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New Zealand’s cloud and AI adoption is increasing and this is creating more opportunities for businesses to grow and innovate. The New Zealand technology sector is expected to grow by around $1 billion a year, which is testament to the rate with which new technology is being embraced.
That is why Microsoft announced that it will build the country’s first hyperscale data center region in Aotearoa – because it has been noticing for a long time that its cloud maturity has been growing and they have reached a tipping point where there is a clear business case, driven by demand, for locally hosted cloud services.
However, while the data centers will help put technology in the hands of businesses to enable and drive their own innovation journey, it also creates a need for more IT professionals with the right digital skills who can build and architect in an Azure environment.
Recent research from the NZ Tech Forum, MBIE and Microsoft, shows that companies spend less than 10% of their yearly budgets on upskilling staff. So, while technology is playing an increasingly important role in the way business is done, the truth is, the uptake of Azure by partners and customers as their preferred cloud product is outrunning the number of Azure trained IT professionals.
Plugging the skills gap
Microsoft is offering free Azure certification courses through its training partners Auldhouse and Ace starting in mid-March. Each course will deliver a tailored curriculum that will help developers and architects who are certified with other cloud providers, transition their skills and better understand an Azure environment. The courses are facilitated by specialised tutors who understand the offerings of different cloud providers, meaning they can help participants update their skills.
The aim of the free training is simple – to develop a digital skills pipeline that provides immediate support to meet current industry needs. But, at the same time, it will be setting New Zealand’s technology industry up for success in the future too.
This creates a clear opportunity for technology professionals to upskill to keep on top of a broad range of role-based certifications and what will likely be required for their careers and development.
Why become Azure certified?
Azure certifications are well recognised within the industry and will put professionals in a good position to make the most of current opportunities. Whether that is being ready and able to help with major migration projects as Microsoft complete the data center region, building applications in the cloud for some of New Zealand’s most well-known businesses, working across extensive partner network, or cutting your teeth in a small technology start up or independent software vendor to create the next big thing.
Carmen Vicelich, CEO and founder of local software vendor, Valocity Global, appreciates the significance of having her team Azure certified.
“Azure enables us to build fast into global markets without having to worry about scale issues or security, enabling us to build both complex integrated platforms as well as serve huge markets such as India,” Vicelich says.
“For our staff, maintaining ongoing certification and education is a critical aspect to ensure we are effective in guiding our clients and building our products in an environment that accelerates ongoing innovation and allows us to be the best at what we do.”
“It ensures every member of the development team is an expert in being able to make the best use of the technology available in the cloud. The result is we can focus on our software and not be concerned with different hosting environments or deployment technology.”
Upskill before the data centers arrive.
Upskilling the technology workforce will equip professionals with the skills needed to increase productivity, participate in the digital economy, create new ideas and innovate better in the cloud.
Based on conversations Microsoft has had with Azure customers and partners, it is clear that they want all the benefits of trusted, secure, compliant, and sustainable local services – however to make that possible, trained and certified professionals are needed.
The Azure certification course is open to those with Amazon Web Service (AWS) certification. If this is you, now is the time to upskill and be ready for opportunities know the market is crying out for. Sign up for a free Microsoft Azure certification course today.
