The York University School of Continuing Studies (York SCS) has assembled a team of influential business leaders from the public, finance, education, commerce and technology sectors to guide the creation of Canada’s first fully online Certificate in Cloud Computing Strategy.

Starting January 2020, this innovative new continuing professional education program will meet the growing demand for highly skilled Cloud Architects and Consultants across industry lines. The specialized task force, or Program Advisory Council, is collaborating with York SCS to ensure that students graduate the program with the crucial mix of technical and cross-functional (or “human”) skills needed to succeed now and in the shifting future of work in Canada.

Employers hiring for jobs in Cloud Computing are increasingly demanding people who not only have the technical skill to create a compelling business case and understand the various available cloud service models, but who can use critical human skills like analytical thinking, negotiation tactics, and communication skills to move a successful cloud adoption forward. It’s this unique blend of competencies that will give graduates a competitive edge for roles like Cloud Architect, Cloud Consultant or Cloud Strategist in the GTA, across Canada and the US. These types of jobs have recently increased over 300% in the GTA alone1.

“The future of work is vastly different than anything we’ve seen before,” explains Tracey Taylor-O’Reilly, Assistant Vice-President, Continuing Studies, York University. “With changes in technology shaping what employers are looking for when they hire, the need to close the impending skills gap is critical. Our graduates leave our programs with the deep skills they need to excel in their job functions, as well as the broader skills to collaborate across teams and affect lasting change within their organizations”.

This collaborative engagement with industry leaders is a critical step in the way the York University School of Continuing Studies develops its program roster—the resulting curriculum and learning outcomes are ensured to be on-trend and responsive to the realities of a job market that’s increasingly affected by emerging technologies and automation. With members from the Ontario Pension Board, LCBO, Amazon, RBC, Deloitte, Microsoft and TD Canada Trust, the Certificate in Cloud Computing Strategy task force (Advisory Council) assembled by York SCS is giving back to the community at large, training the types of candidates they want to hire for their own organizations.

“Cloud platforms and apps drive growth and the vast majority of IT enterprises have at least one application in the cloud,” said Michael Eubanks, LCBO’s SVP and CIO, IT and Advisory Council Member for the Certificate in Cloud Computing Strategy. “Investments are soaring, year over year. As the momentum continues, it will be critical for technology-dependent industries to recruit and retain cloud-centric skills and talent.”

The Certificate in Cloud Computing Strategy rounds out an expanding list of twenty-four certificate programs offered by York SCS, designed to prepare Canadians for success in emerging and evolving careers. As the top recent technological change affecting the Information Technology field2, the Cloud is changing the way companies do business. Now, by creating this innovative online certificate, York SCS is changing the way people build the skills they need to join a dynamic and expanding industry.