By
Ian Moyse, Workbooks.com Sales Director, Eurocloud UK Board Member and Cloud
Industry Forum Governance Board Member
What do I mean by this. Well people are not going out looking for cloud-based solutions (“I want some cloud”), instead they are looking for a solution to a real problem. Some users are unknowingly using a cloud-based solution (either in their business or personal lives) and are quickly seeing the benefits. Take for example Dropbox, a free tool for sharing (large) files across devices seamlessly, easily and from anywhere, where users adopt it from a need that it solves and not because of the technology factor behind it or because of any cloud hype.
Cloud computing is expected to enjoy an adoption rate and growth of
between 30 to 40 percent per year, every year for the next five years and its
promise of substantial benefits will drive this adoption. . A 2012 customer
study from Rise indicating that 94% of IT departments expect
to expand their use of cloud in the next 12 months.
“Enterprises
that embrace cloud computing reduce the amount of IT time and budget devoted to
legacy systems and routine upgrades, which then increases the time and budget
they have for more innovative projects. When IT innovation happens, business
innovation is reached, which then supports job creation.” IDC Chief Research
Officer John F. Gantz
The key benefits of cloud Include:
- Easier more flexible access in a world of
consumerisation and BYOD (Bring Your Own Device),
- Increased resilience,
- Easier migration/implementation,
- Simplicity of use,
- Consistency across platforms ,
- Reduced cost of both implementation and
on-going usage, and
- Innovation acceleration.
We still hear the downers on cloud – the news stories of gloom, fear and
disdain. It was not so long ago that Internet shopping was placed in the same
bucket, and yet this has become the norm and is continuing to enjoy compound
growth and affect the traditional bricks-and-mortar retail arena.
There is plenty of hype on the ‘cloud’ and certainly plenty of
discussion and content, and yet reports and audiences still show a need for
education on the terms, benefits and realities of this growing form
factor. Top concerns of businesses in
survey after survey on the cloud, continue to be security, data sovereignty and
reliability. In a recent end user
study from the Cloud Industry Forum 62% of companies using or
planning to use cloud indicated Data Security was their prime concern. When it
comes to individuals the top concern in the IT arena is job loss and reduction
of individual value.
There is no doubt cloud is bringing change. With the Internet and
technology, we have a generation of users demanding access to their
applications from their iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry or Android devices. We have
entered an era where infinite IT power and information is available to a user
on the smallest of devices, on the move and at an affordable price. As devices
get more powerful, the Internet faster, the demand and supply of cloud
applications will skyrocket and the power in the hands of the user will be
greater than we have ever delivered before. Expect the marriage between
mobility and the cloud to continue to grow.
So with this growth of cloud comes a change in skill requirements and
job opportunities. One of CRN’s top 10 cloud predictions for 2012 is a
growth in demand for cloud jobs as validated by an article in CIO magazine in early 2012. Cloud
computing is and will have a major impact on skills across business, with IT
being the most logically effected it will also impose itself onto roles in
marketing, support and business roles in general. The demand for cloud-based
skills already is showing signs of exploding. A recent report from Wanted Analytics,
reported that hiring for cloud computing expertise showed a growth of 61
percent year over year. The cloud market is growing at such a pace that the
number of job postings is accelerating and yet the talent qualifying for these
roles is marginal.
Cloud
isn’t all overcast and according to IDC ‘Spending on public and private cloud
services is predicted to generate almost 14 million jobs worldwide between 2011
and 2015. More than one-third of cloud-enabled jobs will occur in the
communications and media, banking, and discrete manufacturing industries.’ “For most organizations, cloud computing
should be a no-brainer, given its ability to increase IT innovation and
flexibility, lower capital costs, and help generate revenues that are multiples
of spending,” said John F. Gantz, chief research officer and senior vice
president at IDC. The top
three industries expected to generate the most jobs from cloud computing are communications
and media (2.4 million), banking (1.4 million) and discrete manufacturing
(1.3million).
Cloud offers opportunities for those that embrace the new form factor
and self-educate and certify themselves for the needs of employers today and
tomorrow. More education is needed in cloud across all sectors to enable
businesses to understand and utilize this important new technology to its
advantage.
CompTIA’s Cloud Essentials certification is an example option that enables employees of varying roles to
validate their cloud knowledge, take online training and exam condition
testing, and differentiate themselves in the competitive job market. John McGlinchey,Vice President, Europe & Middle
East, CompTIA commented “We have had a demand from the user market for a
training curriculum with testing to support this rapidly growing new form
factor. The demand and adoption is outstripping the skill base and it is key
that individuals and businesses recognise and address this shortfall, before it
becomes a serious issue for all concerned.”
More education is needed in cloud across all sectors to enable
businesses to understand and utilize this important new technology option to
its advantage and this need for understanding stretches past simply the border
of the IT department. Expect to see more cloud courses and exams providing the
market with the required validations in this new cloudy world. Ignoring cloud
is no longer an option, utilizing it to your advantage is!
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