Last week I published “Mind The Cloud Skills Gap.” I didn’t end that declaration with an exclamation mark, but really, that’s what I feel: excitement! Why? 1) It’s my first Forrester report and 2) The report covers a topic that many clients are asking about: What do we do when we want to build a cloud team but there isn’t the talent to fill it, particularly if we can’t compete on salary?

This report discusses this pressing issue and outlines various methods companies have taken to build out their skills team. Here are a few pointers to get you primed for this report:

  • Don’t skip the intro and go straight to the end. Yes, I’m sure many of you are well aware of why there is a skills gap in cloud. For those that are, I recommend that you still read this part. Why? Because it’s important to know the issue so that we can effect change and help develop a business case for the follow-on actions. Besides low salaries driving competition, there’s also the issue that many technical recruiters don’t know how to look for cloud talent beyond the requisite AWS or Azure certification on the resume and that many universities lack formal cloud training programs. Change in these areas requires massive momentum but, when implemented, can make a huge difference to the entire cloud industry in terms of hireable resources.
  • Do find the examples under the bullets. Yes, Forrester reports are designed for skimming ease, especially through bullets. However, the detail and practical advice outlined by your peers sits in the follow-on text. I promise it will be worth your time. If your company is hurting for cloud talent, this report outlines the methods on how to fill that gap. Beyond just finding individuals and convincing them to take certification courses, this report also recommends low-stakes testing or working with innovation labs to onboard and speed along training. One of my favorite pieces of advice: Use immersion studios such as Accenture’s Liquid Studios or KPMG’s Ignition Center for a fully immersive team training.

That’s it for now. Find a quick 30 minutes to dive into this report, and tell me what you think.

Enjoy!