The Skills Gap in Cloud Computing Jobs: What Universities Aren’t Teaching
Cloud computing underpins almost every modern digital service. From financial systems and healthcare platforms to AI, e-commerce, government infrastructure and cybersecurity, the cloud is now the default operating environment for UK organisations. Demand for cloud professionals has grown rapidly, with roles spanning architecture, engineering, security, DevOps, platform operations and cost optimisation. Salaries remain high, and vacancies remain stubbornly difficult to fill. Yet despite a growing number of graduates with computer science, IT and software engineering degrees, employers across the UK report a persistent problem: Too many candidates are not job-ready for real cloud computing roles. This is not a question of intelligence or motivation. It is a structural skills gap between what universities teach and what cloud jobs actually require. This article explores that gap in depth: what universities do well, what they consistently miss, why the gap exists, what employers genuinely want, and how jobseekers can bridge the divide to build sustainable careers in cloud computing.