When it comes to the success of any digitisation project, there is one key factor that cannot be overstated: skilled people. It’s talent that ensures an organisation can correctly engineer its cloud implementation to deliver the agility and performance it expects. It’s skills that ensure infrastructure is architected properly, that security is embedded and that optimisation is on track.

Unfortunately, this talent is an increasingly rare resource.

In a recent paper by 451 Research, one of the key findings was how the skills gap is affecting the way companies approach their hybrid cloud implementations, and how not having the skills needed has become a roadblock to implementation and digital transformation.

This sentiment is echoed in a recent survey undertaken by Udacity, whose Talent Transformation Global Impact Report found that 59% of employers believe a lack of skilled employees is set to impact the business while 60% feel that not having enough skilled people is stalling digital transformation. The skills challenge has become a threat, moving from a concern to an alarm. It’s impeding the move to digital and an organisation’s competitive advantage.

Organisations are finding that the lack of skills is directly impacting on the quality of cloud transformation and the value they get from their digital transformation journeys. As more and more organisations move from traditional on-premises solutions to the cloud, including hybrid and public cloud solutions, the skills issue becomes even more pronounced. Talent is required to ensure that the organisation is capable of leveraging cloud-native applications and platforms, and that transformation will move the business and its data into hyperscale environments.

They are also struggling to bridge the gap between the traditional and the new. How do they stay competitive, how do they make the move, how do they optimise their digital potential when they don’t have the people to do it?

Complexity

This situation is further complicated by the fact that technology itself is constantly evolving, introducing new solutions that demand new skillsets to implement. Machine learning, artificial intelligence, the internet of things, automation, security – these may be in every conversation but they’re not on every CV. They require complex skillsets, experience and expertise, and there is no one course or training platform that incorporates them all in one.

In short: it’s time to plug the gaps. And the first gap that must be plugged is in-house training, mentoring, certifications and experience. This is where organisations focus on internal resources. They assess where the gaps are, then provide tools, training and opportunities for employees to refine their skills and abilities. This is critical for every organisation. It not only ensures that there is a growing talent pool within the walls of the business but also engenders loyalty from employees who feel the value of the company’s investment. And it saves money – skilled people are expensive to find and recruit.

For training to be effective, it must become a part of a corporate culture where ongoing learning is expected and appreciated. This involves creating skills development spaces and opportunities that are accessible, and providing talented people with clear career routes and the chance to refine their skillsets to align with what the business really needs.

Partnering

Another invaluable approach is to partner with leading technology service providers that have expertise and talent across multiple layers of the technology stack. This is a sentiment echoed in the 451 Research report, which states “Companies should look for service provider partners capable of addressing their needs before they arise.” In the short term, this approach can bolster the organisation as it embarks on its cloud journey, mitigating the risk of poor talent infrastructure from the outset. It will also simplify cloud migration and adoption as a skilled third-party team can help the business navigate its cloud investments in the “right now”, while ensuring that these investments are relevant in the future.

While the skills gap is a “today problem”, organisations can build sustainable pathways to the future with consistent internal resource development, training programmes and embedding a culture of learning within the business. While focusing on internal resource management, they can then leverage third-party service providers to fill the gaps and provide the organisation with the talent it needs to move forward with its digital transformation plans.

As the organisation moves forward into a digital-first future, it can bolster its talent programmes with incentives and opportunities that allow both people and the company to innovate and thrive.

For more information visit www.dimensiondata.com.

The author, Jeteesh Khusal, is head of cloud offer management and consulting at Dimension Data
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