The rapid adoption of multicloud strategies has become a norm in 2023. With over 65% of organizations currently operating within multicloud environments, another 20% of organizations are actively pursuing an additional cloud platform for their cloud environment, according to the findings of Pluralsight's second annual State of Cloud Report.

However, in the haste to embrace multicloud architectures, many organizations are discovering that they lack the necessary resources and skills to succeed. The report reveals a glaring multicloud skills gap that underscores the critical importance of cloud skills development. Among the key findings are the following:

• 20% of organizations have defined a cloud security strategy, while an additional 28% are in the process of building one.
• 9% of organizations possess extensive experience with more than one cloud provider.

These figures underscore the urgent need for organizations to prioritize the development of robust cloud security strategies and broaden their experience across various cloud providers to effectively navigate the challenges and maximize the benefits of multicloud environments.

That said, most leaders expect their cloud budgets to increase over the next 12 months, and almost three-fourths anticipate a parallel increase in their cloud skills development budgets, according to the report.

Investing in skills development is paramount. Pluralsight's report reveals the top in-demand skills and skills gaps across cloud roles in 2023:

• AI and machine learning (ML) skills take the top spot as the most in-demand cloud skills at 23%. In its previous State of Cloud Report, data analytics skills were the most sought-after. But in 2023, fewer technologists ranked it as an in-demand skill at 18%.
   
• The largest skills gaps exist in data, analytics, engineering and storage, closely followed by security and governance. In 2022, automation and DevOps were cited as the most significant skills gaps.

With data and AI-based solutions continuing to dominate the tech landscape, it is crucial for cloud practitioners to possess expertise in these areas. Pluralsight's report emphasizes that these skill sets will remain a major focus in 2023. Bridging these skills gaps requires organizations to invest in the development of their technology teams, enabling them to keep pace with the rapidly changing tech landscape.

"Most organizations still lack the maturity to operationalize multicloud computing, and this year's research findings make that clear," said Drew Firment, Chief Cloud Strategist at Pluralsight. "Organizations should be strategically leveraging cloud skills development if they want to build a culture of cloud and maximize their cloud investments."

VMWare, an enterprise software innovator and Pluralsight customer, serves as a case study for successful upskilling. To deliver the multicloud solutions for which it is known (and to effectively address customer challenges), VMWare recognized the need for a workforce proficient in navigating multiple cloud providers.

"Pluralsight Skills allows us to ensure that our teams have the necessary skills to optimize our multicloud investments, making them stronger, more efficient and more agile than ever before," said Jessica Thomas, Director of Technical Education at VMWare. "Pluralsight Skills helps us achieve our goal of equipping our technologists with the capabilities required to deliver the best multicloud solutions to the market."

The State of Cloud Report by Pluralsight is a wake-up call for organizations to prioritize cloud skills development and bridge the multicloud skills gap. Looking ahead, amidst economic uncertainty, workforce restructuring, and undefined cloud strategies, multicloud adoption comes with inherent risks. However, when leaders shift their focus from simply consuming cloud technology to creating sustainable business value, these risks can be mitigated and even transformed into a return on investment.