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SoftwareONE Helps Children Get Access to Machine Learning Tech with AWS
SoftwareONE has launched SoftwareONE program, Amazon Web Services (AWS) re:Cess, a program to inspire the next generation of developers by introducing machine learning (ML) technologies to children in the U.S. Joining forces with the AWS DeepRacer team, SoftwareONE kicked off the initiative with a pilot event at the Chester, PA chapter of the Boys & Girls Club of America in April 2022 but now aims to take the AWS DeepRacer program out to schools and nonprofits around the country.

"The Boys & Girls Club of Chester is always looking for ways to provide our youth with fun STEM programs.  We were so excited to partner with AWS and SoftwareONE to bring the AWS Deep Racer program to our club. The program sparked creativity and joy for our students while establishing a lifelong curiosity of technology for the next generation," says Donna Northern, Executive Director of Operations at the Boys & Girls of Chester, Pennsylvania.

AWS DeepRacer, typically aimed at developers, is a simulator and race car model which offers an interesting and fun way to get started with reinforcement learning (RL), an advanced ML technique which serves as a key concept in the foundational training reviewed with the AWS DeepRacer Students participants. AWS DeepRacer Student allows children to learn the basics of ML and start building and testing in an exciting, autonomous car racing experience.

"With a global shortage of technology skills, particularly in emerging fields like ML and artificial intelligence (AI), creating awareness of the subjects amongst children is critical to plug a future skills gap," explains Jessica Motta, Global Nonprofit Lead at SoftwareONE. "When the Boys & Girls of America team contacted us for ideas on how to introduce STEM initiatives to their under-served communities, we engaged with the AWS DeepRacer team and set up our SoftwareONE AWS re:Cess program. Following the success of the pilot event, we now plan on rolling it out to nonprofit and K-12 customers across the country to spark curiosity in alternative career paths in the tech sector."

Artificial Intelligence are growing. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that between now and 2030, employment of computer and information research scientists is projected to grow 22 percent from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations. At the same time, the National Science Board (NSB), shows that the number of women and black workers in STEM jobs must double, and the number of Latinos triple, for it to reflect the true demographics of the USA.

"By working with AWS and organizations like the Boys & Girls of America, we hope to address these shortfalls both through our AWS re:Cess program and our larger skills development initiatives, like the SoftwareONE Academy, which provides training paths and career opportunities in technology," says Motta.

Published Wednesday, May 04, 2022 12:10 PM by David Marshall
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