Have you ever wanted to attend AWS re:Inforce but quickly realize that there is no way you could ever possibly afford it on your junior engineer salary? Yeah, me too.
Luckily, AWS offers a program designed specifically for early career engineers like us. It's called the AWS Builders Welcome Grant, and if you’re ever been interested in attending re:Inforce (or re:Invent), then you need to know about this program.
The AWS Builders Welcome Grant (ABW) is designed to support engineers within their first five years in the industry, removing financial barriers that might otherwise prevent them from attending. It covers conference entry, airfare, and accommodations, making re:Inforce more accessible to those eager to learn, connect, and grow in the AWS security community.
So what exactly is the AWS All Builders Welcome Grant?
The All Builders Welcome Grant is aimed at builders in the first five years of their career in cloud technology. It provides a full conference pass to AWS re:Inforce 2025, airfare, and hotel accommodations for four nights in Philadelphia, the site of re:Inforce. Expenses like uber trips to/from the airport are also covered with a free uber voucher as well as a visa card for any incidental expenses incurred during the event.
Whilst at the conference, participants will have access to immersive learning, networking, and community-building opportunities, including reserved seating for keynotes, meetups, and special mentoring sessions with AWS experts. We also get a nifty badge and some cool ABW swag that lets everyone know we part of this amazing program.
In terms of the event, you will provided with support throughout, starting from the very moment you get accepted into the program. The amazing coordinators are always there to assist you with any questions or concerns you may have, and every participant gets a mentor who has previously attended the conference as part of the program and is there to support you. Whatsmore, you have an amazing ready-made group of friends from all over the world who are also coming as part of the program. In fact, prior to the event you'll be added to an ABW slack channel where you can chat with other participants, organize activities together and make plans to maximise your time at re:Inforce.
How do you know about the All Builders Welcome Grant?
Well, for starters, I have done the program. In fact last year, I was extremely lucky and actually got do the program not once but twice; attending both re:Inforce in June and re:Invent in December.
Living in Australia, there would absolutely no way I could possibly afford the cost of the flights, accomodation and entry to the conference (especially with the exchange rate as it is😬) so being accepted into this program was truly a dream come true. Even now, it it hard to put into words just how much being a part of this program has meant to me both personally and professionally. I will forever be grateful to AWS and the program organizers for making this dream a reality.
What did you get from going to re:Inforce?
Everyone’s journey is different, but for me, re:Inforce was a turning point in my career.
Before attending, I was a junior engineer with three years of experience, struggling to make the transition to a mid-level position. re:Inforce gave me the confidence to pursue that promotion, build industry connections, and become more involved in the AWS community. Through the event, I connected with an incredible network of industry professionals from all around the world.
Since attending, I’ve:
📈 Been promoted to a mid-level Software Engineer
🌟 Joined both the AWS Community Builders and New Voices programs
🎤 Presented at multiple AWS events
🚀 Joined an AI start-up venture
I credit much of this growth to my experience at re:Inforce—it pushed me to step up, get involved, and take my career to the next level.
What are the eligibility requirements?
The grant is available to people in the first five years of their career. It is open to individuals who would benefit from the learning, career growth, and community-building opportunities available at re:Inforce, specifically those who would be unable to attend otherwise because of financial reasons. It is open to anyone worldwide.
Unfortunately you can also only attend the conference once as part of the grants program. So if you attend one year as a re:Inforce grant recipient you can not apply to attend re:Inforce again the following year as part of the program, although you may be able to attend again as a program mentor.
For full eligibility requirements, see terms and conditions.
What happens if I have no industry experience?
No problem! You do not need any prior industry experience to qualify for this program. There are no minimum years of experience nor any specific qualifications required. There is also no requirement for you to have any AWS certifications. As long as you are within the first five years of your cloud technology journey and can demonstrate a passion for AWS and cloud security, you are welcome to apply.
When do Applications open?
Applications for re:Inforce open every year, around February/March. The exact date can vary so keep an eye out on the AWS website for when applications open.
Applications for the All Builders Welcome grant for re:Inforce 2025 are currently open now until April 11, 2025 at 5:00 PM EST. It is completely free to apply.
How do I Apply?
Visit the All Builders Welcome Application Page and select the link indicated below to be taken to the application form.
What are some tips to writing a good application?
The selection criteria for acceptance into the All Builders Welcome program is not public and, due to the thousands of applicants, no individual feedback on an application can be provided. However, I can offer some of my own thoughts on what I believe makes a good application. Please note, I am not involved in the selection process so these are just my own tips as to what I think makes a good application.
🧑💻 Tip 1: Make It Personal
Your application should reflect your unique story. The questions are designed to learn more about who you are, your career aspirations, the challenges you’ve faced, and how you’ve overcome them. Take the time to genuinely reflect on what this opportunity means to you and communicate that authentically.
✨ Tip 2: Keep Your Answers Concise and Focused
Before writing your responses, identify 2-3 key points that best represent you. This ensures your answers are clear, direct, and relevant to the question being asked. Avoid unnecessary fluff and just stick to what matters most.
🤖 Tip 3: Avoid Generic AI-Generated Responses
While tools like ChatGPT can produce polished responses, they lack the personal touch that makes an application stand out. Your story, experiences, and motivations are unique—let that come through in your own words.
🔒 Tip 4: Show Your Passion for AWS, Especially Security
Re:Inforce is a security conference so you should absolutely demonstrate an enthusiasm for AWS and cloud security. If you’ve engaged with the AWS community—whether through meetups, summits, AWS certifications, Community Builder, New Voices, or hands-on experience with AWS security services—highlight it! Showing an active interest in AWS and cloud technology can really strengthen your application.
What Happens After You Apply?
After you apply, you need to wait to receive notification about whether you were successful. You should receive an email within a month or so after applications close.
If you are successful, you will receive instructions about how to book flights, accomodation and entry to conference. You will also be added to the All Builders Welcome slack channel with the other successful participants. You will be told who your mentor is and they will be available on the slack channel to assist you in preparing for the event. Please note, acquiring a visa to the US, if required, is the responsibility of the participant and should be done in a timely manner so you don't risk missing out.
The full cost of flights, accomodation and entry to the conference is borne by AWS. You do not need to pay anything at any point throughout the process. The only expenses you pay are the ones outside of the event (for example if you choose to book additional nights at the hotel after the event or go out and do some shopping).
What happens if I don't get in?
This program attracts thousands of applicants every year, so please don’t be discouraged if you get rejected, just apply again. I actually got rejected the first time I applied, so getting rejected once doesn’t mean you should just give up. It’s all about persistence and growth.
The great thing is, you can continue to apply as long as you meet the eligibility requirements.
Is there an All Builders Welcome grant for re:Invent?
Yes, the All Builders Welcome program also offers grants to attend re:Invent. Similar to re:Inforce, it covers flights, accomodation and entry to the conference and has a similar application process. The program operates in much the same way with eligibility open to anyone worldwide within their first five year of their career.
The application for the All Builders Welcome grant to re:Invent will open later in the year, around September-October with the conference being held in December in Las Vegas. The form will be posted on the website. Keep an eye on the AWS re:Invent page to be informed on when applications open.
Important Note: If you attend re:Inforce as an ABW grant recipient, you can still apply for an ABW grant to re:Invent. However, recipients cannot receive the grant for the same event twice under this program.
I am not sure I am eligible, should I apply?
Even if you are not sure, you should still apply anyway. You have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain.
As Michael Jordan famously said, "You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take."
Opportunities like this don’t come around often, so take the leap—you might just surprise yourself! 🚀
