A quick look at any employment-based social networking site is enough to tell that you cloud computing skills are more valuable to employers today than ever before. Some people have gone so far as to say that many companies are in crisis-mode since they can’t find people who have the skills they need. Many firms transitioned to cloud-based software deployment models without hiring sufficient numbers of people trained to maintain these kinds of environments.
If you’ve ever thought about starting a career in cloud computing, then now is the time. A few skills top the list of things employers are on the lookout for, so anyone who is looking to get into a training program will want to keep these in mind.
Skills Related to Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Browse through the classifieds section of any online tech publication and you’re likely to find a number of companies that are looking to hire an AWS solutions architect. Staffers who fill this role are expected to have an intimate understanding of the AWS platform as well as good design principles.
Responsibilities of cloud architects who fill these positions may include any of the following:
- Statistical analysis
- Data mining
- Distributed computing
- Web & UI design
- Software integration
- Middleware configuration
- Storage optimization
- Database maintenance
While this might sound like quite a bit for one person to take on, these staffers are quite valuable to the companies that hire them. This often means that those who start their cloud careers working as AWS architects can often expect raises relatively quickly.
Engineers have often promoted AWS as a platform that completely abstracts designers away from the underlying file system. While this is true to a point, professionals who already have experience maintaining services that link a kernel with user applications have skills that transition well to a career in this field.
Those who possess extensive training in this field may want to instead look at working for a firm that deploys Microsoft Azure technology.
Azure Continues to Gain Steam
You might have heard that Amazon launched a two-year cloud qualification that was supposed to be a sort of fast-track to working with AWS. While many people have taken these classes, others have found that their existing skills were more than enough to help them make it in an Amazon-powered world.
AWS uses a basic GNU/Linux image that an overwhelming majority of IT professionals could sit down and use without any additional training. If you already know how to configure a package repository, then you’re set. Naturally, Amazon’s qualification looks great to many employers though, so it’s still an attractive option for those who are in the middle of changing careers.
Microsoft Azure is where the real action is according to some people, however. Nearly 50 percent of the public cloud is taken up by AWS-based solutions, but Azure is growing fast. Microsoft offers additional documentation for ASP.NET MVC technology, which is becoming a popular platform for application development as well.
One reason that these classes haven’t become quite as popular yet is because of a certain reluctance on the part of students to associate with Windows Server technology. This is somewhat understandable, considering the fact that the Windows platform in general has developed something of a bad name for itself as far as security is concerned.
Azure Sphere technology, however, is based around open-source Unix-like code that should be much more familiar for those who have conventional development skills. On top of that, Microsoft now offers kits that can help newer coders experiment with the Azure Sphere environment.
Perhaps the best route is to get certified for both environments. There’s no reason that talented coders couldn’t breeze through both the AWS and Azure qualification programs in a short period of time.
Classes for both development platforms are designed to be as quick as possible anyway. Many people put themselves through both training programs in order to be ready for as many employment opportunities as possible. Amazon’s two year course might sound like a long time, but it really isn’t. Numerous individuals with PhD-level computer science degrees had to work for almost a decade to get where they are, yet few of them have the skills necessary to break into this field.
Getting Started in a New Cloud Career
Keep in mind that while these two platforms are dominant in the industry, they’re by no means the only major players. Google has recently entered into the public cloud sector as well, and companies are sure to start looking for people experienced with whatever technology they promote. Likewise, Canonical has entered the fray and is quickly becoming a major player in the IoT scene. Even IBM has a foothold after they took over Red Hat and sort of absorbed the codebase that became Fedora.
While this might sound confusing, the good news is that it means you have a career ahead of you no matter what kind of skills you currently have. Consider getting into an AWS class or some other similar training program, and then make sure you send out your applications. There are plenty of companies that need people like you right now.
