Lessons that Last: Building Cloud Skills to Power AI-Ready Solutions

Last summer, I set out on a new professional goal. As a data analyst, I had worked with cloud-based tools like Google Colab and Databricks for data analysis and machine learning, but I didn’t fully understand the broader cloud ecosystem or what happens “behind the scenes.”

“My aim was clear: learn how to implement and deploy data analytics and machine learning models within cloud services.”

That opportunity came through the Next Path program, a partnership between enFocus, South Bend Code School, and Trek10, which offers free 10-week AWS certification courses and exam vouchers. I completed Trek10’s training for the AWS Cloud Practitioner certification in May and the AWS Solutions Architect Associate certification in August.

“Thanks to the program, I saved nearly $300 in exam fees. By October, I had passed the Cloud Practitioner exam, and in July of this year, I earned my Solutions Architect Associate certification.”

This journey has been incredibly rewarding. It opened my eyes to the backend of many analytics platforms and taught me how to design systems in AWS that meet the high-performance, resilient computing, storage, and security needs of data analysts, ML engineers, data engineers, and software engineers, all while keeping costs efficient. It’s a perspective I never gained in school, and it now enables me to evaluate a sponsor’s IT architecture and recommend ways to optimize cost, improve performance, and enable advanced analytics capabilities.

Beyond the technical skills, this journey also clarified my career goals. I’ve grown increasingly passionate about the intersection of cloud computing and data analytics, drawing key insights from my projects at enFocus. Through my work here, I’ve seen that while many organizations talk about AI, they’re not yet AI-ready. There’s foundational work to be done, building infrastructure, modernizing data systems, and establishing scalable architectures, before AI can truly be integrated.

“I’m excited to bring this cloud knowledge into my future projects, helping organizations not only envision what’s possible but also build the foundation to get there.”