Becoming an AWS Cloud Captain: My Experience

Hello AWSome people!

I’m Rashi Dashore, AWS Cloud Captain from Indore, India. In this blog, I’ll be sharing everything about the AWS Cloud Club program and my experience! If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to ping me.

Before I share my experiences, let me be very clear: the AWS Cloud Club Program is entirely focused on supporting students and creating a strong community. You’ll never find a captain selling AWS or asking you to pay for any personal benefit.

I first heard about the “AWS Cloud Clubs” when the applications for Cohort 3 opened in a LinkedIn post by Jen Looper. I was unsure about the program but was always interested in volunteering, giving back to the community, and, of course, sharing my thoughts.

The application process was as follows:

1. Essay: You have to answer some essay questions and share your leadership experience, AWS knowledge, and your willingness to start a club and help students at your university. My pro tip is to avoid the use of AI—write your genuine thoughts and be honest!

2. Video submission: You’ll be asked to submit a video explaining an AWS service. Make sure to be confident while explaining, and try to avoid directly reading from the presentation.

3. (2025 Update) From the upcoming Cohort 4: You’ll need to submit a document from your university confirming that they’ll support and allow an AWS Cloud Club, with a signature from a faculty member. Refer to this document if you want to explain the program to your faculty and administrators and show how it supports students.

I applied for the program, but after reading how difficult it is to become a captain due to the limited number of selections each year, I was unsure about my application. The results came on March 8, 2024, at 2 AM IST, and it was a selection email!!! I was so happy to become one of the 87 globally selected AWS Cloud Captains and got the chance to lead an AWS Cloud Club at my university.

As an AWS Cloud Captain, you not only lead a club but also take on the responsibility of helping students with AWS. Captains organize events, sessions, webinars, camps, labs, and so much more to support students! This not only helps you sharpen your technical skills but also helps you become a professional leader, connect with so many AWSome people, and get direct guidance from the AWS Advocacy Team. And who can forget the amazing AWS PERKS and SWAGS? You get perks like certification vouchers, resume reviews, invitations to monthly calls, and more!

If you ask me, I can definitely say that becoming an AWS Cloud Club Captain was one of the best things that happened to me in 2024. It not only helped me become more confident but also opened the doors to many opportunities. Unlike other ambassador programs where you constantly have to talk about the product, AWS Cloud Clubs are more about community and creating an inclusive space for students to explore the field of cloud computing.

A lot of students ask me how to become an AWS Cloud Captain. My only tip to them is to be honest and show the willingness to help the community. This program values a love for community—if you have that, this role is for you!

Because of my passion for community, I had the opportunity to organize AWS Student Community Day 2024 in Indore, which was the very first record-breaking SCD globally with 700+ attendees. It also became the biggest cloud festival Indore has ever seen. One thing I learned from this program is that despite all the odds, stress, and hurdles, if you have people who support and help you, you can achieve great things. Take a sneak peek at my pictures from AWS events with Jen Looper, Stephen Howell, Chirag Oswal, Ramneek Kalra and Sambit Bhattarai !

I didn’t intend to write this much but got carried away. If you still haven’t joined my community, what are you waiting for? Join now to learn about AWS and grab some amazing swag: https://www.meetup.com/aws-cloud-club-iips/

If you have any questions, suggestions, or just want to say hello, ping me on LinkedIn: RASHI DASHORE!
Until next time!

~ Rashi Dashore