The tech world is constantly evolving, and it’s changed a lot over the last couple of years. That means your business – and especially your tech teams – need to keep up or risk being left behind.
Whether you want to make a career move or you’re looking to sharpen your team’s edge, it’s important to upskill in the right areas.
It’s also important to choose the right learning resources. With Cloud Academy, you can earn certifications, learn more with hands-on labs, and get job role training.
From cloud computing to application development, here’s a breakdown of the five most sought-after tech roles and skills to level up in 2022 – and how to do it all from within your organization, plus resources to make it even easier.
Cloud Computing
Positions in cloud computing include cloud solutions engineers and cloud architects. People in these roles are vital to the creation, implementation, and maintenance of strategic cloud adoption plans.
Here are some qualities a great potential cloud computing pro may have:
Background: IT, networking, or engineering
Current skills: strong understanding of IT, networking, or engineering
Upskilling path: get administrative experience with today’s biggest cloud service providers (like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, and Cloud Architect), their products, configurations, and cost optimization; gain an understanding of the cloud landscape to accurately weigh the pros and cons of SaaS/IaaS/PaaS providers and guide your team’s cloud transitions long-term.
How to get started
- Cloud Computing Training Library
- Google Cloud Platform for Solution Architects
- Microsoft Azure for Solution Architects
- AWS Solutions Architect – Associate Certification Preparation for AWS
DevOps
Positions in DevOps include DevOps engineers. People in this role help manage the development, deployment, and operation of high-quality software by facilitating the exchange of information, shortening and amplifying feedback loops, and fostering a culture of strong cross-team collaboration.
DevOps isn’t new to the tech world, but its tools are constantly changing. Someone who’s itching to stay stimulated at work could be a great DevOps practitioner if they have this experience:
Background: software engineering, software project management
Current skills: soft interpersonal, tooling, project management, and technical skills
Upskilling path: become familiar with the concepts of source control continuous integration, and continuous delivery, as well as related tools and tech; gain an understanding of the mindset, frameworks, and processes of Agile methodology; get experience with Git
How to get started
- DevOps Engineer Starter Training
- DevOps Fundamentals
- DevOps Institute Certification Exam Preparation
- Moving to a DevOps Culture
Big Data and AI/ML
Positions in data science and data engineering include machine learning engineers, artificial intelligence architects, business intelligence engineers, natural language processing engineers, and data science engineers. People in these roles are essential for managing large quantities of data for artificial intelligence, machine learning, analytics, and other big data applications.
Someone may be a rockstar data scientist if they have the background and current skills listed below:
Background: computer science, software engineering, cognitive science, or business analysis
Current skills: strong data architecture, coding, math, and problem-solving skills
Upskilling path: get experience optimizing storage and handling big data in cloud environments; gain an understanding of the various potential data-handling solutions and their pros and cons, as well as configurations
How to get started
- Big Data Training Library
- Data Engineering Training Library
- Data Engineer Starter Training
- Machine Learning Training Library
- Machine Learning Engineer Fundamentals
Cybersecurity
Positions in cybersecurity include application security engineers, network administrators, and software engineers. People in these roles defend against cybersecurity threats by finding vulnerabilities in software and hardware, monitoring systems for attempted breaches or attacks, maintaining tools and tech, and developing security updates to keep businesses and information safe.
Cybersecurity may be a great fit for someone with this experience:
Background: computer science, information systems, or networking
Current skills: strong understanding of legacy and on-site security tools, like firewalls, antiviruses, and configuration management
Upskilling path: get experience creating and maintaining cloud-based data centers; build skills in operational automation with scripting and other cloud tools; earn certifications to maintain familiarity with industry standards
How to get started
- Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer Exam Preparation
- Security – Specialty Certification Preparation for AWS
- AZ-500 Exam Preparation: Microsoft Azure Security Technologies
- Preparation for the (ISC)2 CISSP Certification
- Certified Information Security Management Foundations
Application Development
Positions in application development include developers, software engineers, DevOps engineers, product managers, and software architects. People in these roles create beautiful designs, code, and build applications to drive business value –– which is especially important in today’s booming Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) environment.
Someone may be great in application development if they have these qualities:
Background: computer science, software development, IT, or software project management
Current skills: strong understanding of coding and software design, problem-solving skills, and project management skills
Upskilling path: gain an understanding of current cloud-based tools, containers, and microservices development; get experience building tools to create and automate modern DevOps processes; become familiar with collaborative tools (like Jira and Git)
How to get started
With the top tech skills and their learning paths in mind, you –– or your teams –– can stay ahead of the curve in 2022 and beyond. Ready to learn how you can get the most out of your upskilling efforts? Download our most recent deep-dive on future-proofing your organization’s tech skills.