How Managed Services Help Close the Growing Cloud Skills Gap

It’s no secret that cloud computing skills are in high demand — in fact, demand continues to outstrip supply by a significant margin. As organizations adopt more cloud technologies to modernize their IT infrastructure, they face increasing challenges in finding qualified individuals who can effectively manage, deploy, secure and optimize cloud-based solutions.

A whopping 98 percent of IT decision-makers say they’re experiencing cloud skills gaps that are negatively impacting their organizations, according to a new SoftwareOne survey. Respondents report the lack of cloud skills is causing digital transformation projects to fall behind by an average of five months, with one-third expecting a significant hit to their financial objectives as a result.

“The cloud skills gap has reached a crisis level in many organizations,” writes Gartner analyst Lydia Leong. “Organizational timelines for cloud adoption, cloud migration and cloud maturity are being impacted by the inability to hire and retain the people with the necessary qualifications.”

Why the Gap Exists

Several factors contribute to the cloud skills shortage:

• The widespread adoption of cloud services across all industry sectors has intensified the demand for professionals who can architect, implement and manage cloud environments. This surge in demand has outpaced the growth of the skilled workforce.
  
  
• The fast-paced evolution of cloud technologies leads to a constant need for updated skills. Developers, engineers, architects, security professionals, DevOps team members and more must continually learn and master new technologies. Many struggle to keep up with the latest developments, contributing to a widening gap in relevant expertise.
  
  
• Diverse cloud platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) require specific skill sets. Finding professionals well-versed in all of the major cloud environments is a tall order.
  
  
• Cloud computing involves intricate configurations, security measures and optimization strategies. A variety of studies have found that the rapid deployment and provisioning of cloud technology has led to sharp rises in misconfigurations and other human errors.
  
  
• The lack of comprehensive university, college or vocational education programs for cloud computing poses a significant challenge. Cloud computing is a dynamic and continually evolving discipline, making it difficult to maintain an up-to-date curriculum. As a result, individuals seeking cloud computing expertise often resort to self-directed learning.

Bridge the Gap with Managed Services

These conditions are leading more organizations to work with IT solutions providers to address the shortage of in-house expertise. Best-in-class providers offer on-demand access to essential cloud skills and knowledge that can be difficult to find in the open market. They can assist with various aspects of cloud management, including hybrid cloud and multi-cloud environments, migration, cost management, performance optimization, security and compliance.

Leading providers such as Technologent boast teams of professionals with a wealth of knowledge across all major cloud platforms. They also are deeply familiar with key technologies such as containerization, orchestration, continuous integration, automation, DevOps and more. Providers can also help train in-house staff to help them stay abreast of evolving cloud best practices.

Respondents to the SoftwareOne survey overwhelmingly agree that managed services are key to cloud success in the short term. Some 93 percent said investing in managed services will be a priority in the next 12 months. Respondents also claimed that investing in managed services could increase productivity globally by as much as 156 percent.

Technologent has a deep bench of cloud architects, developers, engineers and administrators with the skill sets necessary to optimize, manage and maintain your cloud operations. In addition, we can automate many tasks to ensure consistent, measurable and repeatable results. Contact us to set up a complimentary consultation.