Addressing The Cloud Skills Shortage
In recent years, cloud technologies have moved from a useful capability to a near necessity. They’ve become industry standards for consumers, businesses, and organizations alike, which has greatly assisted and driven efforts such as digital transformation. The rise in dependance on these cloud technologies has increased accessibility, storage ability and flexibility for users and organizations, helping to significantly optimize critical processes and tasks – all while reducing downtime.
In response, professionals with cloud-specific skillsets have seen an increase in demand to help develop, implement, configure and maintain related applications and systems. This demand is not currently fulfilled in the marketplace.
The shortage of professionals with cloud experience has been attributed to the increase in average cost for hiring them, making cloud professionals some of the most expensive, hard-to-retain talent across the industry. As a result, there has been a significant push for organizations to reskill current employees who don’t already have cloud skillsets, and train new hires in a similar fashion.
Some organizations are leveraging their existing cloud professionals to train or mentor members of their workforce. Others require employees to maintain some form of cloud training or certificate accreditation as part of their employment agreements. The time and financial commitments required means this isn’t feasible for every company. So instead, those orgs look to partner with IT consulting firms to provide cloud expertise. This typically includes cloud development, architecture, security and engineering – along with assistance in employing related training and mentoring programs.
Why is there a Skills Shortage?
The shortage of cloud professionals skills is a concern for organizations across the world. The reliance on and transition to cloud technologies, and the related demand for cloud resources (such as developers, architects, security, engineers, etc.) was already on the rise pre-pandemic, but has skyrocketed since the onset of COVID-19. This increase sped up the adoption of remote and cloud-based experts for some organizations.
And it’s likely that usage of these technologies will only continue to rise. Today, over 90 percent of IT leaders plan to expand their cloud usage and overall environments. So the shortage of cloud professionals remains a persistent challenge.
Adoption of cloud technologies has provided more efficient and effective operations for organizations, which means addressing this cloud skills shortage is paramount to maintaining progress and remaining competitive.
How to Upskill, Reskill, and Even Train your Workforce
There’s a number of approaches for organizations to consider in addressing the shortage of cloud skills in the marketplace. Upskilling and reskilling current employees and new hires is certainly a strong option. But how can organizations execute this plan? Should they rely on senior professionals or cloud experts within their ranks to train their other employees? Should they invest in training courses? What about certification programs? How much of a time and financial commitment would this present – especially if technological resources must be diverted from other responsibilities to meet the additional challenge of training others?
To alleviate these burdens, organizations should consider partnering with IT consulting firms with applicable cloud expertise. They’ll likely be able to assist in a number of ways.
Certain IT consulting firms can help identify and provide the cloud professionals you seek through their proven IT staff augmentation practices. They’ll identify and ultimately secure appropriately skilled resources who can address your organization’s unique and specific needs.
Engaging individual consultants via staff augmentation allows you to specify a fixed duration for the services needed. It also alleviates the need to identify, hire and train cloud professionals on your own time, allowing already seasoned professionals with a track record to assist in these efforts.
Furthermore, to reskill and upskill your current workforce, IT consulting firms are able to provide talented trainers who specialize in educating workforces on cloud technologies, tools and related strategies. Instead of diverting work output and time of existing employees, you can supplement your workforce with the help of a trusted vendor who you can consider a partner. This can provide more versatility and efficiency for organizations with already stretched resources, and helps accomplish cloud-related goals and objectives faster.
Accomplishing Your Goals with Seneca Resources
Seneca Resources helps organizations by supplementing their teams with valuable resources, including cloud specialists, to accomplish their specific goals and objectives. With our help, our partners are able to develop, implement, configure and maintain their cloud related applications and environments, all while training their existing workforces to bolster their internal capabilities.
Seneca’s customers have consistently referred to the firm as a trusted partner, which is why 93% of organizations who work with us for the first time end up working with us again. Our proven method of delivering IT professionals and services has garnered Seneca Resources a reputation for delivering the highest quality IT consulting services in the industry.
Contact Us
If you’re interested in learning more about Seneca’s services, please contact us at (703) 390-9099 or info@senecahq.com