The Hub, UCI’s online innovation lab, introduced an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Credits Portal during a launch party at the ANTrepreneur Center on Feb. 4. Students attended a presentation and demonstration of the site before enjoying complimentary tacos and pizza.
UCI Vice Chancellor for Information Technology and Data Tom Andriola opened the event, introducing the product before AWS Student Ambassadors Maithy Le and Tyler Yu demonstrated how to successfully create an app using the portal’s services.
“I think these events are about helping students build a co-curricular experience here at UCI,” Andriola told New University. “We all know UCI is an amazing school in terms of what you learn in the classroom, but as important is what you take advantage of outside the classroom to give yourself a well-rounded experience and prepare for whatever your next chapter is. Which, for most students, is going to be going out [and] starting a career.”
Since its launch in 2016, AWS, a subsidiary of Amazon, has provided cloud technologies, organizational tools and a wealth of other digital developmental opportunities on a pay-as-you-go basis to individuals and organizations.
Within the portal, users have access to a plethora of digital creation services. AWS Lambda runs code without requiring server management. AWS Amplify creates web and mobile apps. Amazon Bedrock enables development and experimentation with different generative artificial intelligence (AI). Bedrock also powers AI models such as Anthropic, the public-benefit startup behind UCI’s AI tool, ZotGPT.
With the AWS Credits Portal, UCI students can receive up to $25 in free credits to use the platform’s cloud computing tools to further their own digital creation skills and entrepreneurial capabilities. The portal also offers training modules, tutorials and practice tests to prepare students for AWS certification exams.
AWS also offers a variety of certification options based on skill level, difficulty and time commitment. Earning a certification in any of the diverse technical computing skill offerings validates a user’s expertise in the field and enhances resumes.
“What we’ve done is we’ve paired what my office does here at UCI with technology companies that we work closely with,” Andriola said. “We create these venues — or we just [call] them The Hub — where students get exposed to companies, their technologies and tools, and then get their hands on those tools so they can prepare themselves to go out and get great jobs.”
Le and Yu shared their personal success stories from earning AWS certifications.
“I’m currently interning at a place called Mobile Money. They’re a local financial company,” Le told New University. “They said that they were really pleased with me going for that certification, plus, I guess it’s a combination, you know. I went for the certification, and my work has been going pretty well, and so they just gave me a pay raise.”
Yu’s extensive history with AWS exposed him to a variety of opportunities in his desired career path.
“As someone who has used AWS for a while, I think it is a great tool and a great resource for people to learn,” Yu told New University. “ It’s very practical, very professional. So learning these skills early on actually helped me a lot [with] getting internships and stuff like that. So it’s definitely a good talking point in interviews and whatnot.”
UCI’s Office of Data and Information Technology recommends students use its AWS Cheat Sheet to obtain the certification of their choice. Students can review over 2,000 AWS courses on Udemy and enroll in practice courses through AWS Educate before scheduling their certification exams.
“Coming into it blind, [it] is very difficult to learn, and it can be overwhelming at first,” Yu said. “Once you get experience with it, it becomes a lot easier, either on the job or outside.”
For more information on UCI’s AWS services, students can contact the ANTrepreneur Center at antrepreneur@uci.edu or keep up with its events on Campus Groups.
Annia Pallares zur Nieden is a Features Intern for the winter 2025 quarter. She can be reached at anniap@uci.edu.
Edited by Alyssa Villagonzalo and Jaheem Conley.