What is the AWS skills gap, and what does it mean for you?
In recent years, AWS has become increasingly popular as a cloud platform. Amazon Web Services had an 80% share of the enterprise cloud adoption in 2022. The industry shows no signs of slowing down either, with the public cloud computing market is aimed to be worth $800 billion by 2025.
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As more and more businesses move to the cloud, there is a growing demand for AWS-skilled workers. However, there is a gap in AWS talent, meaning there are not enough people with the necessary skills to fill all of the available AWS jobs. This article discusses what has caused the gap in skills for AWS professionals and how to ensure that you remain marketable for your current and future career goals.
The Need for AWS Skills
AWS is a cloud platform that provides computing resources and services to a multitude of customers. AWS offers on-demand cloud computing platforms to individuals, companies, and governments; these services are available through a global network of data centres. AWS remains so popular because it is scalable, reliable, and secure. It is very cost-effective, meaning more and more businesses are moving to the cloud; as a result of this, there is a growing demand for AWS skills, which is growing faster than the supply of people with those skills.
The Impact of the Skills Gap
The skills gap in AWS can have several negative impacts on businesses and individuals. For businesses, the skills gap can lead to increased costs and delays in projects if they cannot obtain the talent that they need for the job. For individuals, the skills gap can mean fewer job opportunities and lower wages.
To ensure professionals improve their chances of securing employment when they enter the workforce, students today will need to be educated in the latest digital skills; the demand for cloud skills is expected to triple by 2025.
Reasons for the Skills Gap in Amazon Web Services
Pandemic increased demand
The pandemic has been hard on a lot of industries, but benefitted a few. One industry that saw a rapid increase in the amount of demand during the pandemic is Amazon Web Services. The pandemic forced a lot of businesses to move their operations online; this includes everything from video conferencing to e-commerce Unsurprisingly, this sudden increase in demand for online services has put a strain on traditional IT infrastructure, which is where AWS comes in.
(Source, GeekWire)
AWS is Constantly Evolving
Another reason why there’s such a big demand for AWS skills is that AWS is constantly evolving. New features and services are added on a regular basis, and existing features are regularly updated. This means that there’s always something new to learn, which keeps things interesting for both experienced users and those just starting out. It also means that there’s a constant need for people with up-to-date AWS skills, which further fuels the demand.
AWS is Popular with Businesses of All Sizes
One of the reasons why there’s such a big demand for AWS skills is that AWS is popular with businesses of all sizes. Small businesses use AWS to run their websites and apps, while larger businesses use it to power their data-heavy workloads. In fact, some of the world’s biggest companies, including Netflix and Airbnb, rely on AWS to run their businesses. As more and more businesses move to the cloud, the demand for AWS skills will only continue to grow.
How to Ensure you Stay in Demand
Get Certified
Becoming certified is a beneficial move for anyone in the AWS industry. By becoming an Amazon Certified Solutions Architect or an Amazon Certified Developer, you’ll be able to demonstrate your expertise in AWS and show employers that you’re serious about your career. There are many benefits to getting certified, including higher salaries and bonuses, more job opportunities and better job satisfaction. For more information on becoming certified in AWS, check out our blog here.
Stay up to Date on New Features and Services
AWS is constantly adding new features and services, so it's important to stay up-to-date on what's new. Not only will this make you more valuable to employers, but it will also help you to keep your certification current. You can stay up to date by reading AWS blogs and white papers, attending conferences and meetings, and taking advantage of free training sources. Amazon recently pledged to help 29 million people around the world grow their tech skills by 2025 with free cloud computing skills training.
Specialise in specific areas
While it's important to have a broad understanding of AWS, you'll be more valuable to employers if you specialise in a specific area. This could be anything from big data and analytics to security or DevOps. By specialising in one area, you'll become an expert in that field and be able to command a higher salary. Employers will also be more likely to trust you with sensitive data or complex projects if they know that you have extensive experience working with that technology.
How can Discoverer International help?
Fortunately, there are companies such as Discoverer International that can help you and your skill set remain in demand and attractive to employers. Discoverer International specialise in niche technology recruitment for industries such as NetSuite, Oracle and AWS. In addition to offering consulting services, Discoverer International can open doors to a variety of training courses to help take you to an Authorized Amazon Instructor (AAI).
Bridge the AWS skills gap with Discoverer International today; contact us to set up a discovery call to begin your journey of discovery.