How to Become a Cloud Engineer: in Easy Steps

Have you ever wondered how our internet services are made and handled? If the answer to this question is a yes, then you have found the right article for yourself. ?

A Cloud Engineer is what you call someone who takes care of cloud computing. If you are wondering about what cloud computing is, then don’t worry. I have explained that, too, in the article below.

The perks that come along with the job are not a joke either, with an average salary of $122,189 per year. ?Do read along if you want to know how to become a Cloud Engineer and advance in your field. ?

Who is a Cloud Engineer?

We discussed how cloud engineers are people who take care of and implement cloud computing. But what is cloud computing? Cloud computing refers to the delivery of services, such as servers, databases, logs, software, intelligence, analytics, etc., through the Internet.

This means, For example – we have google docs which is a computing service offered on the Internet. So is Zoom, and so are many other famous apps. ?

Cloud computing is highly valued and in demand right now because of the benefits it provides. It enables users to get access to various services on the net, which is faster and more resourceful for them. As a cloud engineer, you would be required to take care of any work related to cloud computing. ?️

You have to be extremely hard working if you want to work in this field because of the amount of time it requires to become a Cloud Engineer, and the amount of work that you have to do later on can be a lot. ?

How much can a Cloud Engineer earn?

Since it is a job that comes under the fields of engineering and IT, it’s a given that the salary is going to be quite a hefty sum. This makes up for the hard work you are going to put in for the job, doesn’t it? ? Keeping an idea about your expected salary is highly encouraged.

The average base pay for a cloud engineer in July 2023 was $122,189. This is the first and actual part of your salary. When I say actual, I mean that this is the amount that you will be paid directly by your company or the person who hires you.

The other part is additional wages which you might or might not get paid. These look like tips, commissions, etc. In terms of hourly wages, this comes down to $69.79 per hour. ?

All these stats are up to date and tell you the latest salary trends for Cloud Engineers in 2023. Washington, New York, and Herndon are the top three places in the states where becoming a Cloud Engineer reaps the most profit. ?

How to Become a Cloud Engineer? (Tips)

There are always steps you need to follow to achieve your goals. To ensure that your focus doesn’t diminish and you don’t end up enrolling in an unrelated course or anything, you need to make sure that you have the correct steps down.

Do make sure that you jot down the steps I tell you about below somewhere. ⬇️

Choose the correct STEM courses

During their schooling, students have access to a variety of STEM courses. What you need to do is take up all the ones that will help you build up your foundation in engineering and IT.

The key is to choose only those ones that will help you in building up your understanding of engineering and IT and not any irrelevant ones.

A few could be engineering, mathematics, computer science, and more mathematics. If you do this, it will guarantee that you are able to build up the foundation for your future bachelor’s degree. ✅

Get your degrees

Once you have completed all your foundational courses, the next crucial step towards becoming a coder is earning a bachelor’s degree. You must choose one that is most apt for the field.

In the US, you get the option to pursue a 4-year degree in Computer Science or Software Engineering. Your options also include subjects like information systems and engineering. You can find even more programs if you look thoroughly.

Worry not because I have discussed colleges below too. You can also get a degree in Cloud Engineering itself, but that is going to be a specialization in your master’s. Getting a master’s is the next thing to do after getting a bachelor’s.

So, it’s up to you to choose whichever one suits you best and start studying. ?‍?

Learn programming languages

This is the most important step other than getting your degrees because that is something you have to do whether you get into college or not. It would be good if you start when you’re in school as that would just add to your experience.

Some of the languages you should learn include Python, Golang, PHP, and SQL. You can find videos teaching these easily on youtube and start learning. ?

Get some experience

Next, you should start working in internships or part-time jobs for any company or just any organization in general.

All that matters is that you get experience out of this work. Go for internships with professionals so that you can get adequate amounts of both advice and hands-on training. ?

Online sources can be very helpful

There are a variety of online extracurricular courses available for Cloud Engineering.

Some of the few that I have discussed below are going to be of great help to people who want to start learning. They are beginner-level courses, and you can start them anytime and finish them at your own pace too.

These are important because it serves as proof that you have studied that subject and your skills are credible enough to be given work. ☁️

Tips to Improve Your Cloud Engineering Career

Getting a degree is a very important step to becoming a Cloud Engineer, but it can only help you so much.

There are always more methods to gain more expertise in your dream career. Given below are some skills one should work upon. ⤵️

Build your network

While this might not seem like the most important step on the list, it is beneficial nonetheless. Building a network to gain invisibility in the workforce. Many people get hired by bigger clients and companies because of their networks.

These clients get to know about them through the network and then hire them because of the promise of credibility they get. This promise is also because of the network. ?

Networking with other engineers or just other people in the field of IT and engineering would make them aware of you and how you are available for a job. ?️

Take care of your work environment

The job of a Cloud Engineer or anyone else in their work environment isn’t easy. You have to work with doctors, scientists, nurses, salesmen, and more different kinds of people.

This is because everyone uses some form of cloud computing now, and everyone can be stressed and overworked.

In situations like these, you have to keep your chin up, not be easily disheartened, and get along with all your workmates as well as your clients. ?

Don’t stop practicing

Coding is a skill that you will have to build up from scratch and will improve with practice. This means that if you leave coding for some while, chances are that you will forget how to code.

Hence, it is of utmost importance that you keep on practicing every day or at least set up and follow a regular schedule, if not every day. ?

Skills to learn

There are certain skills you need to master so that you become a cloud engineer. Start with getting a good Linux operating system. This is so because practicing cloud computing on Linux systems helps you understand the operating system better.

Then, you should start learning Internet and network protocols. If you are going to be working with these things, then you should know about their important protocols as well.

One of the most important and well-used frameworks on the cloud is DevOps. It is in high demand nowadays and should be mastered. What remains now is learning about web security and services, recovery, cloud service providers, virtualization, and API. ?️

Top Cloud Engineering Courses in the United States

With the creation and rise of online learning platforms, there has been a significant increase in the number of online educational content on the Internet. ?

Introduction to Cloud Computing with Amazon Web Services

This course is available on Udemy, one of the most diverse and reputed online educational platforms out there. The instructor for this course is Infinite Skills which is a Canadian company offering lots and lots of eLearning opportunities.

The course has been divided into nine sections which are further divided into 35 lectures. You will need to sit down for 8 hours straight if you want to get it done in one go. ⌚

The course is the best for beginners and introduces them to core concepts such as SaaS, Iaas, and Paas. It also includes examples from AWS, which makes it easier for the students to learn.

Microsoft Azure Fundamentals AZ-900 Exam Prep Specialization

This course is available on Coursera, one of the most well-known educational platforms other than Udemy. It is offered by Microsoft in collaboration with Coursera and has a four-month schedule.

It has been divided into four modules and is part of a specialization program in cloud computing. Another part of this program has also been discussed by me below. You will have to give 2 hours a week to this course if you want to finish it on time.

It is a very good course for beginners in cloud computing and also a great help if you will attempt the Azure Fundamentals AZ-900 exam.

The topics include core Microsoft Azure services; general security and network security; Microsoft Azure concepts; core solutions and management tools; Microsoft Azure cost management and service level agreements; governance, privacy, and compliance features. ?

Cloud Computing: The Big Picture

Pluralsight is another online educational platform that is a very good source of online learning. It offers a premium membership for learners that provides them premium access to all of the resources on this site.

It has been divided into five modules for learning. The instructor of this course is David Chapell, who is a principal of Chappell & Associates in San Francisco, California. ?

Getting Started with Cloud Computing — Level 1

Offered by Udemy again, this course is taught by Idan Gabrieli, who has studied, worked, and taught in this field. He has lots of experience to speak for his credibility and skills, and this course is one of the many he has made for his students before.

The course is divided into seven sections which are further divided into 39 lectures. It would take you approximately 3 hours to finish this course.

This course is suitable for beginners who have just started learning about cloud computing. It has content and resources that touch upon topics such as the three main services models – PaaS (Platform as Service), SaaS (Software as Service), and IaaS (Infrastructure as Service). ⌨️

Cloud Computing Concepts

Coursera offers one more course that is going to be of great help to anyone interested in cloud computing. This one is taught by Indranil Gupta, who is an established professional in this field with certifications and degrees from IITM and Cornell University.

This course is divided into audio and video content. These resources have been scheduled for five weeks. The total duration of the course, if you want to finish it in one go, is approximately 24 hours. ☁️

As per reviews, this course is a very good one, and the instructor teaches with great precision and detail as well.

Top Cloud Engineering Schools in the World

A lot of offline schools offer a very good undergraduate as well as master’s program. There is no direct degree or program to learn cloud engineering.

You need to do a bachelor’s in computer science or software engineering and then go for a master’s in cloud computing. The topmost ones are listed below. ?

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The first option on this list is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology which is located in Massachusetts. It is highly recommended for your degree.

Founded in 1861, MIT is a university dedicated to the sciences, and you will surely find everything you are asking for in your computer science degree here easily. The university mostly has engineering and science-based courses.

The employment rate for MIT is also the highest in the world for any engineering college. This means you don’t need to worry about getting a job as long as you get into MIT.?‍?

University of California – Berkeley (UC Berkeley)

At the University of California – Berkeley (UC Berkeley), they offer their program in master’s in computer science and electrical engineering.

UC Berkeley has been around since way back in 1868, and it’s a public university that’s all about research. It has a good rank when it comes to any list of universities and education.

Stanford University

Stanford University was founded in 1885 and ranked fifth on the list. This university is located in Stanford. It offers about nine courses when it comes to engineering and tech. For cloud computing enthusiasts, there is a computer science postgraduate program.

There is another master’s program, too, which is a blend of computer science and mathematical engineering. ?

University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge is very old and huge. It’s been around for a long time and has 31 colleges that operate under it. It’s one of the best schools for engineering and technology programs.

This place has a variety of courses and programs for you to choose from. Whichever course/subject they offer has a really good teaching program and promises excellence in all of them. They’ve been operating since 1209 and have built a reputation for themselves ever since.

For cloud computing enthusiasts like you, they’ve got this really good undergraduate program in computer science. It’s the only subject they offer for computer science enthusiasts, but it covers all of the essential topics that you should know about.

So, if you decide to start looking for colleges, do pay some attention to Cambridge and its programs too.?

Nanyang Technological University

Located in Singapore, Nanyang Technological University has placed a very high and good rank consecutively since it has been established in almost every subject they offer at their premises. It is also known for sharing a joint medical school with another prestigious university, Imperial College in London.

They offer all sorts of subjects – arts, sciences, law, etc. Their undergraduate program in computer science is very promising. ➕

University of Oxford

University of Oxford, in London, UK, has been around since way back in the 11th century, which makes it the oldest school in the whole UK. The University of Oxford has a campus that is spread out all over the city center.

About 40% of the students at Oxford come from different countries. And this school offers really good engineering and technology programs.

If you’re interested in computer science or engineering, Oxford is the right choice for you. You will find a three-year undergraduate program in computer science, engineering science, or computer science with philosophy, and you can choose between the three.

The University of Oxford is a very good choice for those who want to enroll in a college that offers top-notch education, has a beautiful campus, and has a diverse student population as well. ?

Where to find Cloud Engineering opportunities online?

The Internet has many benefits – one of these benefits is how easy it has made the whole job-hunting process. But since being a Cloud Engineer is more of a field job, the sources on the net might be that much. ?

Indeed

Indeed is a platform on which you can find tons of job opportunities from all around the world.

Indeed was launched back in November 2004. Indeed has all sorts of job options – Whether you want to work from home, part-time, full-time, or even remotely. All you have to do is tell it what you’re looking for, and it will find the best options for you.

It has a user-friendly interface and is very easy to use. Make sure you use the filters because they will make your job search more thorough and precise according to your preferences. ?

Glassdoor

Glassdoor is a very helpful website where you can find just the right job for yourself. It’s a credible and trustworthy platform. One of its features tells you all about how much money you can make in different careers.

And all of this information is backed up by up-to-date stats and data. You can also search for jobs in three different ways by using the filters for the city of choice, pay, and company you want to work in. ?

LinkedIn is special and quite different in comparison to other job sites on the net because it’s a job site where you are able to make connections and meet new people.

We talked about how important networking is nowadays, and as a cloud engineer, LinkedIn can help you with building and updating your accomplishments.

It’s helpful because lots of employees and job hunters can connect with each other on this platform. ?

Conclusion

Coding takes a lifetime of practice, and becoming an engineer is already a very humongous task.

It is going to require a lot of hard work, but if you are able to work as hard as required to become a Cloud Engineer, you will be successful and will surely become one.

All you need is the right amount of willpower and determination, and you will surely succeed. ?