IT Leaders Should Make Cloud Training a Top Priority

The COVID-19 pandemic has fast-tracked widespread adoption of remote work, as organizations worked to adapt to existing conditions.

Working remotely has become the norm, and many teams can opt to maintain this format from now on. This model has brought numerous challenges, making the cloud an excellent option.  Ignoring the cloud can make businesses lose their competitive edge.

The extreme growth of cloud server options has come with potential challenges in configuring and securing new client information correctly.

Setting up an efficient data protection strategy and comprehensive cloud security can be challenging. Without daily process improvement, MSPs may end up with security and reputation issues that may derail their growth initiatives.

‘Cloud-based servers and applications are here to stay, and MSPs need well-trained staff to make the most of these solutions.

Excellent foundational training and understanding of cloud products are essential for leveraging the diverse cloud options. Continuous improvement cycles for employees help to boost employee morale while improving their skillset.

Prioritizing cloud training shows employees that the leadership wants to help grow their career, enhancing their output. With consistent cloud training, employees also get the benefit of retaining staff with high-level certifications.

What are the key areas cloud training should cover?

According to Jorge Rojas of Tektonic, Inc, server virtualization in the cloud tops the list of crucial cloud training areas. He also believes that organizations should train their teams on Azure, AWS, and virtual desktops.

These are cloud areas that employees often interact with and need proper training to leverage.

Demetrius Cassidy, the founder, and president of In the Cloud Technologies, believes that cloud training should cover areas that employees commonly use.

“Employees working with Messaging or Voice applications can focus on Exchange or Team training while those working on identity, compliance, and security should go for relevant cloud security trainings,” he insists.

Purposeful training ensures that your staff can leverage those opportunities and enhance service delivery on their specific job requirements.

Cloud security training is also essential as it helps companies create a security-conscious culture to minimize cybersecurity incidents.

IT staff need training on efficient security options like multi-factor authentication to ensure that clients can scale their services without worrying about security challenges.

Compliance training is also essential to ensure that IT staff can help clients remain compliant with constantly changing industry standards and regulations.

Cloud technology has also simplified collaboration efforts as team members can support each other on different projects. Prioritizing collaboration training helps your staff share information and collaborate on projects with ease.

IT leaders also need to ensure that their staff is ready to guide clients through their cloud transformation strategies. With such skills, MSPs can help their clients set up servers with ease and share business-related information from any location at any time.

Cloud training can also extend to the different techniques used in public, private, and SaaS-based offerings. Such training ensures that staff can guide clients on the best solutions that match their specific requirements.

Staff will also be able to deploy either system, proving invaluable to clients from all walks of life.

Including cloud monitoring training can help your team handle client’s cloud networks and resolve client issues before they get out of hand.

What’s the best instruction approach?

On the best instruction approach, Demetrius believes that instructor-led training can yield excellent results.

However, he also points out that getting your staff’s views on their ideal instruction approach is the best way to go about it.

Organizations will find that some employees prefer classroom-based training while others would instead study on their own. In both cases, providing what works best for your staff will do the trick.

Practical instruction can also work well for your staff. MSPs can create data centers and sandbox servers that let staff train and simulate new setups before deploying them for eager clients.

Learning how to efficiently configure and secure a cloud network in a live setting provides good IT teams’ training.

A structured training approach can also help pass cloud information systematically to IT staff, encouraging high-content retention.

Should certification be a part of cloud training?

Experts believe that cloud certification would be ideal if things were normal. However, in the wake of the pandemic, training and offering real experiences supersedes the need for certification.

According to Ashu Singhal of Orion Networks, organizations that insist on certificates should be prudent in getting the right ones. Proper certifications can help track progress on the right path and help trainers know essential areas that need further focus.

Other industry experts like Demetrius Cassidy of In the Cloud Technologies believe that certification offers additional motivation to trainees.

In this case, your team members may want to show off their achievement and participate in the training with better enthusiasm.

Encouraging employees to study and pass some certifications every year can help IT leaders to build their in-house tech capacity. Certifications are incredible milestones to track progress on any training.

Matt Bullock of Accelera IT Solutions takes a similar position on certification. According to the Technical Sales VP, staff should strive to complete their NET+ and SEC+ certifications.

Such certifications ensure that IT staff can set up and secure client cloud environments with ease. Staff with these certifications can also troubleshoot faulty setups and configurations, offering practical resolution steps for clients.

Final Thoughts

Organizations looking to boost their competitive advantage in the prevailing times need to adopt cloud solutions. With cloud training, staff can make the most of their tech resources and increase their investment return.

As private, public, and hybrid cloud environments double in capacity every year, having adequately trained staff can help MSPs boost their competitive advantage and sets the perfect foundation for success.

While AWS cloud solutions have led the way for quite some time, Azure and other Microsoft’s cloud-native technologies are gaining ground. The Azure and Office ecosystem have a smoother transition thanks to their versatile ecosystems.

Organizations will have a slightly easy time transitioning to these cloud networks with proper training.  Educating IT teams on cloud solutions is the best approach as the reliance on cloud-based technologies keeps rising. 

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