IT Skills and Salary Report – Cloud computing emerges top global tech area
Cloud platforms have been a swift and significant shift. Our annual IT Skills and Salary Report has documented the rapid rise and adoption of cloud platforms by IT departments.
Cloud computing is a relatively new phenomenon. It has only been a significant trend in the IT industry for the past four years.
To be more precise, the term “cloud”, has been mentioned 216 times in our IT Skills and Salary Report over the 11 years. 206 of those mentions occurred since 2015.
Survey respondents reported that some IT activities were being moved to the cloud in 2011 to increase efficiency and reduce costs. In 2013, seven percent were cloud computing-trained IT professionals. That number jumped to 30% the following year. Cloud computing was the most popular technology in terms of salary. IT professionals now expect to see more investment in this technology than any other technology.
Cloud computing has gone from relative infamy to the No. In just eight years, cloud computing has become the No. 1 area of interest in the world. It didn’t happen by accident.
Initial fears about moving to cloud computing were strong. The biggest was the fear that it would lead to downsizing. Cloud computing was initially viewed by many in the industry as a form outsourcing to companies such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google.
These fears were mostly dispelled by 2015 Although cloud computing had a significant impact on IT organizations, it was not as large as many expected. There were no large IT layoffs. Instead, new roles were created and existing employees were offered more opportunities to learn cloud-based skills.
Global Senior Portfolio Director Pete Vorenkamp oversees cloud computing at Global Knowledge. He says that the shift to cloud computing is causing old IT silos to collapse and enabling new, more collaborative and agile IT.
Vorenkamp stated that clients are beginning to understand that the old IT roles must be restructured into cloud-type roles. This often means wearing multiple hats and collaboration more.
While roles may have changed, few tech companies were forced into downsizing. 25% of respondents to the survey in 2015 said that an organizational shift towards cloud services resulted from the hiring of additional staff.
Despite the increased focus on training and securing cloud-ready professionals, there is still a shortage of qualified professionals. Management is desperate for cloud-ready employees. 29% of respondents currently report difficulty finding qualified candidates. This number is slightly higher than a year ago, and seven percent higher than 2016. This is a huge opportunity, even though IT departments are struggling around the world due to skills shortages.
Vorenkamp stated that organizations have not been able keep up partly because they are looking for talent outside. However, the truth is that we have a shortage in cloud-skilled IT resource resources. “This is why it is important to retrain existing in-house talent.
Cloud-trained IT professionals have the unique ability of filling gaps in organizations and are often highly paid. Cloud computing professionals are the second highest paid by function globally. The cloud salary is the highest in Canada and the U.S., at $1110,265, and surpasses cybersecurity ($100,650), and systems/enterprise architecture (92,402).
Cloud training is a hot commodity. Amazon Web Services offers cloud-based certifications which are growing in popularity and paying off financially. AWS Certified Developer- Associate is the third-highest-paying certification in 2018, while AWS Certified Solutions Engineer – Associate ranks fourth globally. The average AWS-certified IT staff salary in the United States and Canada is 30% higher than the norm.
Popularity of AWS certifications