New Data Shows Job Growth in Cloud Computing
May 31, 2012
Research from Wanted Analytics shows significant job growth in the cloud computing sector. The figures show that more than 12,000 jobs were advertised online, which represent a 49% increase over the previous year. And the increase is even more striking compared to the job ads in this sector two years ago: A striking 275% increase over April 2010. The Wanted Analytics statistics reinforce the growing importance of the cloud to midsize and other businesses.
Digging deeper into the stats, it seems that many companies are looking for the right people to design and manage their cloud business interface. Businesses are seeking new hires for positions such as webspace cloud computing engineer, systems engineer, software engineer, network engineer, and Java developer…
Technical Knowledge
Even for other jobs advertised outside the IT department, people needed to have knowledge of cloud applications. These jobs included marketing managers, operations managers, sales representatives, and management or market research analysts. This suggests that companies are also looking to integrate cloud applications into their sales and marketing mix and use them to streamline operations and relationships with customers. One fact that supports this is that many of the jobs require applicants to know Salesforce CRM. There is also an identified need for knowledge of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), general cloud computing, and specific programming languages and applications such as Oracle Java, Linux, Unix, VMWare, SQL, and Perl.
High-Demand Areas
The statistics also show where the demand is highest for employees with these qualifications. San Jose had the highest demand and experienced a 94% increase over 2011, with 1,700 jobs advertised online. Other high-demand areas included San Francisco, Seattle, New York, and Washington, D.C. However, this does not match up with the availability of potential employees with the right skill set. For that, the data shows that employers need to look further afield. Wanted Analytics’ Hiring Scale shows that Poughkeepsie, NY; Harrisburg, PA; and Sarasota, FL are the best places to find professionals in the cloud space. However, the talent goes fast in those areas, with jobs posted for about five weeks before positions are filled. In comparison, in high-demand Seattle, job ads may be online for more than seven weeks due to the competitive market.
These figures signal an impending increase in the take-up of cloud services within midsize and other businesses as owners wake up to the significant benefits of the cloud. But it also raises a red flag for hiring managers who will have to deal with more competition for staff with the right technical qualifications in a fast-growing and ever-evolving marketplace.