State Funding for Cloud Training

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have launched government funding programs for IT training for employees and job-seekers. We have summarized the current funding opportunities and provide an overview of the topic.

Cloud skills of employees as an enabler of business development

Against the background of advancing digitization, the business world and workflows have changed drastically over the past decade. IT resources and applications are increasingly being provided in the form of Infrastructure-as-a-Service, Platform-as-a-Service or Software-as-a-Service by specialized providers. This operating model gives companies on-demand access to a wide range of technologies and is known as "cloud computing." The revolutionary innovation offers high agility combined with scalability of resources and wide availability of services. Thus, coupled with a "pay as you go" model, cloud solutions are being rapidly adopted in many organizations.

However, the full potential of cloud computing can only be realized if employees have also embraced the beneficial mode of operation of distributed computing resources and are proficient in using them. An observation often made is that the development and spread of cloud technologies far exceeds the development of employee skills in terms of speed, especially if employees do not already have relevant IT skills. This phenomenon is also known as the "cloud skills gap." Studies show that this gap can be efficiently closed through employee training. As such, organizations that provide cloud training to their employees can adopt cloud services up to 80% faster.

While at the same time, training and educating employees is a process that requires a considerable amount of budget and time. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or family businesses in particular face challenges here, as they often lack resources to invest in digital trainings for their employees.

Government funding for IT training in the Baltic region

To counteract this problem, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have introduced funding instruments for large companies and SMEs. Deloitte has summarized the current funding opportunities in the white paper "Are your enterprise digital skills up to date? Overcoming skill barriers and accelerating cloud adoption". The results of the research are aimed at companies interested in strengthening their own training initiatives - especially in dealing with cloud-based technologies - through public funding in the form of grants or tax incentives.

A further argument in favor of employee training in future-oriented skills such as cloud skills is the fact that it signals the company's regard for each individual, which ensures positive employer branding and attracts new talent. In fact, according to one study, 93% of IT managers surveyed claim that the opportunity for further training and certification improves the recruitment of new talent.

About the white paper

The white paper is the result of cooperation between Amazon Web Services and Deloitte.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is one of the world's leading cloud solution providers. AWS and its network of AWS Training Partners offer courses, in-person or online, led by AWS experts and authorized instructors, that teach sought-after cloud skills and best practices using a mix of presentations, discussions, demonstrations, and hands-on exercises. In addition, AWS also offers educational programs that provide opportunities for individuals to develop their cloud expertise and enter the technology industry. These programs, which include AWS Academy and AWS re/Start, work hand-in-hand with organizations, educational institutions, governments and businesses.

Find out more: https://aws.amazon.com/de/training

Deloitte is a global leader in audit and assurance, risk advisory, tax advisory, financial advisory and consulting, along with associated services. Our global network of member firms and affiliates in more than 150 countries provides a wide range of services, e.g. in implementing cloud-based processes in companies or when applying for government grants for employee training, for the investments or innovations.