UPDATED 10:29 EDT / MARCH 09 2012

14 Million Jobs Precipitate from the Cloud by 2015 [Report]

Over the next three years, cloud computing will see massive growth, and along with this comes an explosion in labor demands. A Microsoft-commissioned study, in cooperation with analytics firm IDC, revealed that the cloud computing industry will potentially create an estimate of 14 million jobs globally by the year 2015.  Moreover, revenue is expected to reach $1.1 trillion annually with new ventures. This will be greatly influenced by businesses’ cloud adoption, investments around innovations and the proliferation of the right jobs.

In the official release, Microsoft Corporate VP of the Worldwide Enterprise and Partner Group, Susan Hauser briefly describes how cloud could be a pasture for jobseekers, saying, “the cloud is going to have a huge impact on job creation. It’s a transformative technology that will drive down costs, spur innovation, and open up new jobs and skillsets across the globe.”

14 Million Jobs

Between 2011 and 2015, cloud computing will provide a chance for people to end the economic turmoil streak, as this emerging industry is predicted to produce more or less 14 million jobs in its own backyard. Cloud-related careers will mount up squarely to organizations with 500 or fewer employees, and the bigger ones, too, with more than 500 employees. Over a third of cloud-enabled jobs will come about in the areas of communication, media, banking, finance and manufacturing conglomerates.

Chief Research Officer and SVP at IDC, John F. Gantz shares his insights on generation of employment opportunities as companies transition to cloud computing:

“For most organizations, cloud computing should be a no-brainer, given its ability to increase IT innovation and flexibility, lower capital costs, and help generate revenues that are multiples of spending. A common misperception is cloud computing is a job eliminator, but in truth it will be a job creator — a major one. And job growth will occur across continents and throughout organizations of all sizes because emerging markets, small cities and small businesses have the same access to cloud benefits as large enterprises or developed nations.”

Mapping Cloud Jobs

This report paints a smile on the ailing job market.  But before we celebrate, let’s find out where we can actually locate these many opportunities. A recent article mapped key cities in the United States and Canada where IT jobs are more likely to be found. India and China will be responsible for nearly half of new jobs in the cloud. Together, the two Asian powerhouses will create 6.8 million positions, while Northern America will enjoy 1.2 million new jobs. The United States was reportedly the biggest public IT cloud spender in 2011 accounting for 62% worldwide. The rise in cloud expenditures will be seen in more than 40 countries in the next few years.

Aside from increase in manpower requirements, the pace of growth was also part of the study. Findings unveil that odds are favoring public clouds to generate more jobs compared to private clouds.

Diverse Positions Will Open

It is all but natural to infer that cloud computing jobs will require solid IT skills. The mobile space has made several software and applications developers wealthy beyond imagination.  Creating apps for smartphones and tablets have bred nearly half a million jobs in the United States alone.  But, the good news is that workforce needs within the cloud industry will not just concentrate on hardcore IT skillsets. Critical corporate slots in marketing, sales, finance, administration, production, customer relations and service will have to be filled alongside the staple requirements of techies.


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