Mission Cloud, a cloud-managed services provider and Amazon Web Services (AWS) Premier Tier Services Partner, introduced Mission Cloud Evolution, a cloud literacy and talent development program. Full-time apprenticeships and school-community connections are part of the concept.
While more firms are moving to the cloud, students aren’t getting the cloud computing skills they need in college. Mission Cloud Evolution trains engineers and students to close the talent gap. Mission Cloud also promotes diversity in the cloud industry to avoid the fate of other technology sectors, where people from varied backgrounds have been excluded owing to a lack of education and opportunity.
Given the rise of remote and hybrid work and learning environments, the significance of cloud literacy cannot be overstated, according to Karoline Saffi, Chief People Officer of Mission Cloud. Giving individuals the information and tools they need to use the cloud now will open up countless possibilities for the business world and for innovation. We see this as part of our responsibility as one of the top cloud service providers in the country to fill the skills gap, and with the aid of AWS, we are able to do it without charging students. We even pay them to enroll in our program.
Three years ago, a work rotation program was implemented to aid in the technical skill development of the Mission Cloud team members. This ultimately resulted in numerous divisions offering part-time, paid internships before the business employed a Technical Training Program Manager to design an innovative internship program.
The program, which is being spearheaded by Keri Barnett-Howell, Director of Talent Development at Mission Cloud, is available to both current and aspiring members of the cloud sector. It offers the following:
Sponsorship of certifications – Making connections with people, usually students, who are interested in the cloud and offering them paid study resources and AWS certification exam materials to get them going.
Apprenticeships – A six-month paid apprenticeship program that trains students and career-changers to become cloud and DevOps engineers includes benefits like healthcare. Apprentices are fully included into the business at the end of the program. Mission Cloud intends to broaden the program in the future to include apprenticeships in application development, data analytics, and machine learning.
Career development – To help all Mission Cloud team members advance their careers, a wide range of programs and activities are made available to them, including leadership, mentoring, and educational opportunities.
Technical Skill Expansion: Individualized instruction and rewards for team members to enhance their technical proficiency.
Mission Cloud takes pleasure in providing its current and future team members with the resources they need to advance in their careers and accomplish their goals, according to Barnett-Howell. “Mission Cloud Evolution will be crucial in building up our talent pool, closing the overall talent gap, and fostering the growth of fresh, diversified talent in the cloud sector. Laying the groundwork for cloud computing’s future is now necessary.
To advance cloud literacy as part of the Mission Cloud program, Mission Cloud has partnered with a number of institutions and businesses, including Santa Monica College, El Camino College, Los Angeles Mission College, Grand Canyon University, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Rio Hondo College, California State University Channel Islands, and LA-Tech.org. Students are offered the chance to participate in AWS cloud hackathons and are linked with engineering mentors through these relationships.
Mission Cloud will increase its veteran presence and reach more diverse students by focusing on institutions including the VA, HBCUs, and community colleges in addition to our current relationships.