Continuous upskilling of people, process, and technology is the way to win and retain talent, according to the Upskilling IT 2023 Report
The annual DevOps Institute Upskilling IT 2023 Report found that an integrated and prioritized upskilling strategy, with relevant learning and time to upskill, fuels skills development, ensuring organizations and teams remain current and competitive.
LONDON, April 25, 2023 – Member of PeopleCert, the DevOps Institute, a global learning community that empowers IT professionals, released its annual "Upskilling IT 2023 Report," supported by Platinum Sponsor Rancher by SUSE, and supporter sponsor, Keysight. In its fifth consecutive year, the report examines upskilling and recruiting trends across IT organizations of all sizes worldwide.
"To remain competitive, IT leaders and individuals must prioritize skills development, with continuous upskilling across people, process, and technology," said Marc Halcrow, COO of DevOps Institute.
"Transformations, shifts in workforce demographics, and hybrid workforce models will continue to change and challenge IT and the rest of the organization. It is essential to develop a comprehensive upskilling strategy that covers not only tech-based competencies but also those related to processes and people," said Eveline Oehrlich, DevOps Institute's Chief Research Officer, led the research and data analysis for the Upskilling IT 2023 Report.
The report also identifies must-have IT skill capabilities and existing skill gaps, providing actionable guidance on upskilling and reskilling. Forty-one percent of research respondents indicated that DevOps/DevSecOps knowledge is a must-have process framework skill, yet this is where the most significant skills gaps exist (37%).
The research uncovers a lack of time (44%) or budget (40%) as top barriers to upskilling, followed by a lack of priority from leadership (30%), a lack of content in topic or depth (29%), and an emphasis on hiring instead of upskilling or reskilling (22%).
Nineteen percent of survey respondents admitted to being dissatisfied with their company's upskilling program, while 25% are neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, 33% are satisfied, and 22% are very satisfied.
Respondents also indicated that the top must-have technical skills involve container orchestration, security/cybersecurity, and cloud computing platforms. DevOps Engineers represent the most in-demand professionals, with 30% of respondents planning to recruit for this role. Additional in-demand job roles include Software Engineers (26%) and Automation Architects tied with design thinking roles (22%).
The research also uncovered changes in specific practices, technical topics, and IT automation considerations.
Kyle Rome, Center of Excellence Director at SUSE, said, "SUSE is a proud sponsor
of the Upskilling IT 2023 Report. At SUSE, we fully acknowledge the value of understanding the top skills and must-have capabilities in the modern-day DevOps landscape."
The two key areas that remain constant are the need to focus on human and leadership skills with the same intent as technical skills, which will be the key driver of adaptability and competitive advantage.
The report is available for download at devopsinstitute.com/upskilling-it.