I’ve got some exciting news to share. I’ve been accepted onto the AWS New Voices 2026 program, and I’m honestly a bit over the moon about it.
If you haven’t heard of it, AWS New Voices is a speaker development program run by Amazon Web Services. It’s designed to help people grow their public speaking skills, get comfortable on stage (or in front of a camera), and share their knowledge with the wider tech community. Places are competitive, they had a huge number of applications this year so getting the acceptance notice was a genuine surprise and a real confidence boost.
What the Program Actually Involves
Over five weekly sessions, participants develop as public speakers with the help of AWS and Grundei Coaching, a dedicated coaching platform that hosts the sessions and program materials. It’s not just theory either, to graduate, you have to:
- Attend all 5 weekly sessions
- Deliver a public-facing talk
- Publish an article reflecting on the experience on AWS Builder Center
That last two points are what really drew me in. It’s one thing to sit in workshops and nod along, it’s another to actually get up and deliver something real. This program clearly means business, and I like that.
Why I Applied
This might surprise some people who know me — I’m not exactly shy when it comes to getting in front of a room. But it’s something I know I can do better, and I’ve sat watching others speak and thought: I want to be that good.
As the leader of the AWS London Well-Architected User Group, I regularly speak, present, and engage with the AWS community. I also organise and curate the Cambridge Customer Success Community, which means I’m often the one hosting events, setting the agenda, and keeping things moving from the front of the room.
So why apply to a speaker development program? Because there’s a difference between doing something regularly and doing it really well. The more I speak and present, the more I notice the gaps, the moments where I could have landed a point more cleanly, held the room more effectively, or structured a talk to have a greater impact. I’ve got the experience; what I want now is the craft.
AWS New Voices felt like the right structured opportunity to be genuinely coached and challenged, rather than just continuing to learn through trial and error.
What’s Next
What this space as the 2026 program gets going over the next few months. More updates to follow as the journey unfolds.