AWS Philippines says cloud technology levels the playing field for SMEs

AMAZON Web Services (AWS) Philippines, a cloud computing unit of Amazon, said cloud technology is helping small and medium enterprises (SMEs) compete with larger companies by giving them access to the same digital infrastructure and tools without requiring heavy capital investment.

“It’s the greatest equalizer when it comes to technology. Even if you’re small, you get access to the latest and greatest technology that is also available to big companies,” AWS Philippines Country Manager Precious Lim told BusinessWorld on the sidelines of the company’s partnership event with Globe Telecom, Inc. last week.

“They can access everything from computing to databases to machine learning and AI (artificial intelligence), and all of this is possible because the cloud allows for pay-as-you-go,” she added.

Ms. Lim said most micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the Philippines using AWS services come from industries such as business process outsourcing, retail, education, pawnshops, and e-commerce.

To expand access to technology, AWS offers various training and enablement programs for businesses and individuals.

One of these is AWS Skill Builder, an online learning platform that provides a wide range of courses and training modules to help MSMEs build cloud expertise and earn certifications.

The platform offers both free and paid digital courses, according to its website.

Another initiative is AWS Educate, which targets students and educators seeking to develop cloud computing skills.

Learners as young as 13 years old may register for self-paced training and labs for free, based on information from the platform’s website.

“Our objective is always to help companies of different sizes. Whether you’re a startup, an SME, or from the education institutions… Our goal is to help them innovate and transform by making use of the services on AWS,” Ms. Lim said.

According to AWS, it has trained more than five million people in cloud skills across the Asia-Pacific region since 2017. — Edg Adrian A. Eva