Johannesburg, 06 Sep 2016
With virtualisation fast approaching 100% penetration, technical skills in this space are at a premium. It's time for older, experienced virtualisation professionals to take training and empowerment of the next generation of professionals in hand, says Claude Schuck, Regional Manager/Country Manager of Veeam South Africa.
Virtualisation is going mainstream, and South African organisations will increasingly depend on high-end skills in this field, he says. "If you look back ten years ago virtualisation penetration was at 10%. We are now moving closer to 60%. In the next five years we will be close to 100%."
He bases these figures on a Veeam-sponsored IDC whitepaper published in June 2016, that surveyed more than 1,200 Veeam customers worldwide. The findings are summarised in an infographic available here.
"Virtualisation was not perfect from day one, but it has evolved into a mature, stable and cost effective technology bringing with it heaps of credibility in terms of driving 'always on' businesses. Now, it is shaping our future.
"Everything will be virtual in the future: software, hardware and networks. With uptime and availability as a number one priority, it will be important to teach the youth how to manage and maintain this environment."
Unfortunately, there are gaps in the skills pool, which will become increasingly apparent as the pace of virtualisation adoption increases, Schuck says. "There are very few of what I like to call 'evangelists' left and we have too many generalists. In my view, we are experiencing a vacuum in terms of niche IT skills in South Africa. I believe many knowledgeable people have moved out of the country, taking with them the IP and experience organisations need. There are, however, high-end skills left in the country, and we need to ensure that we transfer their knowledge and experience to young, up-and-coming professionals," he says. "We cannot afford to lose out on this. We need to set up a formal structure for this to happen."
Schuck believes now is the time for mentorship and skills transfer. "There are many so-called 'Captains of the Industry' and we should ensure that we teach and pass on our learnings onto this young talent. To gain all-important experience, young professionals must be given an opportunity to learn in real live environments, from people who have been through all the ups and downs of the virtual and digital path. By imparting our experience, know-how and knowledge, older professionals will enrich and grow our industry. The hunger and will to learn is there among the next generation; it's just the experience and guidance that is lacking."
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