How these 2 tech execs are pursuing their ideals at AWS

One tends to meet all sorts of people in the workforce: While some are happy to simply clock in and clock out, doing what they need to but nothing more, there are also people who see their work as something personally fulfilling and find a sense of purpose from giving their all in their chosen path.

Photo credit: AWS

However, the latter is sometimes easier said than done – after all, there’s only so many jobs out there that can tick all your personal boxes – but it’s also a path that many feel is worth pursuing.

After all, there’s the saying that if you enjoy what you do, you’ll never have to work a day in your life.

It’s a quote that will likely resonate with tech professionals Amba Rethinam and Melissa Partridge. After several years working in the cloud services space, an opportunity arose for them to dive further into what they wanted while continuing to grow at Amazon Web Services (AWS), and they jumped at the chance.

“AWS has always demonstrated a proactive approach toward promoting internal movement and actively encourages it, which is why I felt that it was the right thing to make a career switch and align it with my personal focus on sustainability,” says Amba.

Professional fulfillment and personal values

An electrical engineer in Singapore with more than 14 years of tech industry experience, exploring new avenues in the energy and sustainability space was something that Amba always strived to do.

“As the world undergoes an energy transition to combat climate change, my goal is to actively contribute to this space while also delivering value to our customers,” says Amba, now a clean energy strategy lead at AWS.

Amba Rethinam, clean energy strategy lead at AWS, together with his family / Photo credit: AWS

As for Partridge – who has had a career of over 20 years and previously led a support engineering team in New Zealand – she was looking for greater opportunities in a role “wherein I could delve deeper into optimizing operating efficiencies and become a part of a larger effort toward a sustainable future in the tech industry.”

“My motivation to change was driven by the opportunity to grow and develop my career within a global organization,” she adds.

A serendipitous opportunity

For both Amba and Partridge, the opportunity came along when AWS’ representatives reached out to inform them of new openings. In Amba’s case, it was also a reflection of the firm’s culture of openness and transparency when it comes to available roles.

For Partridge, it was a chance to become an operations manager, but heeding the call would come with huge sacrifice – she was already leading an engineering division and in the process of being mentored for a director role.

Ultimately, she felt that it was an opportunity that was too good to pass up.

Melissa Partridge, an operations manager at AWS / Photo credit: AWS

“I believed that my skill set in establishing and growing high-performing teams would be highly valuable and that I could make a much more meaningful difference,” she explains.

As for Amba, he was leading a team of eight members as an AWS facility manager. The position he was aiming for, clean energy strategy lead, would be his chance to not only grow further in a global organization, but also line up his work with his personal ideals.

“I wanted to be in a role that encourages innovation and demonstrates strong commitments to reducing carbon emissions,” he says.

While the interview process was thorough, extensive, and intense, it was a rewarding experience for both candidates. Partridge, in particular, felt that it was unique and robust, unlike any she had encountered in her years in the industry.

“I felt respected for my opinion, valued, and truly welcomed each and every time,” she says.

“The interviews were quite an experience, but if you’ve done the right things in your career, you won’t struggle with a response,” Amba concurs. He adds that the process allowed him to demonstrate his alignment with AWS’ leadership principles, as well as his core values and commitment to sustainability.

Bridging the gap

After successfully completing the interview process, Amba and Partridge were all set to start on their new journeys. With both of them already having relevant background experience in IT, it would be easy to think that the transition would be a breeze. But in reality, it came with its fair share of challenges.

In his previous roles, Amba usually focused on the operational side of things. However, his new position required much more strategic thinking, which meant that he had to learn how to approach technical issues and justify solutions from a business-oriented perspective.

Photo credit: AWS

“It was a significant shift coming from the operations world, where the focus is more on day-to-day tasks and near-term planning,” he says.

He counts himself lucky to have been supported and mentored by the North, Central, and South America energy team, who helped him develop the necessary skills and judgment for his new role.

“I had plenty of questions, but Amazonians happily offered their support. Most importantly, I learned the culture of stepping in to assist,” Amba adds.

Meanwhile, Partridge’s shift to an operations manager role was the opposite of Amba’s journey – though it was no less difficult. She had tons of technical processes and mechanisms to pick up.

Despite feeling “overwhelmed” by the influx of new information, going through the three-month technical hire onboarding program gave her valuable insights into the company’s products and services. This, along with the support from her onboarding buddy and mentor, helped her quickly adapt to her new environment.

“I was quickly introduced to a whole new world of applications that I’d never used before,” she says. “Initially, it was tiring to process so much information every day, but anything that pushes you out of your comfort zone means you’re growing and learning, and that’s something I value heavily.”

Thriving at AWS

Now that they’ve settled into their roles, each AWS employee is finding joy in fulfilling their passions in their own unique way.

Amba keeps himself engaged with the rapid developments in the climate change sector, and he’s eager to work on impactful projects that contribute to the tech industry’s greater sustainability efforts.

“I entered the data center industry purely by accident, and my career path has brought me to a place where I can influence significant change on a large scale,” he says. “Looking back, I am glad I took the plunge.”

Partridge finds her drive in the trust she earns from building relationships and being a reliable co-worker who makes a difference.

Photo credit: AWS

“Being able to work with like-minded individuals is extremely motivating,” she says.

Looking ahead, both employees see promising futures.

“I’m happy and eager to continue developing myself to help AWS deliver impactful goals,” says Amba.

Partridge says that as a woman in the tech industry, getting to where she is now has been “a hard and long journey,” so she’s excited to see what comes next.

“Now I’m in a place where I’m able to freely share my true self, and it’s basically only day one for me.

“I’m really looking forward to the next 12 months, because who knows what I’ll be doing then? The possibilities are endless.”

Amazon Web Services provides world-leading cloud technologies that help any organization and any individual build solutions to transform industries, communities, and lives for the better.

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This content was produced by Tech in Asia Studios, which connects brands with Asia’s tech community. Learn more about partnering with Tech in Asia Studios.