More Aussie businesses using cloud technology: ABS

More Australian businesses have used cloud computing technologies in 2019 to 2020, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

In the ABS’s recent Characteristics of Australian Business report for 2019-20, the Bureau said the business use of paid cloud computing during the period was at 55 percent, up from 42 percent in 2017-18.

The ABS defines “paid cloud computing” as “IT services that are used over the internet to access software, computing power or storage capacity.”

The data also noted that the percentage of companies using cloud also increases depending on the size of their workforce.

ABS said 81 percent of businesses of 200 employees or more use cloud technologies, followed by 76 percent of companies with 20 to 199 employees, then 65 percent of companies with 5-19 employees. Those with 0 to 4 employees had 49 percent using cloud technologies.

Amazon Web Services Australia commented on the findings:

“The past year accelerated our shift to a digital world and highlighted an even more urgent recognition of the problems we need to address together to drive our economy and society forward,” AWS Australia director of enterprise Karl Durrance said.

“AWS has been particularly inspired by our customers who have solved specific challenges brought about by the current pandemic, pivoting to build new technologies that help to keep communities safe, and provide support for their workforce as we shift to hybrid working models.”

Durrance also took note of another ABS finding in the report, where 13 percent of businesses said the biggest barrier preventing or limiting businesses from taking up IT services was a lack of a skilled workforce.

“A significant barrier to continuing to accelerate innovation is finding digitally skilled workers to keep pace with technology advancements,” he said.

“Addressing the technology skills gap requires intentional, sustained effort by the private and public sectors. AWS remains committed to helping to solve this challenge through collaboration with education institutions, industry organisations, and government with local skilling initiatives.”

The other factors were unsuitable internet speed (13 percent), uncertainty around cost/benefit (12 percent) and insufficient knowledge of ICTs (12 percent).