Cloud computing, big data and other disruptive technologies have been creating a demand among companies to hire tech professionals who have the necessary skills to help them take advantage of these technologies.  However, are there enough of these professionals in the first place?

According to an InformationWeek survey, close to three in every four companies with less than 1,000 employees reported finding a shortage of IT professionals to fill out IT-related vacancies.  That number rises to 88% for bigger companies.

This can have devastating consequences for companies with delayed or poor-quality IT projects. Not to mention a greater possibility of them missing out on revenues.  You simply cannot shrug off not having a competent IT person on your team that could help your operations run more efficiently.  As such, the demand for IT talent has shot up and more and more companies are sharing a very limited talent pool.

One unintended effect is that salaries go up for these unfilled IT posts.  All companies worth their salt need IT professionals, and a lot of them cannot seem to get the right people on board. So, to attract the skilled IT personnel they need, they have to increase their salary offers.  Even as more and more companies are open to training people to become software developers or network engineers, there is still that talent crunch.

Hope in cloud computing services

Things may seem bleak.  As mentioned earlier, new technologies are being introduced and that means businesses increasingly depend on technology to stay competitive.  That would further mean that the demand continues to rise, thus making the talent gap grow wider.

However, you can find hope in using cloud technology.  Cloud computing technology allows you to use data centers provided by Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and other cloud service providers.  That means that all your applications are browser-based and accessed via the Internet.  With cloud computing services, you no longer have to buy and maintain your own routers, firewalls, and servers.  Meaning, your network engineers will have fewer things to do.

When your business starts to migrate your systems and applications to the cloud, your need for IT help and support will be reduced.  As more and more companies do the same, the overall demand for IT professionals will lessen as IT support is transferred to the cloud solutions provider.  Businesses, then, would not have to hire their own teams for IT support, or hire significantly fewer people for IT.

That is not the only reason why organizations would find a reduced need for IT professionals when they use cloud services.  With cloud computing, you only need a browser and an Internet connection. IT system is drastically simplified that you would need fewer help desk employees. You also need fewer IT consultants because the cloud service provider does most of the heavy lifting.

On top of simplifying your IT, you will also be tapping into your employees’ skills.  Most of your employees already know how to use a browser, or troubleshoot Internet connection problems from using their own setup at home.  And because most cloud services are made for a wide audience, their providers have made sure that these are very easy to use, with little or no learning curve.

Security is also simplified.  Most cloud services are inherently secure, so there is no need for expensive IT security professionals or solutions.

Further, if you use a cloud server, you will also appreciate how easy it is to fix and deploy.  That means you have a reduced need for Linux and Windows server IT specialists.

Cloud computing benefits for companies

This does not mean that you would no longer need IT professionals.  On the contrary, when you are reliant on cloud services, you will need somebody who can make sure that your network and Internet connectivity are up to speed.  It does, however, simplify your IT needs and reduce the demand for specialists.  Hence, the lower the demand for IT professionals in the long run.

The change will not be instantaneous and it will take a long time, but gradually, using cloud computing technologies will help solve the talent gap in the IT field.

What about the IT professionals?

With more talent in the pool and lower salaries, this is good news for businesses that can now finally find the right person for the job without having to stretch their budgets thin.  But to the IT professional, it might mean having more difficulty in finding a job in the future or they might have to settle for a lower paying job.

On the contrary, IT professionals can take charge and update their skill sets to include cloud solutions.  They can upgrade their skills to match the skills needed for cloud computing.  The demand for tech support and helpdesk tasks are going to be reduced and future IT jobs would focus more on making enterprises even more efficient using technology.  That would include matching cloud technology with whatever your enterprise requires, creating business strategies that rely on technology and streamlining activities and processes.

In the future, there will be fewer companies needing specialists and tech personnel in the traditional sense, but there will be a marked increase in those who can use technology to help their organizations grow.  And in the center of this change is cloud computing.  Great talents will always have a job, which is a tried and tested maxim in the corporate world.

Four Cornerstone can help!

Four Cornerstone can help you adopt any cloud computing technology to help simplify your IT systems and reduce your need for more IT personnel. You can also trust us for any IT support that you might need.  From training to consulting, Four Cornerstone has the expertise, the know-how and the experience to make IT work for you.

Find out more about how we could help.  Call us at 1 (817) 377-1144 or fill out our short quote form and we will be in touch to help with your requirements.

Photo courtesy of wistechcolleges.