APRIL 2023 — In today’s fast-paced economy, cloud computing has gained traction as a means to use IT services without owning and maintaining related infrastructure — or any infrastructure at all. Although it is a prevalent buzzword, cloud computing is still an ambiguous term for many, with some companies still finding it challenging to adopt.
To demystify the cloud, Mr William Kwok, Senior Lecturer from RP School of Infocomm (SOI) and resident expert, has some insights to share. Mr Kwok is with RP’s Diploma in Information Technology (DIT) programme, and is Programme Head for RP’s Specialist Diploma in Cloud Architecting and Management. He is a certified educator with AWS Academy and has jointly conducted a public webinar with an industry speaker from 1CloudStar on “The Digital Cloud – Is it Safe” for the National Library Board (NLB).
Curious about the cloud and how to navigate the latest trends? Check out these key industry facts and the skills needed to succeed. What are the top trends in cloud computing that benefit businesses? Mr Kwok: “There are five main trends: hybrid cloud adoption, multi-cloud, serverless computing, edge computing, as well as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning applications.” What are the advantages of moving to the cloud? Mr Kwok: “Cloud services are essentially utility models where businesses only pay for resources when they are used. This not only improves scalability and cost efficiency, but enables access to global infrastructure without costly upfront investment at the same time. Organisations will then be able to focus on their business objectives as well as be more innovative and responsive to customer demands, improving their business values and outcomes along the way.” What are the major concerns of moving to the cloud? Mr Kwok: “Security is one of the top challenges for enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), along with the lack of resources and expertise. Cloud security is a shared responsibility between the cloud providers and customers. Businesses can adopt best practices using available security features such as identity and access management, data encryption, web application firewalls as well as distributed denial of service mitigation services to keep data safe from breaches and other attacks.” What skills are needed to stay relevant in this evolving industry? Mr Kwok: “Essential skills to stay relevant include cloud service platform expertise, programming languages, development and operations (DevOps), machine learning and AI and analytics.”
What are the top trends in cloud computing that benefit businesses? Mr Kwok: “There are five main trends: hybrid cloud adoption, multi-cloud, serverless computing, edge computing, as well as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning applications.” What are the advantages of moving to the cloud? Mr Kwok: “Cloud services are essentially utility models where businesses only pay for resources when they are used. This not only improves scalability and cost efficiency, but enables access to global infrastructure without costly upfront investment at the same time. Organisations will then be able to focus on their business objectives as well as be more innovative and responsive to customer demands, improving their business values and outcomes along the way.” What are the major concerns of moving to the cloud? Mr Kwok: “Security is one of the top challenges for enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), along with the lack of resources and expertise. Cloud security is a shared responsibility between the cloud providers and customers. Businesses can adopt best practices using available security features such as identity and access management, data encryption, web application firewalls as well as distributed denial of service mitigation services to keep data safe from breaches and other attacks.” What skills are needed to stay relevant in this evolving industry? Mr Kwok: “Essential skills to stay relevant include cloud service platform expertise, programming languages, development and operations (DevOps), machine learning and AI and analytics.”
Mr Kwok highlights that in addition to providing industry insights, RP has been a long-standing enabler of cloud technology. Efforts to further cloud-based development include collaborations with partners to create platforms for knowledge-sharing, research opportunities, and networking. RP has also signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with leading technology companies such as Cisco and Puppet to explore avenues for new partnerships and growth. “The MOUs involve collaborations at multiple levels, including joint projects, knowledge sharing and training, industry attachments, internships, and sponsorships,” says Mr Kwok. Such initiatives help to equip our staff and students with relevant capabilities.
RP leverages advanced facilities and resources to support and enhance our partnership endeavours. Our Cloud Computing Capabilities Lab serves as a private cloud, providing a customised environment for learning technical skills such as enterprise configuration management and how a cloud service provider operates. Complementing this, public cloud resources are used to conduct training for Pre-employment Training (PET) and Continuing Education and Training (CET) courses, as well as for projects and collaborations. As a member of academies such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft and Cisco, RP is also able to infuse industry-relevant materials into both PET and CET curriculum.
Individuals and companies can harness RP’s well-established cloud environment to learn skills that address key industry trends and concerns, which Mr Kwok believes is crucial. “Companies will benefit from trained staff who are more confident and competent in essential cloud services,” he says. Professionals, including mid-career participants, have the flexibility to enhance their skills and knowledge through webinars with industry speakers, short courses, or full qualification courses. RP’s range of CET courses include asynchronous e-learning/micro-learning courses (MLC), short courses (such as AWS Academy Cloud Foundations), and stackable skills-based modular courses (SBMC) that lead to specialist diplomas in AI, business analytics, cloud computing and DevOps. Fresh polytechnic graduates can also benefit from structured training programme such as SkillsFuture Work-Study Programme. With a holistic understanding and addressing current trends, RP is able to foster stronger and more meaningful partnerships between the academia and the industry, according to Mr Kwok. As the cloud industry continues to grow and evolve, RP endeavours to grow with it, continuously enhancing our capabilities and courses to support enterprises and Singapore’s Smart Nation vision.
RP Academy for Continuing Education's (ACE) course offerings provide a strong foundation for professionals of all levels. Click on the links to explore some of our courses:
Got a minute to spare? Check out these related articles below!
Uncover new and innovative possibilities in cloud technology with Kenzap, a start-up co-founded by an RP alumnus. Learn More
Discover how RP supports the tourism sector’s rapid recovery and expansion. Learn More
Harnessing Industry 4.0, agri-tech and sustainability through the cloud-based RP-Shimadzu STAR Lab. Learn More
RP collaborates to enhance capabilities in automation and digitalisation, meeting global trends. Learn More
RP elevates the tourism industry through impactful collaborations, courses, and capability-building efforts. Learn More
RP leads agri-tech change from the ground up for food resilience. Learn More