At SIIA we aren’t shy about touting cloud computing’s economic potential. We’ve highlighted it in a whitepaper for policy makers, showcased it in a collection of interviews from 45 member CEOs, and we plug it in the media every chance we get.
David LeDuc, our senior director of public policy, was happy to broach one of his favorite topics in a National Journal article by Sara Jerome called “Silver Lining” (print or online subscription only). The story explores the cloud’s effect on the job market: Will it help fuel a cross-sector entrepreneurial boom, or will it just lead to the end of the in-house IT manager?
Jerome’s article cites a British think tank’s study that predicts cloud computing will create 2.4 million jobs over the next four years in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Though no similar research has been done in the United States, LeDuc says the gains should be even greater for the United States.
“The massive computing infrastructure in the United States gives us an edge,” LeDuc says.
The article goes on to say that “unemployment for IT professions was just 5 percent in September, far less than the national average,” and cites a Microsoft study that says 54 percent of IT decision makers are “hiring as a result of the cloud.”
With the national unemployment rate stagnant at 9.1%, areas of growth like cloud computing should be given the tools they need to thrive. Read our whitepaper or check out some of the research we’ve compiled to learn more.
Laura Greenback is Communications Director at SIIA.