By Ben Sosne and Dr. Dennis Rebelo
Central to our work at the Berkshire Innovation Center is a fundamental belief that the deployment of sophisticated technologies will help our regional firms secure future growth.
We also believe that - in pursuit of new innovations - that all organizations will rely on skilled individuals to sustain their missions. Whether a tech-innovator, advanced manufacturing, financial or health system, all modern firms will need modern tech.
Whether these new technologies are hardware or software solutions, we believe that appropriately leveraging new technology can lead to continuous improvements in quality and efficiency making our regional firms more competitive. Leaning into this way-of-thinking also means taking advantage of our greatest asset here in Massachusetts, our people. People are always the answer. Providing individuals with added opportunity for developing skills needed now, creates a workforce-for-the-future, today.
Recent research from McKinsey and Co also confirms that for investments in new technologies to take root and bring enterprise-wide benefits, companies need to develop operating models and cultures that embrace innovation.
Cultural challenges are often the biggest barrier to getting results from new technological investments. For example, when firms and employees are risk averse, have siloed mindsets, or are generally skeptical of new tools and processes, the transformations that technology can bring often stall or fail. We want the opposite. We want levers for growth that sustain and support our regional businesses. We promote cultures of learning.
At the BIC, we seek to raise awareness of new tools and technologies and encourage adoption, when appropriate, and also work with our members on developing a company-wide culture that embraces the new tools and processes that often lead to breakthrough growth. Indeed, this is embedded throughout the work we do in our BIC Manufacturing Academy.
Leaning into this commitment to helping regional businesses better leverage new technologies, we are excited to announce a new collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS).
AWS is a comprehensive and widely adopted cloud computing platform provided by Amazon.com. Launched in 2006, AWS offers an array of cloud-based services, including computing power, storage, databases, analytics, machine learning, networking, security, and more. These services are designed to help businesses scale, innovate, and achieve operational efficiency without the need for large upfront investments in physical infrastructure.
In the manufacturing sector – where many BIC members operate – companies are leveraging AWS's cloud capabilities to drive digital transformation. They utilize AWS IoT services to connect and monitor their production equipment in real-time, optimize supply chain operations, implement predictive maintenance strategies, and improve overall efficiency and productivity on the factory floor.
AWS, of course, is also leveraged across a range of other sectors critical to the economy in the Berkshires and beyond.
Generally speaking, forward thinking healthcare companies are using AWS to modernize their infrastructure and improve patient care. AWS's secure and compliant cloud services are often leveraged to store and analyze large amounts of patient data, facilitate telemedicine solutions, enhance research and development efforts through advanced analytics, and deploy AI-driven applications.
Software development, gaming, design and digital media companies rely on AWS to power their applications and services. They utilize AWS's scalable infrastructure, serverless computing, and AI/ML tools to accelerate innovation, improve time-to-market for new products, enhance user experiences, and scale their operations globally with ease.
Financial institutions, such as banks, insurance companies, and fintech startups, harness AWS's cloud services to enhance security, compliance, and agility in their operations. They leverage AWS for processing transactions, analyzing large datasets for risk management and fraud detection, developing and deploying digital banking solutions, and ensuring high availability and disaster recovery capabilities.
In this retailer sector, AWS transforms e-commerce platforms, improves customer experiences, and optimizes supply chain operations. Retailers leverage AWS's cloud infrastructure for hosting websites, managing inventory and logistics, implementing personalized marketing strategies based on data analytics, and enhancing cybersecurity to protect customer information.
Educational institutions are adopting AWS to modernize their learning environments, deliver online courses, conduct research, and manage administrative tasks more efficiently. They tend to use AWS for hosting learning management systems, providing virtual classrooms, analyzing student data for personalized learning experiences, and leveraging AI/ML for educational insights.
In short, AWS is a powerful cloud computing platform that enables forward-thinking companies across various sectors to innovate, scale, and stay competitive. Because we believe in the value of this tool, we are pleased to announce that we are now an approved sponsor of the AWS Cloud Institute.
The AWS Cloud Institute is an adult training program designed and delivered by AWS that produces Cloud Application Developers for their customers and partners. The goal of the program is to speed up cloud innovation for AWS customers and partners by increasing the pool of job-ready, cloud-skilled talent.
Beginning this spring, the BIC will enable local learners to participate in AWS Cloud Institute courses in a dedicated student learning lab at the Berkshire Innovation Center in Pittsfield, provide computer access for students, and connect local learners to career and success coaches to support student learning and assist in career readiness. AWS, in collaboration with the BIC, is offering grants to help students in Berkshire County offset the cost of the program.
The opportunity for this collaboration came inbound from BIC board vice-chair, James Kupernik. Kupernik, former CTO at VidMob, the leader in creative data, said “as a technology leader, I know the transformative potential of the cloud and the hurdles in finding specialized talent. I'm excited about the Berkshire Innovation Center becoming an approved sponsor for the AWS Cloud Institute. This demonstrates a shared commitment to developing the next-generation workforce with job-ready skills for businesses across every industry.”
Dr. Dennis Rebelo, the BIC’s Chief Learning Officer, who helped build the BIC Manufacturing Academy with MIT, stressed the BIC’s devotion to creating a venue-for-learning and noted how vital such environments are in enhancing and supporting student learning, at any age or stage of life. “We're thrilled to be assisting the Berkshires region prepare for cloud-based computing careers in collaboration with AWS."
For more information on the AWS Cloud institute and the novel ways that the BIC will support ACI students engaged in the program, please join us at the Berkshire Innovation Center for an information session on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 from 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm.
Ben Sosne is the Executive Director of the Berkshire Innovation Center (BIC). Dennis Rebelo is the BIC’s Chief Learning Officer.