Dive Brief:

• Employers will need to implement solid upskilling programs​ to properly begin a DevOps journey — the collaboration between software development and IT management — according survey results from the DevOps Institute released March 10. However, 38% of respondents said they have no upskilling program in place; 21% said they're working on one.
• The types of skills a "DevOps human" needs include process skills and knowledge; automation skills; and people skills. Many organizations are seeking out "e-shaped people" the report notes —​ individuals with experience, expertise and willingness to explore and execute.
• The "transformation journey" is still "very difficult" for more than half of respondents, the report said. Challenges include managing people, processes and technologies.

Dive Insight:

DevOps is a strong example of how the talent shortage challenges the hunt for specialized skills and pushes skill development in-house. While 82% of employers said they’re hiring in a September 2019 Challenger, Gray & Christmas report, 80% said they can’t find skilled candidates. 

Skill deficits affect all workers, in tech and beyond. One major challenge for employers, however, is the growing confluence of "middle-skill" jobs and high-tech skill sets, creating a job set some experts call "super jobs."

"In this new world of hybrid roles, there isn't a huge talent pool out there that has a resume showing both an analyst's critical thinking and a designer's creativity," Larry Clark, managing director of global learning solutions at Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning, previously told HR Dive. "Nor is there an operational rock star who also is a great storyteller and collaborator."

To combat this disconnect and accelerate skills development, employers may need to make learning more accessible and lean into personalized learning experiences. New tech makes much of this possible but it may also require employers to seek out workers with a willingness to learn to keep up with the quickly changing skill landscape.

Luckily for employers, upskilling programs may be good for the bottom line overall. Member of Generation Z, the newest generation in the workforce, say they purposefully seek out employers that help them develop skills.