As businesses are using cloud technologies to transform at a rapid pace, many recognize that their organization needs cloud expertise in order to achieve their goals. Yet research shows that 90 percent of IT decision-makers report cloud skills shortages in their workforce (Global Knowledge, 2018 IT Skills and Salary Report, 2018). Professionals with cloud architecture expertise in how to best plan, design, develop, migrate, and operate applications in the cloud are in high demand.

Early in my career at Amazon WebServices (AWS) I was one of the companys (and industrys) first Cloud SolutionsArchitects. Use of the cloud has grown considerably since then, ashave the number of services and features available to cloud builders. Now Ilead certificationand education programs where we offer individuals and organizations thetraining and skills validation to confidentlyimplement cloud initiatives. The role of cloud architect is in high demandand willcontinue to present endless opportunities for business growth and innovation.

What are the key skills requiredto be a successful cloud architect? Read on to learn the top skills thatemployers look forand professionals can buildto capitalize on the momentumand business potential of the cloud today.

Cloud architects are responsible for managing an organizations cloud computing architecture. They have in-depth knowledge of the architectural principles and services used to develop technical cloud strategy, assist with cloud migration efforts, review workload architectures, and provide guidance on how to address high-risk issues. To do this, cloud architects need a mix of business, technical, and people skills, as well as an understanding of the always-evolving technical training that may benefit their team.

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A cloudarchitect must be able to work in a wide variety of scenarios and be opento learning the unique requirements of each project. No two projects orcustomers will be the same, so continuously learning and a willingness toexperiment can help both beginning and seasoned cloud architects provide thebest guidance to their organization. An early start to any day might begin withresearching new services and features and tuning into trusted blogs anddiscussion boards. With a curious mindset, cloud architects can be betterequipped to seek out new approaches to problem solving.

Cloud architecture professionals must possess strong timemanagement skills. Their days are varied and can include customer meetings todiscuss problems and needs, as well as designing architectural frameworks forthose needs. There is no typical day: they could be in meetings, traveling toonsite meetings with a customer, writing scripts, working on migrations,keeping up with new features via online trainings, or troubleshooting. As such,cloud architects are mindful to plan their days, prioritize their time ontasks, and understand how to maximize small pockets of time.

There are many stakeholders and participants along the cloud journey, from those who pay the bill, to the security team, to the technical team, to those helping to make decisions about cloud vendors. Cloud architects are encouraged to ask for a seat at the decision-making table, and be prepared to communicate their design to any stakeholder. Successful cloud architects know how to communicate to audiences with little or no technical knowledge, while aligning their recommendations to business imperatives and the bottom-line.

Many times, the cloud architect will be the person who stakeholders turn tofor guidance for problems they are facing. The ability to provide firm, clearperspective with confidence provides both reassurance that the business is ingood hands, but also that thecloud solutions youve recommended are secure, resilient, cost-efficient, andmanaged with operational excellence. Decisiveness does not necessarily meandominant or overriding. Cloud architects can provide guidance from a calm,leading place of domain authority.

Of course, a cloud architect must also possess the necessary technical skills to serveas the foundation for cloud architecture planning and management, includingbasic programming, software development and continuous integration, continuousdeployment (CICD), database, networking and security skills, modern applicationarchitecture skills, and more.

Additionally, cloud architects can attain an industry-recognized certification, such as the new AWS Certified Solutions ArchitectAssociate certification, which validates the ability to design and deploy well-architected solutions on AWS that meet customer requirements.

Over the last ten years, I have seen cloud computing evolve from a relatively unknown technology to a leading driver of business results. While the technology has grown and changed significantly, most skills needed to succeed in its use have remained largely constant. By committing to understand how to use cloud to its full potentialand empowering the professionals who make that possiblewe can make the most of the tremendous opportunity cloud creates for businesses and employees to thrive.

Kevin Kelly is Director of Certification and Education Programs at Amazon Web Services (AWS), where he leads global education programs and the AWS Certification team, managing the development and delivery of AWS Certifications for foundational cloud knowledge, and roles such as developers, architects, and cloud operations, and in technical topics such as Machine Learning, Security, and Alexa skill-building.

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Top Skills a Cloud Architect Needs to Be Successful - Dice Insights