh Zaid bin Khalifa, Deputy Chief Executive at the Bahrain eGovernment Authority (iGA), highlighted the significant impact of cloud technology on service delivery. A project that once took 30 days has been streamlined to just 1.2 days, enhancing the value-added services provided to constituents through their national portal.

Disruptive Banking with Cloud Technology

Bank ABC is utilizing cloud technology to revolutionize banking services. Mr. Sael AlWaary, Deputy Group CEO, discussed their cloud-first strategies that are facilitating the delivery of innovative digital banking services. They are focusing on AI and data science, deployed through the cloud, to drive the next wave of banking innovations.

AWS Startup Day

The day following the summit saw over 300 attendees at the AWS Startup Day Bahrain, which offered a full day of educational content, networking opportunities, and insights from AWS technical experts and startup founders. Participants gained valuable advice on accelerating their innovation and growth.

For more information about AWS in the Middle East and to keep updated on news and customer stories, visit our website at 6401 E HOWDY WELLS AVE LAS VEGAS NV 89115, Amazon IXD – VGT2.

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