University IT professionals compete in first-ever Cloud Hero Cup

To help central IT teams develop digital skills and get excited to learn new technology, Google Cloud created a free training competition, the Cloud Hero Cup. Designed to help teams learn new technology, the Cloud Hero Cup is a gamified learning competition between university IT teams that uses Google Cloud Skills Boost to test and expand their knowledge of Google Cloud . By the end, IT professionals learn valuable Google Cloud skills that can help institutions improve their cloud environment, support the needs of their faculty, and better serve their learners.   

Upskilling to Help Institutions on their Digital Journey  

Central IT teams, including CTOs, are looking to better understand the technological shifts that come with a digital journey, such as moving to cloud computing, harnessing data, and using predictive analytics. In addition, many teams are exploring how machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) can be leveraged to help automate tasks associated with core institutional priorities like management decisions, personalized admissions, student support, research and scholarships. 

To boost their cloud computing skills, a Google Cloud authorized training partner delivers the three-hour session and begins with a brief presentation, followed by a cross-university competition that leverages hands-on labs in Google Cloud Skills Boost. At the conclusion of the event, the winning team is presented with the “Cloud Hero Cup,” which moves from winning school to winning school. 

Every participant receives 30 days of free access to Google Cloud Skills Boost to complete the associated Google Cloud Skill badge and other Google Cloud training. Skill badges are shareable credentials that recognize your ability to solve real-world problems with cloud knowledge. 

Inaugural Cloud Hero Cup Competition

On June 24th, 2022, over 40 Central IT staff from the University of California, Riverside; University of California, Santa Barbara; and San Diego State University competed in the inaugural Cloud Hero Cup. This year, the InfraSkills and Kubernetes skills games were chosen to be included in the challenge to teach learners foundational level skills. Both games helped participants learn how to access the Google Cloud console, practice key skills for developing scalable applications to solve common institutional challenges. 

Congratulations, UC Riverside 

The Cloud Hero Cup was presented to University of California, Riverside on July 29th (see photo below), as the inaugural winner. Mike Kennedy, UC Riverside Chief Technology Officer explained, “This was a great event for UC Riverside to be involved in and added a fun element to the upskilling we are all doing to meet our digital transformation goals. I’m really proud of the team!”

Throughout the Cloud Hero game, Google Cloud tasks were used to help expand each participant’s knowledge of the Google Cloud console. By the end of the game, each player earned two skill badges: "Create and Manage Cloud Resources Skill Badge" and "Deploy to Kubernetes in Google Cloud Skill Badge.”

We are beginning to form another competition with a new slate of schools. To learn more about the Cloud Hero Cup or if your school is interested in participating, please email cloudherocup@google.com.