And AWS will also provide cloud training to more than 80 percent of Kmart’s non-technical head office employees.

In total, 1,400 employees from Kmart and Target Australia are expected to complete the training before the end of December, in locations across Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, China, and India. This includes Kmart Group’s Managing Director, Ian Bailey who completed the training in September.

The skills guild and training program, which Kmart Group has dubbed SPARK, is designed to provide employees with the skills needed to innovate with cloud, artificial intelligence, and machine learning technology.

This training will enable staff to design, deploy, and operate infrastructure and applications on AWS, resulting in the faster delivery of solutions to ease and improve the customer experience.

SPARK will be delivered by AWS certified instructors in both online and classroom settings, with each employee able to access more than 20 hours of training.

Michael Fagan, Chief Technology Officer of Kmart Group said the company is shoring up its workforce skills to ensure it remains at the forefront of technology innovation in the retail sector.

“We are equipping our staff with the skills needed for the future. Our significant investment in training employees to innovate will be a game-changer as Kmart Group is set to become one of the world’s first major retailers to have all IT staff certified in cloud technologies.

“We are using new technology to increase efficiency and achieve scale, which was previously impossible. For example, we are now able to leverage AWS data platforms, including RedShift, to gain better and faster insights about our products and their demand across our network.”

Paul Migliorini, Managing Director for AWS in Australia and New Zealand, said: “Our customers tell us that a key driver of successful cloud adoption is creating a strong skills foundation to support its uptake internally. In launching the SPARK program to technical and non-technical employees, Kmart Group is enabling its team to continue to focus on innovating and delivering improved experiences for their customers.”

“Recent research by Deloitte Access Economics and AWS reported that employees’ proficiency in cloud skills was the biggest barrier to a successful transition to the public cloud, with 37 percent of Australian businesses listing it as their number one challenge to migrate.

“Kmart Group is tackling this challenge head-on by making cloud training and education accessible across different levels and departments within the organisation.”

Kmart Group joins other Australian businesses who have implemented an AWS Cloud Skills Guild style training program, including National Australia Bank (NAB), Insurance Australia Group (IAG), and Australia Post.