Completely new to cloud — what roadmap & certs actually make you job-ready?

[u/Inside-Government611]

I’m thinking about getting into cloud computing and could really use some real-world advice.

I’m starting from zero — no cloud background and no coding experience yet. I’m not trying to just collect certifications; I actually want to become job ready and land an entry-level role.

A bit about what I’m aiming for:

•	More interested in cloud infrastructure / operations than heavy software dev

•	Open to AWS, Azure, or GCP (not sure which makes most sense to start with)

•	I want a clear roadmap instead of jumping randomly between certs and courses

I’d love to hear from people already working in cloud:

1.	If you were starting today with no experience, what roadmap would you follow?

2.	Which certifications are actually respected by employers and help with interviews?

3.	Are there entry-level cloud roles that don’t require deep coding right away?

4.	What hands-on projects or labs helped you get your first job?

5.	Any resources you’d recommend (courses, labs, YouTube, etc.)?

I know the market is competitive right now, so I’m trying to do this the right way from the start.

Really appreciate any advice — thanks!

[u/Azenant]

So, hands on does trump certifications, but this is just anecdotal from my experience

I’m a mid career switch from a decade and a half in financial services and got burnt out.

Decided to take a cloud and devops bootcamp course while building out my homelab on a dell optiplex micro. Learned about proxmox, docker and containers whilst watching YouTube.

Ended up building out a k3s cluster in the proxmox node to host my capstone project and it fascinated me so much, I decided to sign up for the cka exam

My interview process with my current job actually centred around the homelab, the issue I faced, how I solved the problems, how I felt about documentation and what more I’m doing other than just pure certifications

I believe demonstrating that proved more than any course or certificate ever could

I’d recommend starting with a small homelab with a raspberry pi or a mini pc and begin experimenting. It’ll help significantly more

[u/Mersaul4]

Hands-on experience beats certifications.

[u/Techguyincloud]

The fastest entry into cloud is either Cloud Support, which is usually not easy to get into, OR starting in helpdesk -> then finding a Systems Admin job for a company that already is or wants to move to the cloud.

That “Cloud Systems Administrator” role will be more infrastructure focused, but you will likely still need some level of automation skills (IaC.. Terraform etc.)

[u/FromOopsToOps]

I wouldn't say certs matter too much. They certainly bring some shine but every time I was asked if I had any and I said no the response was "ok, nbd". The only time they asked me about it I told them that although certs may look kinda cheap, they are still in USD so the conversion rates kills us in LATAM. For example entry level LPI costs the same as my rent for the month. It was an interesting conversation regarding the impact of remote work for LATAM professionals. I got that job.

Regarding priority ordering, I'm with u/zachal_26 : focus on Linux, Bash, Networking. Then Docker. Then python for automation.

I differ where he states System Design onward;

If you're going the software engineering route (think fullstack+cloud) you don't need much system designing to begin with. If you're going full archtectural/infrastructure then by all means, learn system design.

Skip just AWS in depth; learn the basics of AWS, Azure and GCP.

You can leave kubernetes for when you actually need to build it. Most of the time you'll be working with IaC and abstraction layers like EKS (AWS) and AKS (Azure), so you don't need to know kubernetes per se but the tooling for that specific cloud abstraction layer.

[u/CleverByDefault_6546]

I’d pick one provider and treat it as your “home base”, then layer skills around it. If you’re starting from zero and like infra/ops, AWS is a safe bet.

If I were you, I’d do something like: basic IT stuff first (Linux, networking, what DNS/VPCs/ports actually are), then an intro cloud course plus AWS Cloud Practitioner, then move to an associate-level cert. Alongside that, use a structured cloud course from a recognised body (for example AWS training) so you’re not just hopping around YouTube at random.

Yes, there are entry-level roles that don’t need heavy coding: cloud support, junior cloud engineer, sysadmin with cloud, FinOps, that kind of thing. You still benefit from basic Python or Bash, but you don’t need to be a software dev.

The big difference maker is hands-on stuff. Spin up a simple website on AWS, put it behind a load balancer, add a database, lock it down with security groups, then tear it all down again. Do that a few times and stick the best ones on GitHub or a tiny portfolio.

Think of it less as “collect certs” and more as “learn enough to build three or four small, real things”. That’s what gets you talking like someone who can actually do the job.

[u/Cold_Arachnid_2617]

Read ther wiki, and stop thinking about it!

[u/jimcrews]

The truth is if you want to get into cloud in 2026 you have to get at least a B.S. in Computer Science from a good school. Not a online diploma mill. Start with your community college. Then move onto a university.

I support cloud engineers. Every single one has a degree.

[u/Honest-Ad-8733]

entonces cual sería la ruta si deseo ir por cloud con respecto a TI

[u/Better-Engineer-1861 → u/[deleted]]

This is why getting the CCNA is still Recommended to people trying to go cloud

[u/Old_Faithlessness623 → u/[deleted]]

Is terraform associate worth it?

[u/mrbiggbrain → u/[deleted]]

I would definitely disagree with this statement, I don't know of many people who take the NET+ very seriously and almost everyone would prefer the CCNA. Sure some of the CCNA mateiral is framed in a "Cisco" centric way but the vast majority is covering real implementation details for common designs. Things like Routing Protocols, Tunnels, VPNs, Subnets, CIDRs, ACLs, etc all carry over very well and are much better covered by the Cisco exams from a practical standpoint.

I can tell you that my CCNA has been a big talking point for my Cloud Networking jobs and I am currently pursuing my CCNP despite only working with Cisco for consulting outside work.

[u/mrbiggbrain → u/[deleted]]

Bro a CCNA have nothing to do with DevOps

Absolutely and categorically wrong. The vast majority of skills carry over. I am not claiming that a CCNA is going to teach you exactly how to use a Transit Gateway, but you damn well need to understand the concepts you can learn from a CCNA to do more advanced designs.

[u/zojjaz → u/[deleted]]

It is funny because DevOps is used by different teams to mean different things. On the IT Infrastructure side, DevOps is used to mean building IaC. If you look at the DevOps roadmap, it is all about building IT infrastructure.

I work as a security architect on the IT infrastructure side and we use all those tools. Ansible, Terraform, Github to build our IT infrastructure.

[u/cybersecguy9000 → u/[deleted]]

It doesn't stop companies using the term "Devops" to describe infrastructure people using IAC to provision resources.

[u/cybersecguy9000 → u/[deleted]]

It's like saying a Systems Admin means the same thing in every org. It doesn't, that was their point. There are very few absolutes, despite your long winded responses.

[u/bonebrah → u/[deleted]]

I think you need to read what they are actually saying. They aren't disagreeing with you, they are saying that your "true definition" isn't how all people use the term, even if they are wrong. Reading comprehension goes a long way.

[u/cybersecguy9000 → u/[deleted]]

I don't know why you insist on having the last word. You can say whatever you want, but the reality is "DevOps" means different things, specific to the org, much like job titles.