Hey everyone! I'm currently a Senior IT Technical Lead, mainly providing support for around 200 users, mostly Mac (with a few on Windows 11). There's a chance my department might face layoffs in about a year, so I'm taking this time to explore potential new career paths and upskill. My day-to-day involves using tools like Microsoft Power Automate, Power Apps, and managing user permissions in Active Directory.
I'm considering a few options: Cloud Engineering, DevOps Engineering, Data Engineering, or even System Administration as a fallback. I'm ready to dive into learning new tech like Python, R, and SQL. My company has given me access to various tech resources, so I hope to tackle a real business problem to gain experience before shifting jobs. Based on my background, what path do you think would align best with my skills and interests?
2 Answers
If you're looking to break away from desktop support, learning Linux is essential. DevOps often requires a broader skill set than you currently have, so picking up Linux fundamentals should be your first step. Check out resources like roadmap.sh for a clear learning path into DevOps.
Consider taking a step into a SysAdmin role. It might be easier to upskill there than jumping straight into Cloud or DevOps. Your background in Microsoft tools could help land you a junior SysAdmin position which might include Cloud, Linux, and other relevant Ops responsibilities. That's a solid bridge to your longer-term goals.
Definitely sounds like a good approach! I think I’d enjoy SysAdmin before diving into more complex roles.