The Cloud Engineer Career Path: What You Need to Know

Cloud engineering is one of the most in-demand and lucrative careers in the IT industry today. Cloud engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and managing cloud-based applications and infrastructure for various organizations. They use their skills and knowledge of cloud computing, programming languages, networking, security, and data management to create and maintain efficient and scalable cloud solutions.

But how do you become a cloud engineer?

What are the skills and qualifications you need? What are the different types of cloud engineering jobs? And how much can you earn as a cloud engineer?

In this blog post, we will answer these questions and more to help you understand the cloud engineer career path and what you need to know to pursue it.

What is cloud engineering?

Cloud engineering is the field of evaluating an organization's technical infrastructure and migrating certain functions and processes to a cloud-based infrastructure. This cloud infrastructure refers to servers you can access over the internet and the data that's present on those servers. Cloud engineering lets companies and organizations move important business applications and processes to private, public and hybrid cloud systems. Cloud engineers maintain those systems to manage security and troubleshoot issues. Cloud engineering is a broad term that encompasses several subfields, such as cloud architecture, cloud development, and cloud support. Each subfield has its own roles and responsibilities, but they all share the common goal of delivering cloud-based solutions that meet the needs and expectations of the clients and users.

What are the benefits of cloud engineering?

Cloud engineering offers many benefits for both the organizations and the professionals who work in this field. Some of the benefits are:

Cost savings: Cloud engineering reduces the need for expensive hardware, software, and maintenance costs, as the cloud service providers take care of these aspects. Cloud engineering also allows for pay-as-you-go models, where the organizations only pay for the resources they use, instead of investing in fixed assets.
Scalability: Cloud engineering enables the organizations to scale up or down their cloud resources according to their changing demands and requirements, without affecting the performance or availability of their applications and services.
Flexibility: Cloud engineering allows the organizations to choose from a variety of cloud platforms, services, and tools that suit their specific needs and preferences. Cloud engineering also enables the organizations to access their data and applications from anywhere and any device, as long as they have an internet connection.
Innovation: Cloud engineering fosters innovation and creativity, as the cloud engineers can experiment with new technologies and features, and deploy them quickly and easily. Cloud engineering also facilitates collaboration and communication among the cloud engineers and other stakeholders, as they can share and access the same cloud resources and data.
Career growth: Cloud engineering offers a rewarding and challenging career path for the IT professionals who want to work in this field. Cloud engineering provides ample opportunities for learning and development, as the cloud engineers have to keep up with the latest trends and developments in cloud computing. Cloud engineering also offers a high demand and a competitive salary, as the cloud engineers are sought after by many organizations across various industries and sectors.

How to become a cloud engineer?

To become a cloud engineer, you need to have a combination of education, experience, and skills that demonstrate your ability and proficiency in cloud computing. Here are some of the steps you can take to become a cloud engineer:

Earn a bachelor's degree: A cloud engineer can start their career by earning a Bachelor of computer science (BCS) or a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in information technology. Other potential areas of study for a bachelor's degree can include information systems and software engineering. Whichever program you choose, ensure it focuses on the technical aspects of software and systems infrastructure, computing and other related areas to help prepare you for this career.
Gain experience: Many cloud professionals get their start in IT positions that include concepts used in cloud work. These can be jobs like systems engineer, network engineer, DevOps engineer, and database administrator. From there, you might become a cloud engineer or cloud administrator. Cloud engineers can go on to more specialized roles, like cloud architect. You can also apply for cloud engineer internships at software development companies to gain hands-on experience and exposure to real-world cloud projects.
Learn cloud skills: To become a successful cloud engineer, you need to have a solid foundation of cloud skills and knowledge.

Some of the essential cloud skills are: - Cloud platforms: It’s generally recommended that you learn one cloud platform well, instead of having minimal knowledge of several. The most popular and widely used cloud platforms are Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Each platform has its own features, services, and certifications that you can learn and pursue to validate your cloud skills. - Programming languages: As a cloud engineer, you need to be proficient in at least one programming language that is compatible with the cloud platform of your choice. Some of the common programming languages for cloud engineering are Python, Java, C#, Ruby, and Go. You also need to be familiar with scripting languages, such as Bash, PowerShell, and Perl, to automate cloud tasks and processes. - Networking: Networking is a crucial skill for cloud engineering, as you need to understand how the cloud infrastructure communicates and connects with other systems and devices. You need to have knowledge of network protocols, such as TCP/IP, HTTP, and DNS, as well as network security, such as firewalls, VPNs, and encryption. - Data management: Data management is another important skill for cloud engineering, as you need to know how to store, process, and analyze large amounts of data in the cloud. You need to have knowledge of data structures, databases, data warehouses, data lakes, and data pipelines, as well as data tools, such as SQL, NoSQL, Hadoop, Spark, and Kafka. - Security: Security is a vital skill for cloud engineering, as you need to ensure that the cloud systems and data are protected from unauthorized access and malicious attacks. You need to have knowledge of security concepts, such as identity and access management, encryption, key management, compliance, and auditing, as well as security tools, such as AWS Security Hub, Azure Security Center, and Google Cloud Security Command Center. - Get certified: Getting certified is a great way to demonstrate your cloud skills and knowledge to potential employers and clients.

There are many cloud certifications available for different cloud platforms, services, and roles. Some of the popular and respected cloud certifications are:

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate: This certification validates your ability to design and implement secure and scalable solutions using AWS services and best practices.
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate: This certification validates your ability to manage and monitor Azure resources, identities, storage, compute, and networking.
Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect: This certification validates your ability to design, develop, and manage robust, secure, and dynamic cloud solutions using Google Cloud technologies.
CompTIA Cloud+: This certification validates your ability to implement, maintain, and troubleshoot cloud infrastructure and applications using various cloud vendors and technologies.
Cloud Engineer Nanodegree: This certification validates your ability to deploy, monitor, and optimize cloud-based applications and infrastructure using AWS, GCP, and Kubernetes.
Join professional associations for cloud engineers can help you network with other cloud professionals, learn from their experiences and insights, and access valuable resources and opportunities.

Some of the professional associations for cloud engineers are: - Cloud Computing Association (CCA): This association aims to promote the growth and development of cloud computing and related technologies through education, advocacy, and collaboration. - Cloud Security Alliance (CSA): This association is dedicated to ensuring the security and privacy of cloud computing and providing best practices, standards, and certifications for cloud security. - IEEE Cloud Computing: This association is a global community of cloud computing professionals, researchers, and academics who share their knowledge and expertise on cloud computing and related fields.

What are the different types of cloud engineering jobs? Cloud engineering jobs generally fit into one of three categories: Cloud Architecture, Cloud Development, and Cloud Support. Below we’ll go through each category in depth. Cloud architects are responsible for designing and planning the cloud infrastructure and architecture for an organization. They analyze the business requirements and objectives, and translate them into technical specifications and solutions. They also oversee the implementation and deployment of the cloud solutions, and ensure that they meet the performance, security, and scalability standards.

Some of the common roles and responsibilities of cloud architects are: - Define and document the cloud architecture and design for the organization - Select and evaluate the appropriate cloud platform, service, and tool for the cloud solution - Design and implement the cloud network, storage, compute, and security components - Monitor and optimize the cloud infrastructure and architecture for efficiency and reliability - Troubleshoot and resolve any issues or problems with the cloud solution - Communicate and collaborate with the cloud engineers, developers, and stakeholders

Some of the common skills and qualifications of cloud architects are: - Bachelor's degree or higher in computer science, information technology, or related field - Several years of experience in cloud computing, software development, and systems engineering - Expertise in one or more cloud platforms, such as AWS, Azure, or GCP - Proficiency in one or more programming languages, such as Python, Java, C#, or Ruby - Knowledge of cloud architecture principles, patterns, and best practices - Knowledge of cloud networking, storage, compute, and security concepts and technologies - Knowledge of cloud automation, orchestration, and DevOps tools and methodologies - Certification in cloud architecture, such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional, Microsoft Certified : Azure Solutions Architect Expert, or Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect - Excellent communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills

The average salary for a cloud architect in Canada is $118,000 per year, according to Indeed. Cloud Development Cloud developers are responsible for creating and developing cloud-based applications and services for an organization. They use their programming skills and knowledge of cloud platforms and tools to write, test, and deploy code that runs on the cloud. They also ensure that the cloud applications and services are secure, reliable, and user-friendly. Some of the common roles and responsibilities of cloud developers are:

Design and develop cloud applications and services using various programming languages and frameworks
Test and debug the cloud applications and services using various tools and methods
Deploy and update the cloud applications and services using various cloud platforms and services
Monitor and troubleshoot the cloud applications and services for performance and functionality
Document and maintain the cloud applications and services code and configuration
Communicate and collaborate with the cloud engineers, architects, and stakeholders Some of the common skills and qualifications of cloud developers are:
Bachelor's degree or higher in computer science, software engineering, or related field
Several years of experience in software development and cloud computing
Proficiency in one or more programming languages, such as Python, Java, C#, or Ruby
Proficiency in one or more cloud platforms, such as AWS, Azure, or GCP
Knowledge of cloud development principles, patterns, and best practices
Knowledge of cloud development tools and frameworks, such as AWS Lambda, Azure Functions, or Google Cloud Functions
Knowledge of cloud development methodologies, such as agile, scrum, or kanban
Certification in cloud development, such as AWS Certified Developer – Associate, Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate, or Google Certified Associate Cloud Engineer
Excellent coding, testing, and debugging skills

The average salary for a cloud developer in Canada is $95,000 per year, according to Indeed. Cloud Support Cloud support engineers are responsible for providing technical support and assistance to the clients and users of the cloud solutions. They use their troubleshooting skills and knowledge of cloud platforms and tools to diagnose and resolve any issues or problems with the cloud solutions. They also provide guidance and training to the clients and users on how to use and optimize the cloud solutions.

Some of the common roles and responsibilities of cloud support engineers are:

Respond to and resolve the technical queries and issues of the clients and users of the cloud solutions
Identify and escalate the complex or critical issues to the cloud engineers or architects
Perform routine maintenance and updates on the cloud solutions
Provide feedback and suggestions on how to improve the cloud solutions
Create and maintain the technical documentation and manuals for the cloud solutions
Communicate and collaborate with the cloud engineers, developers, and stakeholders Some of the common skills and qualifications of cloud support engineers are:
Bachelor's degree or higher in computer science, information technology, or related field
Several years of experience in technical support and cloud computing
Proficiency in one or more cloud platforms, such as AWS, Azure, or GCP
Proficiency in one or more programming languages, such as Python, Java, C#, or Ruby
Knowledge of cloud support principles, processes, and best practices
Knowledge of cloud support tools and systems, such as AWS Support, Azure Support, or Google Cloud Support
Knowledge of cloud support methodologies, such as ITIL, or ITSM
Certification in cloud support, such as AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate, Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate, or Google Certified Professional Cloud Network Engineer
Excellent troubleshooting, communication, and customer service skills

The average salary for a cloud support engineer in Canada is $75,000 per year, according to Indeed.

Conclusion:

Cloud engineering is a challenging and rewarding career path that requires constant learning and adaptation to the ever-changing cloud technologies and trends. If you are passionate about cloud computing and want to create and manage cloud-based solutions that make a difference, then cloud engineering is the career path for you.