As enterprises continue to adopt cloud technology at scale, the IT skills gap — particularly around public cloud platforms — poses a persistent challenge for hiring managers and CIOs alike. Finding qualified individuals for cloud projects remains difficult, and the gap between available talent and open positions shows little sign of narrowing.
“Many firms are having trouble finding qualified individuals for their cloud projects.”
James Stanger, Senior Director of Product Development, CompTIA
Cloud Continues to Drive IT Hiring
Cloud computing has become one of the most significant forces shaping IT recruitment. According to a survey by Robert Half Technology (an IT staffing firm), cloud skills were cited as the second largest driver of technology hiring demand at 24%, trailing only digital marketing skills at 25%. John Reed, Senior Executive Director at Robert Half Technology, noted that “cloud projects are near the top of CIOs’ priority lists.”
Despite strong interest from businesses, open cloud positions remain difficult to fill. Dice.com, a high-tech job board, reported more than 11,000 job listings mentioning cloud computing on any given day — an increase of approximately 7% year-over-year from 2016 figures.
A CompTIA survey conducted around the same period found that 46% of firms believed the skills gap was growing. The primary reason cited: 96% of workers were seen as lacking advanced cloud skills. Cloud infrastructure and applications ranked third on the list of most in-demand expertise at 57%, only narrowly behind artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, which tied for the top position.
The Shift from Generic to Specialized Cloud Skills
While demand for general cloud computing knowledge remains strong — including cloud architects who can align cloud strategy with existing infrastructure — organizations are increasingly seeking professionals with skills specific to individual cloud providers and platforms.
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
As the leading public cloud provider by market share, AWS-specific expertise is among the most sought-after skill sets in the industry. Indeed.com listed more than 25,000 unfilled U.S. positions related to AWS at the time of the original report. AWS offers a structured training and certification program covering four primary tracks:
- Architecting — designing scalable, resilient systems on AWS
- Development — building and deploying cloud-native applications
- Operations — managing and operating AWS environments
- Specialty skills — advanced topics such as big data, machine learning, and security
Microsoft Azure
Microsoft Azure has seen rapid growth in job postings, with Dice.com reporting a 40% year-over-year increase in Azure-related listings. Microsoft has developed a broad training and certification portfolio for IT professionals targeting Azure roles, including free introductory courses and certifications spanning machine learning, Linux administration, and cloud architecture.
Cloud Foundry Skills: High Demand, High Compensation
Beyond the major hyperscalers, open source platforms such as Cloud Foundry represent another area of growing demand. Cloud Foundry is a free, multi-cloud application platform as a service (PaaS) designed to support cloud-native application development across multiple infrastructure providers.
According to Dice.com’s annual tech salary survey (referenced in the original 2017 report), IT professionals with Cloud Foundry skills earned an average of $124,038 per year, placing Cloud Foundry among the third highest-paid IT skill sets surveyed.
The Cloud Foundry Foundation responded to market demand by launching a formal training and certification program. By June 2017, more than 5,000 developers had completed the program and earned the Cloud Foundry Certified Developer designation. The certification exam covered the following topic areas:
- Cloud Foundry basics and core concepts
- Cloud-native architectural principles
- Troubleshooting applications on Cloud Foundry
- Cloud-native application security
- Working with services in Cloud Foundry
- Application lifecycle management on Cloud Foundry
- Container management within Cloud Foundry
- Modifying simple Java, Node.js, and Ruby applications
Training was offered through a range of authorized providers, including Biarca, Capgemini, Cognizant, Dell EMC, IBM, Innovivi, the Linux Foundation, Pivotal, and SAP.
What This Means for IT Professionals and Organizations
The cloud skills gap creates both a challenge and an opportunity. For organizations, the shortage means longer hiring cycles, higher compensation expectations, and a stronger case for investing in internal training programs. For IT professionals, cloud expertise — whether generic or platform-specific — remains one of the most reliable paths to career advancement and competitive salaries.
Professionals looking to differentiate themselves should consider pursuing recognized certifications from AWS, Microsoft, Google Cloud, or the Cloud Foundry Foundation, and should focus on building hands-on experience in areas such as cloud architecture, DevOps pipelines, and container orchestration — skills that consistently appear at the top of employer wish lists.
Note: This article is based on industry data and survey findings reported circa mid-2017. Cloud market dynamics, salary figures, and certification program details have evolved significantly since publication. Readers should consult current sources for up-to-date statistics.