New Delhi, November 17, 2023 — Amazon India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to extend its initiative, Amazon WoW (Women of the World) across the country. This innovative program is designed to empower and equip women students enrolled in engineering colleges across India with essential skills to thrive in the technology industry. The collaboration agreement was signed by Suman Yadav, Director – Student Programs, Amazon, and on behalf of AICTE, by Prof. T G Sitharam, Chairman of AICTE, Govt of India.
The Amazon WoW initiative provides a dynamic platform for women students to seamlessly connect with the Amazon community, engage in immersive skill development sessions, and access a wealth of resources. Through this strategic collaboration with AICTE, the national apex body for technical education, Amazon is committed to enabling women students with the essential tools and knowledge necessary to navigate and succeed in the ever-evolving landscape of technology. Given the shared vision of AICTE and Amazon India in nurturing talent for the tech sector, this industry-government collaboration seeks to help women engage with industry leaders, technologists, and like-minded peers, all while honing essential career-focused skills.
Through this MoU, Amazon reaffirms its commitment to inspire and enable the next generation of women tech leaders and innovators in India.
Prof. T G Sitharam, Chairman of AICTE, expressed his enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, “Amazon India is leveraging its industry expertise and technical prowess to support women empowerment in the country. Amazon WoW will be an invaluable program for women in engineering colleges across India. This initiative not only imparts essential skills, such as coding but also opens doors to invaluable opportunities for industry exposure and soft skill development to young women. It truly embodies the spirit of progress in AICTE’s pursuit of a more inclusive and dynamic tech landscape.”
Chetan Krishnaswamy, Vice President of Public Policy at Amazon India concurred, “I am elated to see this collaboration between Amazon and AICTE for the WoW program. AICTE being the umbrella body for all technical education institutions will allow Amazon India to sensitize and upskill future women leaders in tech in all corners of the country. We hope that through this initiative, women will not only gain skills that will help them tap job opportunities but that they will also be able to come together as a community that can continue to support each other in the future.”
Suman Yadav, Director – Student Programs, Amazon also highlighted the success that Amazon WoW program has seen since its launch in 2021 mentioning that ‘’ We recognize the gap in our country’s talent landscape today, where students lack appropriate mentoring and skills essential for their careers. Amazon WoW bridges that gap by providing a structured path including mentorship and learning opportunities for women engineering students to make informed career choices. Our collaboration with AICTE will further support our efforts in democratizing access to knowledge enabling and empowering women students to build fulfilling tech careers.’’
Since its inception, Amazon WoW has garnered over 298,000 subscribers on its platform. Over 900 women have secured internships or full-time opportunities at Amazon, a testament to the program’s effectiveness. Additionally, in the last 12 months, more than 40 sessions have been successfully
delivered, with an average of 300+ students attending each session. The program offers workshops on coding, problem-solving, tech interviews, and data structures and algorithms, equipping female students in their application and selection processes. Regular open office hours with senior Amazon employees also provide students with an opportunity to address their queries and seek guidance in a 1:1 setting.
Underscored by the mutual objectives of Amazon India and AICTE, this collaboration aims to foster optimizing resource utilization, upskilling, and promoting tech careers among women in STEM. It will not only facilitate employment for women but also empower them to play a pivotal role in propelling India towards becoming a truly digital economy.
