The cloud industry is reshaping the very fabric of how businesses function and compete. Its reach is extending exponentially and, in doing so, it is revolutionizing how organizations operate and store data. And this is all adding up to a fast-growing need for skilled individuals who possess the expertise to navigate the intricate landscapes of multiple cloud environments.
According to the Flexera State of the Cloud Report, a staggering 93% of enterprises have embraced a multi-cloud strategy. Not only does this evidence the widespread adoption of multiple cloud providers, but these statistics also highlight the growing trend of companies to utilize multiple cloud services to optimize their operations and gain a competitive edge.
So, if you are seriously considering a career in cloud technologies, then you have a lot to look forward to. And by gaining multi-cloud knowledge, your cloud career is going to fly.
What is multi-cloud expertise?
Before we dive into the skills and requirements, let’s quickly understand what multi-cloud expertise covers. Put simply, having multi-cloud expertise refers to knowledgeably working with multiple cloud service providers and effectively managing applications, infrastructure, and services across different cloud environments. It involves proficiently deploying, integrating, and managing resources across public, private, and hybrid clouds and multiple cloud service providers.
With that said, you may now be wondering why organizations are so inclined towards multi-cloud, and it’s a good question to ask.
Why are organizations moving to a multi-cloud scenario?
In the ever-evolving digital landscape, organizations are swiftly gravitating toward adopting a multi-cloud scenario, and they’ve got some compelling reasons to do so. Let’s explore the key factors that are driving organizations to embrace the power of multiple cloud providers:
Flexibility and vendor neutrality: Multi-cloud strategies allow businesses to select the best features and services from multiple providers, avoiding vendor lock-in. This flexibility enables organizations to tailor their cloud infrastructure to specific needs, optimize costs, and leverage the strengths of different cloud platforms.
Improved resilience and reliability: Multi-cloud environments provide redundancy and resilience by distributing workloads across multiple cloud providers. Critical business operations can seamlessly transition to alternate cloud resources in service disruption or outage, ensuring uninterrupted service delivery.
Enhanced performance and scalability: Multi-cloud architectures enable businesses to scale resources as needed, dynamically allocating workloads across multiple clouds to ensure optimal performance. Organizations can maximize computing power, storage capabilities, and network bandwidth by leveraging different providers’ strengths.
You can therefore see that by diversifying their cloud portfolio and leveraging the unique strengths of multiple providers, organizations are able to unlock a competitive edge and future-proof their digital operations. Now, therefore, for organizations to establish themselves in the multi-cloud scenario, they need professionals who are equipped with the necessary skills. Recruiters are always hunting for skilled individuals, creating a pool of opportunities for those who have the right skill set. So, what skills do you need to become a multi-cloud specialist? Let’s investigate.
What skills are needed to become a multi-cloud specialist?
To become a multi-cloud specialist, you need a blend of specific technical and human skills. One of the most flawed notions is that the only way to break into the cloud arena is via an IT degree, which is not true. While having a degree is preferable, it’s not a must-have, provided you acquire the relevant skills and experience.
Let’s first dive into the skills that you need to become a successful multi-cloud specialist.
Technical skills:
- Cloud fundamentals: You need a strong knowledge of cloud computing concepts, including infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS).
- Cloud platforms: Proficiency in popular cloud platforms like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and others is essential for becoming a multi-cloud specialist.
A good program to skill up from the fundamentals to a job-ready level is the TechMaster Certificate in Cloud Computing. It helps you get up to speed and provides you with valuable hands-on experience that you can talk about in interviews. Additionally, Microsoft Azure Certification Programs and the Google Cloud Architect Program are great skills builders too, particularly if you want to brush up your knowledge on specific cloud platforms.
- Automation and orchestration: You need to have familiarity with automation tools like Terraform, Ansible, or Kubernetes for managing cloud resources efficiently.
- Networking: Understanding cloud networking concepts, virtual private clouds (VPCs), security groups, load balancers, and VPN configurations is essential.
- Security: Knowledge of cloud security best practices, identity and access management, encryption, and compliance requirements are important.
Human skills:
- Analytical thinking: The ability to assess business requirements, identify suitable cloud solutions, and evaluate the benefits of multi-cloud strategies is core to the field.
- Adaptability: You need to be willing to learn and adapt to evolving cloud technologies and platforms as the industry progresses.
- Communication and collaboration: Effective communication skills to collaborate with cross-functional teams and stakeholders and translate technical concepts into business terms are also critical.
Now, how can these skills benefit your career?
How do you benefit in your career with multi-cloud expertise?
By acquiring multi-cloud expertise, you can position yourself as a valuable asset to organizations aiming to maximize the benefits of cloud technology and navigate the complexities of a multi-cloud environment.
If you’re looking to upskill yourself in the field of multi-cloud, you’ll have the advantage of expanded career opportunities, higher earning potential, flexibility, resilience, optimized performance, and enhanced security.
So, let’s explore the benefits of upskilling in multi-cloud a little further.
Expanded career opportunities: Multi-cloud expertise significantly expands your career opportunities within the rapidly evolving cloud industry. By acquiring multi-cloud skills, you position yourself as a valuable asset in the job market, with a wider range of potential employers and roles available to you.
Higher earning potential: Professionals with multi-cloud expertise often command higher salaries than those with a narrower skill set. This increased demand translates into competitive compensation packages, with average salaries for cloud engineers and architects in the USA ranging from $123,294 to $145,362 annually.
Design and implementation freedom: Multi-cloud expertise allows businesses to choose the best features and services from different cloud providers. By being proficient in multiple platforms such as AWS, Azure, and GCP, you can design and implement tailored solutions that align with specific business requirements rather than restrict yourself to one cloud service provider’s offerings.
Drive better performance: With multi-cloud expertise, you can leverage the strengths of different cloud platforms to optimize performance and scalability, and enable efficient resource allocation and optimal performance for applications and services. This makes you extremely useful to the organization.
Enhanced security and compliance understanding: Multi-cloud expertise includes a deep understanding of cloud security best practices. Professionals with multi-cloud knowledge can implement robust security measures across different cloud environments. This expertise includes managing access controls, encryption, and compliance requirements, all attractive skills to a business.
Career growth and future-proofing: Multi-cloud knowledge sets you up for a career with options to grow. It aligns with industry trends and the growing demand for cloud professionals. And it future-proofs your skillset by ensuring relevance in a dynamic cloud landscape.
Overall, multi-cloud expertise enriches your career by making you highly marketable, versatile, and adaptable. With the cloud industry’s continued growth and the increasing adoption of multi-cloud strategies, acquiring multi-cloud expertise is a valuable investment in your professional journey. But the question is, how can you build these skills?
Building the right skills for a multi-cloud career
To gain expertise as a multi-cloud specialist, acquiring the necessary skills and experience to become a valuable sought-after professional is crucial. But how do you do that? Of course, there’s no college degree that can equip you with the skills required to gain multi-cloud expertise. However, you can acquire the requisite skills via certification programs.
Online certification programs that are industry-recognized and provide hands-on practical experience can help you get started. For instance, if you’re just beginning to build your knowledge of multi-cloud or simply want to brush up on your understanding of specific cloud platforms, the Microsoft Azure Certification Program and Google Cloud Architect Program are good starting points. However, if you need to holistically build your multi-cloud knowledge from the fundamentals, the TechMaster Certificate in Cloud Computing is a great option.
Then, apart from certifications, you can also learn and keep up with industry trends by engaging with the cloud community. You can join cloud community forums, attend meetups, and participate in online communities. Networking with professionals in the field can provide valuable insights, guidance, and potential career opportunities. You share your knowledge and experiences with others, and you learn from their experiences as well.
Next steps
Embracing multi-cloud knowledge is an excellent career move if you want to thrive in cloud technology’s dynamic and promising field. So, if you’ve been planning to gain multi-cloud expertise, then now is definitely the time. With the help of the right certification programs, you can build a strong foundation and acquire the necessary skills to pursue a multi-cloud career. Remember, though, learning is a continuous process in the ever-evolving cloud landscape, so stay curious, embrace new technologies, and adapt to industry changes.
If you would like to know more about how you can build skills and get started as a cloud security professional, contact our Learner Support Team at [email protected]. They will be more than happy to guide you on the next steps you can take
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