DEADLINE EXTENDED to 09:00 BST Thursday 16 September

FastStart Cloud Computing provides the tools, knowledge, and capability to participants to use cloud architecture to enhance their entrepreneurial journey and grow their ideas into successful and sustainable businesses. You don't have to be a computer scientist! FastStart Cloud Computing is appropriate for complete beginners.

Check out FastStart Web Development to learn how to use web technologies to grow your ideas into successful and sustainable businesses.

Before you start your application, please take time to carefully consider the programme and the commitment required.  Do you have the time and focus to attend the required elements and work on an idea in between, perhaps with a team of other participants?

We are looking for individuals who are committed to the programme in the short term and to putting in serious work on a cloud architecture project. During the programme, we anticipate you will need to invest approximately 4 hours per week outside of workshops.

We anticipate it will take 30 minutes to an hour to think through and prepare your answers to the application questions.

Overview

Over 8 weeks during the semester, FastStart Cloud Computing aims to empower individuals to enhance their own technical knowledge and begin to think about how cloud computing solutions can be used to deliver new products or services that will transform different industries.

Individuals will be expected to attend weekly workshops, listen to entrepreneurial speakers, pitch regularly and engage with alumni mentors.  Throughout FastStart, individuals will need to demonstrate commitment and making progress with their idea. It is anticipated not all ideas will prove viable, however participants will continue to learn through the process and be supported to form teams around viable ideas where relevant. 

By the end of the FastStart Cloud Computing programme, you will be able to:​

• Explain how different cloud technologies can be used in combination to form an ‘architecture’ that delivers business benefit, for example stores data, processes requests, streams video, sends emails, and supports users
• Use the AWS Management Console when considering which services to include in their project concept
• Design and model a conceptual cloud architecture diagram, using Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Programme details

There will be 8 weeks of weekly sessions, commencing in Week 2 of the academic calendar.  Four sessions prior to Independent Learning Week and four sessions after. Sessions commence in Week 2 with final sessions during Week 10.

• Workshops - Mondays 18:00-19:30 GMT (Commencing on Monday 20 September, with a break on 18 October for Independent Learning Week. Final session 15 November.)
• Entrepreneurial Speaker Series - Thursdays 18:00-19:30 GMT (Commencing on Thursday 23 September, with a break on 21 October for Independent Learning Week. Final session 18 November.)
• Pitch with pizza - Fridays 13:00-14:00 GMT (Commencing on Friday 24 September, with a break on 22 October for Independent Learning Week. Final session 19 November.)

Commitment required

• Attend weekly workshops online​
• Spend time between workshops completing technical and written exercises in the online environment​
• Submit weekly log of what you have done and the progress you are making
• Attend pitch with pizza events, in person as often as you can
• Attend entrepreneurial speaker events, online or in person