Cloud Jobs Look Skyward, But Skills Gap Is Growing

Source: Wanted Analytics

While the nation’s employment picture has been looking up in recent months, jobs in the cloud are looking positively skyward, according to the talent intelligence firm Wanted Analytics. However, a skills gap is also on the rise.

More than 5,000 cloud computing job ads were posted online in the U.S. in February, with hiring demand for cloud skills up 92% versus February 2011 and 400% compared with the same time in 2010, Wanted Analytics reported last week. But with demand for cloud skills growing so quickly, the gap between demand and talent supply is making it harder to source candidates, the firm said.

[Update: Cloud skills most in demand outlined below.]

The most in-demand folks with cloud skills: More than 3,400 of the ads during February were for tech talent, including Software Engineers, Systems Engineers, and Network Administrators. But they’re not the only folks seeing a healthy market for cloud chops.

Although cloud knowledge is most commonly required of Computer Specialists, technology jobs only account for two-thirds of cloud computing hiring demand during February. Other fields that increasingly require this experience include Marketing Managers, Sales Managers, Management Analysts, and Financial Analysts.

There’s one big catch with the trend, and that is if you do not live in the San Francisco Bay Area:

Cloud computing skills are most frequently advertised for jobs located in the San Jose metropolitan area. During February, more than 900 job ads in San Jose included requirements for cloud computing, growing 144% over the past year. Other metro areas with high demand for cloud skills were Seattle, Washington (DC), San Francisco, and New York. While employers in San Jose placed the highest number of job ads for this talent pool, the highest year-over-year growth was seen nearby in San Francisco at more than 150%.

Given the rapid growth in demand, recruiters in San Francisco are experiencing the most challenging recruiting conditions, with job ads running online for an average of 8 weeks, the firm said.

Wanted Analytics’ Carolyn Menz highlights the most in-demand “cloud computing” skills and technology, which include:

  1. Oracle Java
  2. Linux
  3. Structured Query Language (SQL)
  4. UNIX
  5. Software as a Service (SaaS)
  6. Python Extensible Programming Language
  7. Practical Extraction and Reporting Language (Perl)
  8. Extensible Markup Language (XML)
  9. Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)
  10. JavaScript (JS)

Many employers also require certifications, Mentz notes.  The most commonly requested certifications include:

  1. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
  2. Project Management Professional (PMP)
  3. Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)
  4. Cisco Network Associate (CCNA)
  5. VMWare Certified Professional (VCP)
  6. Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
  7. Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP)
  8. Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP)
  9. Information Security Penetration Testing Professional (ISP)
  10. Cisco CCIE Voice (CCIE)

Weigh in on these numbers: Are you seeing the cloud as a jobs engine where you live? Do you have the right skills, and how do you plan to get them if not?

Homepage photo: karindalziel/Flickr

View comments