Washington state’s Enterprise Cloud Computing Program (ECCP), led by WaTech, is advancing its efforts to modernize government services with the rollout of a new Enterprise Cloud Learning Platform. The platform, aimed at equipping state IT professionals with the necessary skills to adopt and manage cloud technologies, is a critical component of Washington’s Cloud Smart Strategy.
The ECCP, which was created to accelerate cloud technology adoption across the state government, is working to create a more connected government where residents can easily access services such as licensing, public health resources, or government project bidding. This initiative stems from a cloud readiness assessment report delivered to the Legislature in 2020, emphasizing the state’s commitment to digital transformation.
WaTech conducted a comprehensive evaluation of three major learning platforms, inviting IT professionals from 13 state agencies to participate in a three-week proof-of-concept trial. Following feedback from 33 volunteers, Pluralsight emerged as the platform of choice due to its extensive library of over 1,000 cloud-specific courses, 2,900 cloud-specific hands-on labs, and 81 cloud-specific skill assessments. In addition, WaTech negotiated access to Pluralsight’s entire library of more than 10,000 courses, 1,000 subject areas, 3,000 hands-on labs, and 500 skill assessments.
The rollout of the Enterprise Cloud Learning Platform is divided into multiple phases, with a pilot agency conducting initial tests in September 2024. The Pluralsight platform will provide seamless access through Single-Sign-On (SSO) and will integrate with the state’s Learning Management System (SumTotal), so all Pluralsight trainings will be reflected in an employee’s state training transcript. The platform will also include cloud-specific learning paths that are tailored for each IT role (e.g., Application Development, Data Management, Architecture, etc.).
WaTech is reaching out to agencies to offer them access to the platform, after which participants will be enrolled and granted immediate access to the training resources.
This initiative aligns with the state’s goals to upskill its IT workforce, create clear career pathways, and foster public-private partnerships for future retraining efforts, all while enhancing service delivery for Washingtonians.
As the ECCP continues to expand, this new platform is expected to play a key role in the state’s digital transformation, enabling state employees to stay ahead of technological advancements and effectively serve the public in a cloud-enabled environment.
For additional information, please contact Chris Lamb, ECCP Program Manager, or Sean Dodson, Project Manager.