Amazon’s AWS GetIT education program and competition gives students ages 12-14 the opportunity to learn new digital skills and solve real-world problems by creating innovative app ideas. Pupils have the opportunity to gain insights into career opportunities in the fields of mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology (MINT). In Germany, three teams were in the final, presenting app concepts in the areas of sustainability and health.
The team from the Otto-Nagel-Gymnasium in Berlin designed theThe “Goog” app that informs app users whether the fruit and vegetables in front of them are still edibleto reduce food waste. The “Goog” app was finally chosen as the winner of the exciting finale.
But the other teams in the final also implemented great apps: The team from the Higher Regional School in Hanau developed themLimited Screen app, which helps app users track their smartphone usage and warns of the consequences of overuse. The team from the Comenius Gymnasium in Deggendorf presented theLYS – Love Yourself app, which reminds app users to take time for themselves in everyday stress and to relax regularly.
AWS GetIT is now available in 13 countries. The program provides knowledge about the cloud, provides curricula and enables students to acquire basic IT skills . The teams, at least half of which are girls, compete to develop new apps to solve problems at school or in their local area.
In order to better understand the importance of a lack of digital skills and the so-called ” Digital Skills Gap “, the opinion research institute Gallup carried out the international study “AWS Global Digital Skills Study” on behalf of AWS . The study included employees and HR managers from 19 countries, including Germany. The results show that almost 70% of German companies are struggling to find and hire workers with suitable digital skills. 44% of respondents say this is due to a lack of qualified applicants.
Another problem is the lack of women in many STEM professions. The Federal Employment Agency emphasizes that in view of the increasing need for skilled workers and increasing digitization, the potential of female skilled workers cannot be neglected. In 2021, the proportion of women in IT and technology occupations in Germany was only 17.1% and 14.2%, respectively.
The competition took place in Germany for the third time this year and showed that young talents can make a significant contribution to shaping a sustainable future with their innovative ideas.
