Cloud Computing Careers in the Forecast
The future of computing is in the cloud – but what exactly does that mean? The cloud is an all-encompassing term that implies a vast unseen presence with unlimited capacity to keep our files safe. It's that virtual place where we put our important documents, photos, music, and loads of personal business and financial records.
In reality it's much less mysterious. Cloud computing is simply a way to store data in a network of massive computer clusters far off in cyberspace. It takes the burden off your hard drive and lets you access your files and applications from anywhere in the world.
For personal storage, it's a secure space to put your important stuff in case of a computer meltdown. On a much larger scale, it's becoming an essential component of business. A growing number of corporations are migrating to the cloud as a way to save money and increase productivity, speed, security and performance.
Cloud computing offers myriad advantages along with career opportunities for anyone looking to jump into this burgeoning field, said Scott McKinley, Global Team Lead for AWS Academy, a program at Amazon Web Services (AWS), a worldwide provider of corporate cloud services. Reflecting the growing need for trained cloud professionals, UCI has joined AWS Academy to offer a program that prepares students for a future in the cloud IT workforce.
“Across many industries, the demand for cloud knowledge and skills exceeds the supply,” McKinley said. “Talent shortages are expected to have severe consequences for individual companies and the communities in which they operate. IT professionals with cloud skills are in high demand, and we're proud to help advance training and learning opportunities for students at UC Irvine.”
UCI joins AWS Academy
AWS Academy invests in higher education by providing higher education institutions with a ready-to-teach cloud curriculum and career development opportunities for educators. At UCI, AWS Academy is helping to bolster the global talent supply chain, building a bridge between the tech industry and UCI's Division of Continuing Education.
“We are proud to make AWS Academy curriculum available to our students,” said Stephane Muller, director of DCE business and technology programs. “Cloud computing is an emerging field globally, and the technical skills that students develop through this course will position them well to meet industry needs in next-generation technologies.”
Through AWS Academy, UCI is offering elective cloud courses as part of the Database Management certificate program, targeted for IT pros or anyone looking to break into this field. The AWS Academy program is also relevant to other DCE programs such as Full Stack Web Development, Java Programming, Data Science and more.
The educators who teach the AWS Academy Cloud Foundations course provides expert training on cloud concepts, core services, security, architecture and support available on AWS. The leading-edge curriculum prepares students for success in this essential field and helps prepare them to take the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam.
“With AWS Academy, students will be equipped with the practical skills they need to add value in their first cloud role,” McKinley added.
A career in the clouds
Looking to launch a career in this lucrative field? Insights from Logic Monitor's research reveals an estimated 83% of enterprises will be working in the cloud by the end of 2020,1 and Gartner a leading research and advisory firm projects the worldwide market will be more than $300 billion by 2021.2
Not incidentally, the annual salary for cloud professionals is over $140,000, according to most recent data available, with more than 100,000 open positions available worldwide in a broad range of IT areas.1
According to Indeed.com, senior software engineer is the most in-demand position for cloud specialists, followed by software architect, full stack developer, Java developer, data scientist, systems engineer and several others.
“According to 2019 LinkedIn data, cloud computing was the No. 1 hard skill companies need most,” McKinley said. “With AWS Academy, higher education institutions can equip students with the skills hiring managers value. Students will graduate with the training and experience they need to land high-quality jobs in one of the fastest-growing industries.”
Organizations in virtually every industry – from healthcare to retail, communications to finance – need trained professionals to capture and manage a growing tsunami of Big Data. And AWS Academy elective courses can round out a cutting-edge IT portfolio of the most in-demand data management skills.
“AWS Academy brings together higher education institutions, students, and industry leaders to address the cloud skills gap and meet the need for thousands of new cloud computing professionals,” McKinley said. “By offering AWS-authored courses and learning resources to educators, we are investing in higher education at large, supporting education and administrators as they prepare their students to join the 21st century workforce.”
Interested in launching a new career in cloud computing? Learn more about the Database Management Certificate Program.
1 Cloud Vision 2020: The Future of the Cloud Study
2 Gartner Forecasts Worldwide Public Cloud Revenue to Grow 17% in 2020