By Stephanie Benoit-Kurtz, lead area faculty chair for cybersecurity programs at University of Phoenix Las Vegas Campus and director of cybersecurity at Stations Casinos in Las Vegas.
Server rooms once abuzz with the critical data needed to operate safely in the digital age are emptying as enterprises adopt cloud-based solutions. But this doesn’t mean jobs in IT are also disappearing. In fact, the need for qualified professionals to set up and manage cloud solutions is increasing, and is one of the main factors driving the high demand for computer and information technology workers anticipated between 2018 and 2028.
As the industry continues to grow, new and experienced IT professionals alike must focus on obtaining and refining skill sets based on the latest trends and information. As an employer, you want to ensure you are: 1) hiring workers with skills that allow them to hit the ground running within your organization, and 2) also providing your existing IT staff with the skills they need to make the transition to safe and efficient cloud services. In the end, a cloud-first data strategy—and supporting the employees who make it happen—will help keep your business current and help avoid disruption in your organization’s storage operations.
In response to expected growth and feedback from employers and industry experts, University of Phoenix launched a new Cloud Computing Certificate on July 1 designed to help fill skills gaps for novice learners and cross-train experts to become more proficient in Amazon Web Services (AWS) architecture, development and systems operations. The cloud computing courses can be taken as a one-off, as part of a certificate program or as part of a degree program, giving working professionals a chance to leverage this additional training into a high-demand technology degree.
Students in the program learn how to understand Linux, cloud development and cloud operations, secure networks in the cloud and deploy cloud-based applications through AWS. Coursework is aligned to industry certification exams like the AWS Cloud Practitioner, Cloud Developer and SysOps Administrator. It is programs like this that provide the connected learning experience and flexibility necessary for organizations to skill up internal staff and start to close the cloud skills gap.
As we continue in the midst of the pandemic, companies may be experiencing disruption and complications related to staffing and processes impacting their cloud operations and strategies. Combine this with the estimate by global research and advisory company Gartner that nearly all legacy applications will be migrated to the cloud by 2024, and the need to close the skills gap sooner than later is even more pressing.
Some businesses may consider hiring an outside consulting firm contracted to perform these duties rather than educate those already within. But there is a benefit to hiring or training employees who are always on-hand to troubleshoot and problem solve. Nothing can replicate the understanding internal employees have of a company’s culture and needs. Furthermore, one of the most effective strategies internally to reduce turnover and increase capabilities is to grow and develop internal talent.
As a result, companies are seeking strategic learning partners to help upskill their existing IT workforce as well as seeking professionals newly trained in the field. Most organizations have little knowledge of how to internally develop in-house learning programs to educate and train IT talent, and that’s okay, as long as you have a plan to make it happen another way! The new Cloud Computing Certificate, for instance, provides new and experienced IT professionals with skills to help the growing number of enterprises deploy cloud solutions today and into the future.
For those looking for a new profession or a career change to an industry that is increasing in demand, you can’t go wrong looking into courses that align with industry-acknowledged certifications. And if you are an employer looking to support your internal talent, providing the opportunity to your employees to upskill through coursework and certifications is a benefit to both worker and organization. Providing support from within shows forward thinking, allows for proficiency and lets your employees know you valued them when they first set up those server rooms, and you value them now as they remain on the cutting edge of the latest technology.