Bridging the IT/Cloud Skills Gap

The significance of information technology in driving the success of companies is expanding rapidly. In today’s digital age, organizations heavily rely on technology to enhance productivity, streamline operations, and gain a competitive edge. However, many organizations face challenges in achieving the desired level of technology utilization and staff skill proficiency, falling short of their intended objectives. We wanted to understand what our professional network considered the most prevalent IT skills gap and polled our community for their insights.

What is the top IT skills gap in your organization?
• Cybersecurity 32%
• AI and Machine Learning 30%
• Big Data & Analytics 23%
• Cloud Computing 15%

The poll uncovered that 32% of respondents identified cybersecurity as the top IT skills gap in their organizations. Cyber threats have become a significant concern for businesses of all sizes. It is no longer a challenge exclusive to large corporations; small and medium-sized enterprises are also vulnerable targets. As a result, businesses of all sizes have begun to recognize the criticality of cybersecurity and proactively develop strategies to mitigate risks. Cybersecurity breaches can result in severe financial and reputational damage, making it imperative for organizations to prioritize cybersecurity measures. By investing in robust cloud-based security frameworks, implementing secure practices, and conducting regular assessments, businesses can protect themselves from cyber threats.

Unsurprisingly the poll highlights a significant skills gap of 30% in the domain of AI and machine learning. These technologies hold immense potential to revolutionize various industries. From healthcare and finance to manufacturing and retail, organizations are leveraging AI and machine learning algorithms to automate tasks, work faster and smarter, analyze vast amounts of data, and generate predictive and actionable insights. As organizations strive to stay competitive in the digital age, the adoption of AI and machine learning continues to grow, making it an essential area for organizations to bridge the skills gap and harness the full potential of these technologies.

The poll also reveals a notable skills gap in the area of big data analytics (23%). Data analytics has evolved from being a specialized function to becoming a necessity for every department across businesses of all sizes. Whether it’s a small startup or a large corporation, organizations are recognizing the power of data in driving growth, scalability, and informed decision-making. By leveraging data analytics, businesses are able to uncover valuable insights, identify patterns and trends, and make data-driven decisions. From marketing and sales to operations and finance, each department can benefit from harnessing the potential of data analytics.

Surprisingly, the poll results show that cloud computing is perceived as the least significant IT skills gap (15%) among the options provided. This could be attributed to the increased adoption of cloud technologies by organizations as part of their digital transformation initiatives and the hiring already accomplished in this area. Over the past decade, cloud computing has evolved from being a buzzword to a mainstream technology that organizations rely on for enhanced scalability, flexibility, and cost-efficiency. As a result, the number of skilled professionals with cloud computing expertise has steadily increased, reducing the skills gap. However, it is important to note that this does not mean there is no skills gap in cloud computing. With the rapid advancement of cloud technologies and the ever-growing demand for cloud-based solutions, organizations still need professionals who possess in-depth knowledge and expertise in cloud architecture, deployment, security, and optimization.

Without a strong foundation in cloud computing, organizations may struggle to effectively adopt and leverage emerging technologies which explains why cloud computing spend continues to rapidly grow worldwide. Recent data shows that Q1 2023 enterprise spending on cloud infrastructure services exceeded $63 billion worldwide, up by well over $10 billion from Q1 2022. Having established itself as an early leader in the market for cloud infrastructure, Amazon Web Services (AWS)’ market share in the worldwide cloud infrastructure market amounted to 32% in the first quarter of 2023, maintaining its long-standing market share band of 32-34%.

As organizations strive to bridge the IT skills gap, it becomes crucial to tap into qualified cloud talent to support the necessary infrastructure that enables innovation. With Amazon Web Services (AWS) re/Start, our goal is to address the skills gap for AWS/cloud resources by expanding an inclusive pipeline of job-ready AWS-certified cloud talent.

AWS re/Start is a cohort-based workforce development training program designed to prepare diverse individuals for cloud-based careers and connect them with potential employers. With AWS re/Start, Stage 4 Solutions works to connect and help place US-based, job-ready, AWS Cloud Practitioner-certified graduates across our nationwide base of clients. To learn more, please check out our AWS re/Start services page.