5 Reasons Businesses Will Scramble To Find Cloud-Savvy Workers

Enterprises Will Need Cloud-Trained Workers

As more businesses move to the cloud, their need for workers possessing cloud-related skills will grow. According to a Microsoft-commissioned IDC report on 600 businesses, 7 million jobs worldwide, the major portion of all IT job growth, will be cloud-related through 2015.

Businesses, however, are scrambling to find cloud-savvy workers. "Nearly every IT organization is seeking some type of cloud-enabling capability -- virtualization, performance monitoring, service management, provisioning, performance optimization or automation -- yet IT hiring managers report that the biggest reason they fail to fill open requisitions for cloud-related IT jobs is the candidates' lack of sufficient experience, training or certification," the IDC report said. "Simply put, the workforce isn't ready."

Continue on and see how the cloud will influence job growth.

1. IT Job Growth Chugs Along

The average growth rate for U.S. IT jobs between 2011 and 2015 will be between 1.1 percent and 2.7 yearly, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Worldwide, the number of total IT positions will grow at 4.3 percent yearly, amounting to 29 million jobs in 2015.

2. Cloud Will Drive Job Growth

Enterprises will add 7 million cloud-related jobs, a growth rate of 26 percent of such jobs worldwide by 2015, IDC said.

3. Expect Worldwide Cloud Growth

By the end of 2015, 2.7 million cloud-related jobs will be located in North America, with 1.4 million similar positions in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and 2.3 million jobs in the Asia/Pacific region.

4. New Skill Sets Needed

Workers will need proficiency in a wide range of skills to work in a cloud environment where organizations need to emphasize the integration of business activities and supporting technologies.

"IT managers who are hiring for cloud-related jobs find that understanding the relationship between cloud computing and other activities, such as service management, business continuity, and even the business value of the cloud, is as important as understanding the specific technologies being leveraged," the IDC report said.

The chart at left shows what cloud competencies are most valued by businesses.

5. Cloud Jobs Breakdown

From Web management to application development, and from help desk to program management, cloud-related jobs will grow across the board. As they look to hire workers to fill these positions, companies will need help both from third parties such as solution providers and through internal training.

"When building or acquiring new skill sets, employers most often rely on a trusted third party to properly prepare a candidate," the IDC report said. "Sometimes that third party is another enterprise, a competitor, a supplier, or even a client. However, early adopters rely on training and, in some cases, certification of candidates to be assured of relevant competence and sufficient capability."