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As cloud computing continues transforming the research landscape, IT professionals and researchers must stay ahead of the curve with training and professional development courses.
The CLASS Advanced program from Internet2 — a two-week intensive program explicitly designed to empower the research and higher education (R&E) community with cutting-edge cloud skills — helps fill the training gap for researchers and institutions alike.
What makes CLASS Advanced truly useful is its focus on real-world applications. Participants will learn the theory and engage in hands-on labs, collaborative projects, and discussions that mirror the challenges researchers face today.
After six CLASS Advanced cohorts, we collected feedback from former participants on what they found most valuable about the program.
Here are five takeaways from previous attendees on what makes CLASS Advanced a real game-changer for people in R&E looking to deepen their expertise in multi-cloud environments and implement scalable, secure, and cost-effective research solutions:
1. Vendor-neutral, Research-Focused Training
Unlike typical cloud training focusing on a single provider, CLASS Advanced covers AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). This wide-ranging perspective is especially valuable in research settings, where flexibility and cross-platform integration are often critical.
Past participants have praised the program for its comprehensive approach and the immediate applicability of the skills learned.
“CLASS Advanced is a great immersion into understanding three of the top cloud providers. They are covered in detail, but it was nice to see the comparisons and contrasts between them,” said Barry Snyder, a senior systems monitoring administrator at Duke University and a CLASS Advanced Spring 2024 Cohort participant.
Participants gain a balanced understanding of each platform’s strengths and limitations, equipping them to make informed decisions about their cloud strategies.
Alumni from top institutions like Stanford University, Harvard University, and the University of California have all used their newfound expertise to drive cloud adoption on their campuses.
2. Hands-On Coursework for Practical Solutions
CLASS Advanced is not just about theory; it’s about applying what you learn to real-world scenarios.
“CLASS training offers students the opportunity to apply knowledge to solve real issues higher education institutions are trying to solve,” said John Cox, a senior cloud infrastructure specialist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Cox was a participant in the CLASS Advanced Spring 2023 Cohort.
Throughout the program, participants engage in hands-on labs, case studies, and collaborative projects that reflect their institutional challenges.
Whether configuring multi-cloud networks or deploying AI/ML pipelines, these practical exercises ensure that attendees can immediately apply their new skills to their daily work.
3. Collaborative Capstone Projects
All CLASS Advanced programs culminate in capstone projects where participants work in small groups to tackle complex cloud challenges.
These projects are designed to simulate real-world research scenarios. Teams of 5-6 CLASS attendees work together to develop reusable and open-source templates that the larger R&E audience can utilize.
Past projects have included deploying Jupyter Notebooks using Kubernetes and developing Infrastructure-as-Code templates with Terraform.
The collaborative nature of these projects also enhances learning and fosters a sense of community among students. Some participants from previous CLASS Advanced cohorts even continue to work together on projects that came out of the program.
4. Access to a Network of Cloud Experts
Upon completing the program, participants join the CLASS Advanced community — a network of research computing professionals dedicated to advancing cloud adoption in R&E.
This community offers ongoing access to exclusive webinars, early insights into new cloud services, and collaboration opportunities on research IT tools and playbooks.
Joining this network ensures that your learning and professional development continue long after the program ends.
5. Tailored for Experienced Cloud Users
CLASS Advanced is designed for IT professionals and researchers with a foundational understanding of cloud computing. The program targets those with at least one year of experience with public cloud services.
If you have worked on architecting or maintaining services on AWS, Azure, or GCP, the CLASS Advanced program will help you elevate your skills to the next level. The program focuses on advanced topics like multi-cloud architecture, security, and cost management.
If you are interested in participating in the next CLASS Advanced Cohort, sign up for our waitlist to be notified when the next cohort opens.
For more learning opportunities about cloud computing and other advanced research topics, visit the CLASS events calendar.