From academia to the cloud: my journey of reinvention through AWS User Group

I graduated with an engineering degree in 2008, but my college did not offer campus placements. Afterward, I completed a PHP course and joined a startup as an unpaid web development intern. Unfortunately, that role lasted only three months before the startup abruptly shut down, leaving all employees out of work.

Following that setback, I joined a BPO at HT Media Limited in the outbound process, where I made calls to help clients publish ads in the HT newspaper. I worked there for about six months. Thanks to a reference from my father, I then secured a position as a lecturer at an engineering college in my hometown, where I taught for about a year and a half. Following that, I moved to another college in the Delhi-NCR region, spending a decade there, including five years at a women's engineering college. I grew so comfortable in that environment that the years simply flew by.

I got married in 2015 and welcomed a child in 2018. While my responsibilities grew, my income did not scale at the same pace. By 2021, I realized my career had plateaued. I switched colleges that same year and, for the first time, got the opportunity to teach AWS to students as part of the AWS Academy program.

In mid-2023, I landed an opportunity to join an IT company. However, due to a lack of hands-on practical exposure, I struggled to adapt and left after 4 months. That was a tough period for me. Seeking a fresh start, I consulted a few people and decided to move to Bangalore, a tech capital of India, to pursue tech roles. However, reality proved harsh, and I struggled to secure a single tech offer over the next few months.

Finding myself unemployed for a period, and drawing on my extensive years of teaching experience, I applied to local colleges and returned to academia. I worked for 14 months at a college in Bangalore while concurrently beginning to attend technical meetups and conferences related to cloud.

Discovering the community proved to be a turning point. A 12-week online AWS cohort in 2024 organized by AWS User Group Yaounde caught my eye after one of my LinkedIn connections engaged with a post about it. Through that cohort, I connected with fellow participants who introduced me to AWS UG Bangalore and the upcoming AWS Community Day. That marked my first interaction with AWS UG Bangalore.

Coming from a non-traditional tech background, I was thrilled to attend in-person tech events for the very first time. Attending AWS Community Day Bengaluru in 2024 opened my eyes to a vibrant ecosystem. There, I learned more about AWS UG Bengaluru and its monthly meetups. By attending each month consistently, I gained practical exposure to AWS services and real-world use cases, gradually building a network with AWS enthusiasts and industry professionals.

With more than 15 years of engineering college teaching under my belt, I was eager to transition from academia to the corporate side. The AWS UG Bangalore monthly meetups and AWS Community Days allowed me to connect directly with AWS Community Builders and AWS Heroes.

These events gave my learning a massive boost and motivated me to pursue certifications. Between July 2024 and February 2025, I successfully cleared three AWS certifications, including the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate. I also began following the work of community leaders and writing about my meetup experiences and learnings on LinkedIn and Medium. As I navigated this career transition, I focused intensely on sharpening my cloud skills, improving my communication, and networking with peers.

After 14 months in Bangalore and deeply immersed in the AWS ecosystem, armed with multiple cloud certifications and a renewed sense of confidence, I took a leap of faith and left my teaching job in February 2025. Leveraging my extensive background in teaching and training, I launched my own independent training and consulting business specializing in cloud, AI, and emerging technologies.

Today, I am in my second year of running my independent cloud training and consulting practice. I continue to attend AWS UG Bangalore meetups and other industry events, both in-person and virtually, to stay at the forefront of cloud developments.

I first learned about the AWS Community Builder program, AWS Heroes, and other initiatives straight from the community. A quote I saw at my very first ACD Bangalore in 2024 deeply resonated with me: "Community-based learning is the best way to learn and grow." Since then, I have attended every ACD Bangalore event (2024, 2025, and 2026), participating in both the main conferences and the workshops.

The community has been instrumental in shaping my training and consulting projects. I received invaluable feedback from AWS UG Bangalore leaders and organizers on building a strong portfolio. Recognizing my enthusiasm, the organizers eventually invited me to be an AWS UG Bangalore Voice at ACD Bangalore 2025. Following that, I spoke at the 30-day AWS Amplify event and was trusted by AWS UG Bangalore leaders to manage the Amazon Q booth at AWS Loft Bangalore.

Staying active in AWS UG Bengaluru has continually opened doors to speaking engagements across various tech platforms, transforming my career journey entirely.