With 72% of US companies struggling to find tech talent, now’s a good time to upskill for the cloud

You can find just about anything at Amazon. Why not training for the most in-demand tech skills of the future?

Unlike the Crocs and insulated steel tumblers featured on its ecommerce site, the cloud computing skills training offered by the multinational ecommerce conglomerate is free. The company made a commitment in December 2020 to upskill 29 million people worldwide by 2025, including through no-charge programs to help current and would-be technologists earn AWS Certifications.

AWS, aka Amazon Web Services, is the most popular major cloud service, used by Fortune 500 companies and government agencies and organizations alike, making related expertise a sought-after skill.

AWS partnered with Gallup to find out what US employers are looking for, and found that 72% of US businesses have a hard time finding workers with the digital skills they need, with 43% seeing to a shortage of qualified applicants. The study also found that 87% of US employers are using the cloud, with another 8% saying they plan to start using the cloud soon.

Training for career pivots

“The skills gap is real,” Jenni Troutman, director of products and services for AWS training and certification, told Technical.ly. “In nearly every single customer conversation, I hear that they can’t hire enough skilled talent with cloud computing knowledge to meet their needs. That’s important, because as the world becomes increasingly digital, more companies are relying on the cloud to help them innovate, scale and optimize costs.”

She points out: Yes, people do really get jobs through this training.

Rick Armstrong was a general manager in the restaurant industry for 25 years — then COVID-19 happened, and like many in the hospitality industry, he was laid off.

“I decided it was time to make a switch and chose cloud computing,” the Loudoun County, Virginia resident told Technical.ly. “Technology has always been an interest of mine and cloud computing is still new and growing with opportunities.”

Armstrong went through the AWS re/Start program in 2020, where he learned AWS, as well as networking, Linux operating systems and Python.

Today, he works as an AWS account manager for a large technology company, assisting end users and procurement with cloud migration and maintaining their current cloud environment.

Fighting the skills gap

Company leaders and technologists, you may have heard that you should be focusing on next-gen technologies like AI and AR/VR. Per the Amazon-Gallup report, that’s true: More than a third of the survey takers said they think it’s “extremely likely” those skills will “become a standard part of doing business in the future.”

These technologies, Troutman noted, rely on cloud computing. And it’s not all programming.

“Software developers and engineers specializing in AI or robotics will continue to be in high demand,” she said. “But it’s important to underscore that there is a wide universe of jobs that are related to technology that don’t require coding skills. For example, financial analysts may not be in technical roles but still need to have digital skills to a certain degree to services customers. Other roles, including marketing and sales, are increasingly benefitting from knowledge of cloud computing and specialized areas including AI to better engage prospect customers.”

Whatever upskilling path you choose, whether it’s a college, coding bootcamp, apprenticeship, AWS or something else, Troutman and Armstrong agree it takes research and commitment to make the right choice for you.

“My biggest piece of advice to people wanting to do this is not to wait or doubt yourself,” Armstrong said. “If it is what you want to do, commit to it and you will make it happen. For me, the experience was life changing.”