Here’s the interview snippet from the interaction with Mr Pushkar Verma, Director and CEO of Cloud Wizard.
Saumya: Tell us about yourself and your company?
Pushkar: Cloud Wizard is an AWS Authorized Training and Consulting Partner. The company was founded in November 2015. Our goal is to provide quality AWS training to individuals and businesses alike. As an EdTech company, we provide the full range of AWS Authorized training and certification courses.
I am an Engineer (Computer Science) and a Postgraduate from the Nottingham Trent University, UK in International Business. I am an enthusiastic and committed individual working to help organizations and IT professionals by providing them with access to AWS classroom training programs. I lead a young team at Cloud Wizard for our training delivery initiatives across India and SAARC countries.
Saumya: Don’t Edtech companies still primarily target urban consumers? Where does India stand technologically in the world?
Pushkar: EdTech companies can only help consumers who are tech savvy. The learner also needs to have access to high-speed internet and mobile devices which are critical to a good learning experience. We will find this mix mostly in urban areas as of now. Hence, we may conclude that this is the case. Though, I am sure all companies would be keen to tap into new customer bases.
Saumya: How do AWS benefit a business to be more technically equipped?
Pushkar: AWS offers services and products that are built by subject matter experts. They provide solutions that are affordable for businesses of all sizes, from startups to Global organizations. One benefit of moving to AWS cloud is it can grow with your business. It can also help you grow by offering flexibility and ecommerce and storage solutions that help support your business. When you use AWS, you are always using something that is very updated and cutting edge.
Saumya: Where do you see the industry in 2-3 years?
Pushkar: Edtech is currently expanding as all educational institutions, large and small, adopt a hybrid approach to learning. In just two years, online education has grown dramatically. Students at all learning levels around the world have shifted to online and hybrid learning. This, in turn, had a ripple effect in the digital educational technology (edtech) industry. And we’ll see a speedy and developed edtech sector.
Saumya: How have cloud services impacted the education industry and skill development?
Pushkar: Over time, the education industry has advanced considerably. Cloud computing has many advantages for the educational industry. It is not surprising that major industry providers are quickly adopting cloud technology to improve their services. The cloud is simultaneously becoming the greatest choice for students. Nothing compares to the convenience of having knowledge at your fingertips, which cloud technology makes possible. Everyone in the industry, whether a large institution, a small school, or a student, is already benefiting from the cloud, and things will only get better and better in the future. As a result, cloud computing, AI, and machine learning all play a crucial role in this disruptive development.
Saumya: What are the Future plans?
Pushkar: In the future, we hope to expand more around AWS consultancy projects as well as technical initiatives involving multiple countries and territories. We also intend to work with various non-governmental organizations and colleges to promote a better understanding of AWS amongst the learners. The company currently claims to have 3,500 pupils year. We intend to enroll 10,000 students in FY23.
