--- title: "Cloud Skill Gap: the real barrier to innovation is expertise" description: "The cloud skills gap slows innovation: causes, impacts, and strategies for closing the talent divide and growing your business" image: https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/hubfs/Cloud%26Infrastructure_11.jpg --- [kireygroup.com](https://www.kireygroup.com/) [![](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/hubfs/item-2020-dicembre/logo-Blog-v2.svg)](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news) - [Ita](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/news/cloud-skill-gap-il-vero-limite-all-innovazione-sono-le-competenze?hsLang=it) - Eng - [Esp](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/es/news/cloud-skill-gap-el-verdadero-limite-a-la-innovacion-son-las-competencias?hsLang=es) [Kireygroup.com](https://www.kireygroup.com/) # Get your daily dose of tech! ## We Shape Your Knowledge # [Legacy modernization in banking: discover the true cost of legacy systems](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/legacy-modernization-in-banking-discover-the-true-cost-of-legacy-systems?hsLang=en) The banking sector is one of the world’s largest investors in digital transformation and innovation,... [Read more](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/legacy-modernization-in-banking-discover-the-true-cost-of-legacy-systems?hsLang=en) 10 MIN READ 22 September 2026 ### Latest News - [Legacy modernization in banking: discover the true cost of legacy systems](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/legacy-modernization-in-banking-discover-the-true-cost-of-legacy-systems?hsLang=en) - [Context Engineering, the art and science behind AI Agents](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/context-engineering-the-art-and-science-behind-ai-agents?hsLang=en) - [Agentic AI Governance: how to effectively manage AI that can act](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/agentic-ai-governance-how-to-effectively-manage-ai-that-can-act?hsLang=en) - [Autonomous SOC: reality, limitations, and prospects for AI-driven security](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/autonomous-soc-reality-limitations-and-prospects-for-ai-driven-security?hsLang=en) - [Data Virtualization, the pillar of data-driven companies: what it is and how it works](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/data-virtualization-the-pillar-of-data-driven-companies-what-it-is-and-how-it-works?hsLang=en) - [Cloud Economics: the goal is not to spend less, but to spend better](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/cloud-economics-the-goal-is-not-to-spend-less-but-to-spend-better?hsLang=en) - [Cloud](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/tag/cloud) / # Cloud Skill Gap: the real barrier to innovation is expertise #### Kirey [![](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/hubfs/it.svg)](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/news/cloud-skill-gap-il-vero-limite-all-innovazione-sono-le-competenze?hsLang=it)    [![](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/hubfs/ES.svg)](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/es/news/cloud-skill-gap-el-verdadero-limite-a-la-innovacion-son-las-competencias?hsLang=es) 10 MIN READ 28 November 2025 - Share on: - - - - [All](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/news?hsLang=en) - Categories + - [Corporate](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/tag/corporate) - [Cybersecurity](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/tag/cybersecurity) - [Events/Webinars](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/tag/events-webinars) - [Cloud](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/tag/cloud) - [Data Value](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/tag/data-value) - [Innovation](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/tag/innovation) - [Artificial Intelligence](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/tag/artificial-intelligence) - [Monitoring](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/tag/monitoring) - [DevSecOps](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/tag/devsecops) - [Software Development](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/tag/software-development) - [Corporate Social Responsibility](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/tag/corporate-social-responsibility) - [Data Privacy](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/tag/data-privacy) - [Advisory](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/tag/advisory) - [Accessibility](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/tag/accessibility) - [Automation](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/tag/automation) - [Digital Banking](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/tag/digital-banking) - [Digital Industry](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/tag/digital-industry) - [Use case](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/tag/use-case) - [Welfare & Social Services](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/tag/welfare-social-services) - [Press & PR](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/tag/press) The Italian cloud market **continues to grow**. In 2025, it is expected to reach €8.13 billion, representing [a 20% increase compared to the previous year](https://www.osservatori.net/comunicato/cloud-ecosystem-sovereignty/cloud-italia-mercato/). According to the Cloud Transformation Observatory, the main drivers of this expansion are **artificial intelligence**, which requires elastic and scalable infrastructures to fully express its potential, and **digital sovereignty**, which is prompting companies to reassess where and how their data is managed.  Regardless of the reasons, the cloud remains the key enabler of digital transformation, but its acceleration brings a fundamental question to light: **do we actually have the skills**?  ## Cloud skills gap: a real and ongoing issue     The cloud skills gap — the difference between the skills required to design, manage and evolve modern cloud environments and **those actually available on the market** — is one of the main challenges companies are facing.  The data confirm the existence of the problem: according to [SoftwareOne](https://www.softwareone.com/en/now/cloud-skills-report#downloadnow), 95% of companies globally have suffered a direct negative impact due to the shortage of cloud skills, and in almost a third of cases (32%), this resulted in **failing to achieve financial goals.**  The picture becomes even more critical when looking at the entire IT sector. According to [IDC forecasts](https://my.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS52128824), by 2026, more than 90% of companies will face structural IT skill shortages, with a potential economic impact of **over $5.5 trillion** globally. A significant share of these shortages will undoubtedly concern cloud-related roles.  The signs are evident, and while demand increases for cloud architects, DevOps engineers, cloud-native security specialists, and FinOps experts, **the market struggles to respond** **with updated and operationally ready profiles,** professionals capable of working in complex multicloud environments subject to multiple threats and potential vulnerabilities. To the structural shortage of IT skills, we must add the **increasing complexity of the environments to be managed**, a factor that further exacerbates the issue.  The consequences are clear: cloud technologies are being **adopted faster than they can be effectively governed**; internal teams are unable to keep pace; and external partners are asked to fill a gap that is not only technical, but also cultural.  ## Technology moves faster than skills  The cloud skills gap is not the result of a sudden decline in IT professionals, but rather **a combination of structural factors** that have made it more difficult to **train, attract, and retain the right expertise** in recent years.  1. The first factor is **the dizzying pace of technological innovation.** Cloud platforms continually evolve with new services, tools, and models such as serverless, IaC, and DevSecOps frameworks. Traditional training paths **struggle to keep up,** and there is a risk that **universities and professional courses teach concepts that will soon become outdated.**  2. Among the causes, some sources highlight **an experience paradox**: companies seek fully **trained profiles without creating conditions for junior talent to grow**. At the same time, some IT professionals struggle to transition to software-defined paradigms and DevOps operating models, which require a cultural evolution before a technical one. 3. Another critical aspect is the gap between **technical teams and management**. Those who design infrastructure struggle to represent the business value of their choices, feeding an outdated view of **IT as a cost center**. 4. Even when certifications are present, **the experience needed to operate in complex multicloud environments is often lacking**. Without a gradual and guided growth path, many professionals find themselves struggling with an operational reality that is far more complex and unpredictable than in the past.  ## Without cloud, there is no competitiveness  The consequences of the cloud skills gap directly affect companies’ ability to execute strategic projects. **Business now depends on IT**, not only in terms of operational continuity: the speed at which a company can adapt, innovate, develop new services, serve customers, or ensure regulatory compliance is closely linked to **the strength of the digital infrastructure that supports it**. If skills are missing, the cloud not only slows down a company’s evolution but **could accelerate that of competitors**, at least those that are more digitally mature and forward-thinking.  A project may be delayed or downsized simply because there are not enough internal skills to **orchestrate an automation pipeline,** **manage infrastructure “as-code,” or resolve an anomaly.** In other cases, more subtle but equally impactful technical and management issues emerge: misconfigured environments, excessive permissions, **lack of monitoring, or disconnected hybrid architectures** and cloud services treated as if they were on-premise servers.  On top of all this is the **lack of cost governance,** which makes it difficult — especially in public cloud — to **predict, optimize, and control spending**. The result is an underutilized and often overpriced infrastructure, which, instead of simplifying, introduces further complexity. Here too, a paradox occurs: a model born to eliminate the typical over-provisioning of the on-premise era ends up falling into the same trap, albeit for different reasons.  ## How to tackle the issue: invest in skills, inside and outside the company  Bridging the skills gap **cannot be solved simply by hiring new staff,** assuming one can even find the right skills on the market. Rather, it is a strategic challenge that must be addressed on multiple fronts: **growing internal resources**, **attracting new talent, and partnering with external specialists** who can provide qualified (and immediate) support.  1. The starting point is undoubtedly to **invest in what you already have.** Investing in training internal resources means not only improving technical skills, but also strengthening the human capital that already **understands the company’s processes, constraints, and goals**. It is essential to properly design upskilling paths, pairing traditional courses and certifications with labs, practical shadowing, and mentorship programs.  2. In parallel, hiring **criteria should be reconsidered.** Instead of looking for perfect candidates, companies should focus on profiles with **solid technical foundations, curiosity, passion, and the ability to learn quickly.**  3. Attention should also be paid to managed services (MSPs). Relying on an external partner provides **immediate access to specialist skills that are difficult to build in-house**, reducing operational risk and accelerating projects. The best MSPs don’t just deliver services; they transfer knowledge, introduce best practices, and help develop a more mature cloud culture internally. 4. To complete the picture, **a clear vision of career growth** is also needed. Those with key skills must be valued, motivated, and retained through **managerial paths**, not just technical ones. Over time, IT and business will become the same — it is better to be prepared.  To truly tackle the cloud skills gap, a paradigm shift is necessary, because it is not an IT or HR problem but [**a critical factor in business competitiveness.**](https://www.kireygroup.com/en/competencies/cloud-infrastructures) Only an integrated approach involving people, processes, and the right partners can offer a concrete response to a challenge increasingly seen within European companies.  - [Previous post](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/how-to-manage-artificial-intelligence-risks-best-practices-and-strategies-for-safe-adoption?hsLang=en) - [Read all posts](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news?hsLang=en) - [Next post](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/buy-now-pay-later-the-impact-of-ccd-ii-and-how-to-adapt-digital-platforms?hsLang=en) ## Related posts: #### [Cloud Economics: the goal is not to spend less, bu...](https://newsroom.kireygroup.com/en/news/cloud-economics-the-goal-is-not-to-spend-less-but-to-spend-better?hsLang=en) In recent years, several companies have attracted attention after migrating applications and workloa... 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