Introduction
In June 2024, I was honored to be selected as a Japan AWS Jr. Champions, a recognition program unique to Japan. It highlights early-career engineers in their first three years at AWS Partner companies who are active in technical engagement and knowledge sharing. Unlike other AWS community programs, this one is exclusive to Japan, making it a rare opportunity to learn, connect, and grow alongside peers from across the country.
What the Program Is About
The Jr. Champions program runs for a year with monthly meetups organized by AWS Japan. Here is my breakdown of the events, along with some takeaways from each, quick-fire style:
- 5/28 Pre-Kickoff (May)First in-person meetup, was nervous in the beginnning but everyone was so nice, ice was broken almost instantly.
- 6/21 Recognition at AWS Summit Japan (June)
Announced on stage at the peak of AWS Summit. It felt like being a celebrity. - 7/26, 9/27, 12/13, 4/11 Lightning Talk sessions (July, September, December, April)Fun and interactive sessions where I learned a lot, not only about AWS but also from everyone’s unique ideas.
- 8/23 Presentation skills seminar (August)Learned how to prepare and deliver a presentation more effectively and it made me more confident in the points I should prepare for awesome talks.
- 10/25 AWS DeepRacer Jr. Champions Cup (October)
A hands-on way to practice machine learning by training cars to race around a track. I placed around 20th place out of 50 participants. - 11/22, 1/24 Networking with alumni and AWS specialists (November, January)
I got there early on one of the events and had very memorable conversations with AWS Ambassadors, Top Engineers and previous Jr. Champions. - 2/21 Web 3-Tier architecture workshop (February)Hands-on experience with plenty of Q&A time with AWS experts.
- 3/21 Reflection and feedback sessions (March)The final official meetup, but definitely not the last!
My Contributions
While I joined the official meetups mainly as a participant, I also made sure to turn what I learned into my own outputs.
- Technical blogs: I wrote articles on the GeekFeed blog, sharing practical AWS tips and troubleshooting experiences from real projects, as well as summaries of talk sessions I attended.
- Internal Lightning Talk: At my company, I gave an internal LT where I explained about the state of AWS and its communities in Indonesia
- Study session: Outside the official program, I joined a study sessions to learn AWS concepts through a gamified card game (AWS Builder Cards) as well as hands on workshops. It was a fun way to reinforce knowledge and connect with others.
These contributions gave me the chance to not only practice my skills but also share knowledge with colleagues and the wider AWS community.
Why It Matters Globally
At the moment, the Jr. Champions program only exists in Japan. But the idea of supporting early-career cloud engineers through community, events, and recognition can be valuable anywhere in the world. Similar initiatives could help young engineers grow faster, build confidence, and stay motivated.
For anyone starting out in tech, whether in cloud or another field, I encourage you to join local AWS User Groups, community study circles, or certification groups. I found that being surrounded by motivated peers really accelerated my growth.
Conclusion
There is an old saying in Indonesia that roughly translates to “Be friends with the perfume merchant, and you too will smell nice.”
Being part of the Japan AWS Jr. Champions was more than recognition. It was a journey of growth and connection. I am deeply thankful to AWS, my fellow Champions, and everyone who shared their knowledge along the way.
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