How Amazon Web Services Jobs Are Transforming IT

When most people hear “Amazon Web Services” or “AWS,” they think of the ubiquitous e-commerce giant—but AWS goes far beyond shopping carts and checkout pages. Today, AWS powers a global cloud computing ecosystem used by organizations of all sizes, across nearly every industry. From healthcare and finance to entertainment and education, businesses are embracing the cloud—and they need skilled professionals to help them manage it.

That’s where AWS-certified IT professionals enter the picture, trained for in-demand tech roles in cloud administration, DevOps, cybersecurity, network engineering, and more. This article explores the dramatic impact that AWS has had on IT and the greater tech industry, and how WGU can equip you for success in the field, especially if you’re part of an emerging talent community.

A Brief History of AWS

The origins of Amazon Web Services trace back to a company retreat in the early 2000s, where Amazon leaders identified an unexpected core strength: building and managing scalable infrastructure. What began as a solution for Amazon’s internal needs soon became a groundbreaking external service. In 2006, AWS officially launched with simple cloud offerings—essentially giving other companies access to Amazon’s powerful computing infrastructure. This way, different organizations could rent server space to build their own applications on top of Amazon’s web platform.

Fast-forward to today. AWS is the global leader in cloud services, providing more than 200 fully featured services across computing, data storage, networking, machine learning, security, and other categories. As of 2024, AWS controlled about 30% of the cloud infrastructure market, outpacing competitors like Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform. Its 2024 revenue topped $100 billion, and the demand for AWS-skilled talent continues to grow.

How AWS Reimagines IT

Cloud computing has transformed how organizations store digital data, run applications, and scale operations. As a result, many IT professionals are expected to bring cloud skills and expertise to their roles—especially when it comes to platforms like AWS.

This shift is creating new tech positions across the industry, from cloud systems administrators and DevOps engineers to cloud security and support specialists. Demand for these cloud careers and others like them is anticipated to be high. For example, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that jobs for information security analysts—many of whom work with cloud security—will grow by a considerable 33% from 2023 to 2033, adding over 17,000 new positions in that time.

And it’s not just about job growth—the popularity of Amazon Web Services and AWS careers has a tangible effect on earning potential, too. According to Skillsoft’s 2023 IT Skills and Salary Report, AWS-certified professionals earned an average salary of over $125,000 per year, with specialized certifications like AWS Certified SysOps Administrator ranking among the most valuable.

Current AWS Technologies

AWS cloud services allow companies and organizations to achieve a variety of operational objectives, including those dealing with machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI). Some of the most prominent AWS cloud technologies today include the following:

Database and Data Management

AWS database services meet many different application needs, whether it’s simple website creation, enterprise-scale data system management, or nearly anything in-between. AWS offerings in this category include:

• Amazon RDS (Relational Database Service)
• Amazon Aurora
• Amazon ElastiCache
• Amazon DynamoDB
• Amazon Neptune
• Amazon Timestream

These services are fully managed, scalable, and secure, which makes AWS a go-to choice for organizations of all sizes.

Developer Tools

Software engineers and programmers—even those without intensive cloud skills—can benefit from AWS’s serverless applications, freeing up time to focus on writing, debugging, and implementing code. The following examples of AWS developer tools help to optimize virtually every stage of application development:

• AWS Infrastructure Composer
• AWS CodeBuild
• AWS CodeCommit
• AWS Cloud9
• AWS CodeArtifact
• AWS X-Ray

These tools also support automation, collaboration, and continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines and practices.

Artificial Intelligence

The myriad AI resources offered by AWS are designed to aid organizations as they build, train, and deploy AI-powered applications without requiring deep expertise in data science or machine learning. From image and video analysis to generative AI and natural language processing, AWS AI tools include:

• Amazon Bedrock
• Amazon SageMaker AI
• Amazon Rekognition
• Amazon Lex
• Amazon Comprehend
• Amazon DevOps Guru

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)

AWS’s range of AR and VR services provide the cloud infrastructure, rendering support, and back-end tools needed to build immersive audiovisual experiences at scale. While these services are not dedicated AR and VR products, they are often used by software developers in tandem with engines like Unreal and Unity to enhance user immersion. The following are notable tools used for AR and VR development:

• AWS Thinkbox
• AWS Wavelength
• Amazon EC2 G5 and G4 instances
• AWS IoT TwinMaker

AWS and WGU

WGU, an AWS Academy member institution, offers programs aligned with industry needs and provides access to AWS curriculum and resources. WGU’s cloud and network engineering degree program is designed to equip students with skills in network design and security, cloud architecture, and AI for engineering operations. This program also allows students to choose from four concentrations:

• General Track
• AWS Track
• Azure Track
• Cisco Track

The AWS Track offers the opportunity to earn up to nine industry certifications—including three that are AWS specific—at no extra cost. But no matter the specialization, students can become prepared for an array of tech positions, including cloud support specialist, AWS administrator, data analytics specialist, DevOps administrator, and more.

Next Steps

Cloud computing is no longer optional—it’s foundational to the digital economy. Whether your goal is to work at Amazon or bring AWS cloud skills to another leading company, WGU can help you take the next step.

With flexible online learning, affordable flat-rate tuition, and built-in certifications, WGU’s IT programs are designed for working professionals who are ready to move forward. And with our competency-based learning model, you can advance through coursework as quickly as you master the material.

Explore WGU’s cloud and network engineering degree today and start building the future of IT.