How Will Cloud Computing Affect IT?

While many people fear that the cloud will take away the number of Information Technology jobs, a more nuanced review of the facts suggests that cloud computing will actually create IT jobs and offer up a more growth-oriented future for those with file system and database management skills. With so much need for the cloud among businesses of all sizes, the current worry felt by those in IT departments is unfounded.

Here are some of the ways that cloud computing will strengthen IT.

Skills Needed in the Cloud

Since cloud providers perform system maintenance, monitoring and troubleshooting, there will be less need for IT providers to do this, except at businesses with in-house servers. This may lead to a decrease in the number of entry-level IT jobs; however, IT employees with demonstrated experience will find an increased need in leadership roles.

In particular, project management, business analysis, data management, security and infrastructure skills will be in high demand. Cloud skills are in high demand among employers, with a 61 percent increase per year in hiring demand for cloud-aware IT professionals. IT workers who have not gained cloud experience should boost their skills to take advantage of the future growth in IT positions. The cloud isn’t the only trend driving IT job growth, however: Data skills will be increasingly valued as big data continues to grow.

The Changing Face of IT

Experts forecast that new types of jobs will arise because of cloud computing: Not only managerial positions drawing on skills needed in the cloud, but compliance specialists, departmental liaisons, cloud developers, cloud administrators and integration experts. Since both cloud vendors and private companies need workers with these skills, IT professionals may have twice as many job options as they do at present. Additionally, cloud vendors need workers to perform their server maintenance, data management, monitoring and upgrading, so traditional IT skills will continue to be in demand in the cloud environment.

Some businesses may downsize or transition away from in-house IT, particularly small- to medium-sized businesses with low IT needs. However, these businesses were not large employers of IT professionals, mostly, so this won’t have much effect on the growth in IT positions elsewhere. Large companies with specialized software applications and compliance requirements that mandate privacy will continue to maintain in-house IT departments to perform traditional and cloud-based tasks. In-house IT departments will reorganize, going back to a service-oriented structure. While this may feel like an unexpected shift for some IT workers, this is actually the way the profession began and isn’t something to fear.

While the cloud is certainly poised to bring changes to IT, these changes can be good for IT professionals, businesses and workplace productivity. Get ahead of the changing landscape and ensure your future growth potential by embracing the shift in skills, gaining demonstrated cloud skills and carving out a niche for yourself in one of the in-demand areas. If approached correctly, the cloud can actually be a career changer for IT professionals and can strengthen the health of IT departments as a whole.

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