From today, we will get to know and welcome 1,000+ new AWS Community Builders, and the Community is thrilled to have you! π
The AWS Community Builders program was created to empower AWS enthusiasts to connect, learn, and share their knowledge with the technical Community. We welcome everyone who shares the same vision.
But what does it mean to become an AWS Community Builder, what life as a CB looks like, and how to make the most of your experience?
Here are a few things I wish I'd known when I first joined and made more use of in my first year. Trust me, you don't have to wait to be a veteran to explore all these opportunities. Start now and make the most of your new CB life.
Incredible Benefits
As an AWS Community Builder, you get lots of benefits, directly and indirectly, that enrich your experience in many aspects, from technical growth to personal development.
Here are a few:
π« Technical Growth & Career Opportunities
AWS product team webinars β Being part of the program opens the door to incredible learning opportunities with AWS experts about what's coming, even before launch, plus access to resources to supercharge your content creation. You'll hear directly from AWS product teams about new services and features through briefings and webinars. Some sessions are under NDA and contain non-public information, and many are recorded so you can watch them later if the timing doesn't work for you. Everything is carefully curated to keep you ahead of the curve.
QA one-year subscription β As a CB, you also receive an annual subscription to AWS training platforms such as QA (formerly Cloud Academy), with access to a variety of courses for upskilling and certification preparation β for free. As far as I've heard, there are even more great things like this coming.
π« AWS Promotional Credits
As an AWS CB, you receive AWS credits once a year (typically around $500 USD) while you are part of the program. You can add them to your AWS account and use them for personal learning projects, content creation, and more.
Maybe now it's time to create that project that was forever on your to-do list or explore a new AWS service?
π« AWS Certification Vouchers
As a Community Builder, you can claim one Foundational, Associate, or Professional/Specialty exam voucher per cycle (your year as a CB).
It's one per year, and if you renew for the following year, you can claim it again.
π« Exclusive Swag
Who doesn't like good swag? And the AWS CB swag doesn't disappoint. Alongside your welcome kit and annual renewal swag kits β each year you renew (years 2, 3, 4, and beyond), you receive a different kit β there are many other ways to earn swag too.
Everything you do can land you something new: your content contributions, your study performance on QA, or simply a random giveaway.
π« AWS re:Invent Discounts
Yes! You can also benefit from a generous discount to attend the world's largest cloud event (60k+ participants and 1,000+ technical sessions). Last year, we received around 60% off the ticket price.
π« Community
And the best part: a global community of now 4,000+ builders. π€
This is, by far, the greatest benefit of being an AWS Community Builder and where the true superpower of this program lies.
The program brings together content creators from all levels and backgrounds, contributing a rich variety of technical and interpersonal skills to the table. The opportunities here are endless: from mentoring others to being mentored, building relationships with like-minded developers and technologists, and accessing resources to amplify your impact within the AWS community.
The Structure and Ecosystem
π« Tech Channels
Beyond the channel for your specific category, you're automatically added to the CB Slack workspace. From there, you can explore a wide range of channels, including technical ones where seasoned professionals share insights, tips, new tools, and approaches to using AWS services. You'll find countless ways to contribute, learn, and grow your professional network through collaboration and discussion.
First day? Introduce yourself, let us know you better, who you are, your contributions, and start your journey.
Got stuck? This is the place to ask for help, get valuable insights, and learn.
Know the answer to someone's question? Share your experience and solution, and contribute to others' growth.
π« Events β To Speak At, Volunteer For, and Learn From
There are also dedicated channels where members announce speaking opportunities, calls for volunteers, and upcoming AWS Community Days, Summits, meetups, and more β whether you want to give a talk, help behind the scenes, or simply attend and soak it all in.
π« Content Creation Boost and Support
What is a community if we don't help each other? As a CB, you have access to channels focused on promoting content, where you can share your work and have it amplified by your peers, while also discovering incredible content to learn from. There are also channels dedicated to improving your content-creation tools and style, where veterans openly share their experiences and best practices, and where we also want to hear about what you are doing.
This is also your chance to go beyond your current content creation. You're used to writing technical blogs, but want to explore speaking at meetups and conferences, record technical videos, create tutorials, or even a course? We got you here!
And Much Moreβ¦
There are channels for an incredible range of discussions that can enrich both your professional and personal life: certification, women in tech (one of my favorites π), re:Invent, and β the cherry on top β regional cross-community channels connecting you with your local AWS ecosystem, including not only CBs but also AWS Heroes and AWS User Group leaders.
Making the Most of Your CB Experience
π« Learn & Grow
Take full advantage of the countless learning opportunities this program offers β from technical skills to interpersonal growth β whether through events, webinars, mentorship, or your peers. Explore the many technical channels, connect with brilliant minds, and use every opportunity to invest in yourself.
π« Keep Contributing
You joined the program because of the impact your content has had on the Community. Here, you'll have all the support you need to go even further and reach even more people. You'll find more opportunities to speak, mentor, write, help, and be helped.
Keep building. Keep sharing. Keep creating and contributing.
π« Embrace the Community Spirit
Networking, friendship, diversity, motivation, inspiration... the list of what being part of a vibrant community offers is endless. At the end of the day, we are all humans, and those connections are what truly carry us when we need help, need to vent, or when life gets hard.
You will meet incredible people here, so connect and enjoy. It's not just networking, it's a genuine connection.
A Few Final Thoughts
Each year, the program team looks for ways to bring even more value to members, so the list of benefits may well grow even bigger for the next intake.
I'm applying to renew as a CB for the fourth year. The AWS Community Builder program is my safe space and my happy place. You can learn so much and always contribute meaningfully, no matter your level of seniority.
Here, I've met mentors, mentees, and friends for life. My only regret is not having found this program sooner.
Many reasons brought you to the program, perhaps the networking, the growth opportunities, the lovely swag, the AWS credits and discounts, or the recognition you hoped to find. Whatever your reason, you will find it here.
Didn't Get In This Time?
You applied, but didn't make it this round. Don't give up.
Think of it this way: you have 12 more months to create great content and contribute to the Community, proving that you are a builder, just like us.
- Keep creating technical content: speaking at events (meetups, conferences); writing articles, tutorials, blogs;
- Collaborate in forums, social media, and/or open source projects supporting others' growth;
- Continue learning, experimenting, building projects, and sharing your journey.
AWS looks closely at quality, accuracy, consistency, and impact. Don't hesitate to reach out to CBs in your region and ask for mentorship on your content creation journey. We want you here with us. π«
Check out my article "Everything you need to know before applying to the AWS Community Builder Program β and my golden advice" for guidance on making the most of the next 12 months, and see you soon β this year or in the next.
To those joining us now or in the next intake, I can't wait to see all the amazing things we'll build together. Our team of AWS Community Builders is beyond happy to receive you, because that's what community really means, not just sharing what you know, but caring about who's beside you while you grow.
The AWS Community Builders is not only a platform or a program, but the people who show up for each other.
For me, it's a place where you arrive as you are and leave more than you thought you could be, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing you here!β¨πβοΈπ
This article was originally published on my blog, suzanamelo.com, where I write about cloud, AWS, AI, and what it actually takes to change careers in tech.
