With COVID-19 driving the adoption of Cloud Computing in businesses at an accelerated pace, the demand for cloud professionals is at an all-time high. Roles in cloud has never been more lucrative for those in pursuit of a tech career. TheTechNative is here to give you a comprehensive guide on the different skills you may need to enter the cloud computing industry. We understand that it may seem like a daunting task, but we are here to steer you in the right direction and give you an understanding of the skills you may need to acquire to start your journey in Cloud Computing.
Master your fundamentals
Learning about basic cloud computing concepts is essential for building your fundamentals as, after all, a building is only as strong as its foundation. These cloud computing concepts include mastering the fundamentals of the cloud, the characteristics of cloud computing, different types and models of cloud computing, and the various providers. To find out more about the basics of cloud computing, head over to our previous article, which explains the fundamentals of cloud in a bite-sized, digestible manner!
Take cloud provider certification(s)
Once you have grasped the basic concepts of cloud, you can challenge yourself by obtaining entry-level cloud provider certifications. These certifications not only strengthen your cloud computing knowledge but also help you in understanding the providers better. Getting certified demonstrates your expertise to employers and ensures that you stay relevant in the ever-changing and fast-paced tech world. There are multiple providers available in the market which may confuse you, so here are the top 3 cloud providers and their certifications which you can obtain to get yourself certified!
1. Amazon Web Services (AWS)
AWS is a cloud provider offering reliable, scalable, and inexpensive cloud computing services. Netflix, LinkedIn and Facebook are some well-known organisations currently using AWS as their cloud provider for their services. AWS provides an array of certifications ranging from entry-level to professional levels. As of April 2020, AWS offers 11 individual certifications, but we would like to highlight the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Certification (CCP). The CCP is a foundation level certificate provided by AWS to certify that you have understood the basic concepts and services of AWS. It is an entry-level certificate for you if you would like to start or demonstrate your knowledge in AWS.
2. Microsoft Azure
Microsoft Azure is a product by Microsoft that provides solutions such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS) that businesses can use for services such as analytics, virtual computing, storage, networking. In 2021, Microsoft revised their Azure certification policies and made Azure certificates available for renewal indefinitely. Microsoft Azure certificates have three categories, fundamental, role-based and additional. Fundamental certificates, such as the Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals certificate, are ideal for you if you are starting in technology or thinking about a career change in tech, while role-based certificates, like the Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate, are more technical and catered for the various job-related roles in cloud such as developer roles Additional certificates are just more specialised certificates.
3. Google Cloud Platform
Google Cloud is a cloud platform that provides computing resources for developing, deploying, and operating applications on the Web. Google Cloud offers services to organisations such as Twitter and Paypal. Google Cloud provides a range of certificates for their cloud services. From June 2021 onwards, a new foundational certificate known as Google Cloud Digital Leader certificate will be available to the public for application. It will display your knowledge of Google Cloud core products and services and how you could utilise these products and services in businesses. Other certificates from Google are not as foundational such as Associate Cloud Engineer. They require some background knowledge and experience of tech and Google Cloud, making the Cloud Digital Leader certificate a much more beginner-friendly one for new entrants into cloud technology and Google Cloud.
Understand cloud roles
If you are a fresh grad or someone just looking to switch careers into cloud computing, understanding the different roles in cloud computing and figuring out which would you like to venture into would be an excellent place to begin. There are various domains in cloud, such as security, database, implementation, deployment and many others and associated roles to these domains include:
Cloud Architect - Designing the infrastructure and configuration of the cloud for businesses
Cloud Network Engineer - Manages how information is shared within an organisation through cloud.
Cloud Database Administrator - Responsible for ensuring the functionality of an organisation’s database on the cloud
Cloud Consultant - Performs consultation activities concerning Cloud technologies and solutions for businesses
Cloud System Administrator - Manages the cloud infrastructure services and its environments (Windows, Linux)
With a wide range of roles available in the cloud computing industry, there is a need to understand these roles and their pre-requisites to know what skills you may require to learn.
Have the right mindset
Lastly, having the right mindset is an essential yet often neglected priority. Having a goal in mind and the drive to learn and improve constantly would benefit you as employers look out for driven and dynamic talents that can harness themselves with the skill sets that the fast-paced digital economy needs.
All in all, cloud is changing the way businesses and individuals work. As organizations adopt cloud technologies, there will be a growing demand for cloud professionals. If you have been intending to pursue a career in cloud or to gain some knowledge about this imperative technology, the above tips would help with the fundamentals of achieving success - don't procrastinate, start portfolio building today!
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