I'm just starting out in tech, with a bit of basic programming and some experience in both frontend and backend web development, but I haven't touched deployment or version control yet. I'm about to begin a two-year professional course at university, where I'm eager to explore a role in DevOps. However, my Head of Department advised me against focusing on DevOps right now, saying job opportunities are quite limited. Instead, she suggested I concentrate on AI and machine learning until I secure a job, then possibly circle back to DevOps or cloud engineering later. Is this solid advice? And should I pursue machine learning even though my math skills are at an 8th-grade level? I'm open to learning but would appreciate any recommendations for free math courses that are beginner-friendly!
4 Answers
Definitely start with learning Git! It’s useful across all areas in tech, including DevOps.
My brother works in data analysis and does some ML projects. From what I've observed, having strong math and statistics skills is really important, especially when you're working with data. Understanding statistics can help you achieve a better R² value in your models.
Thanks for the tip!
If you're keen on DevOps, getting to grips with version control like Git is essential. For ML, if your math is basic, definitely check out Khan Academy for free math courses tailored for AI/ML. Balancing your learning in both areas might be the way to go — find what excites you most, since passion can drive success.
Thank you! I’m starting on Git essentials now and I’ll have a look at Khan Academy.
I wouldn't say to focus solely on DevOps right away. You can learn it gradually alongside other skills. When you face challenges in your projects, those will naturally lead you to learn Git, Docker, and similar tools. For instance, you might run into issues like ‘this worked yesterday’ prompting you to learn source control, or ‘how can I deploy this online?’ guiding you into public cloud solutions. You’ll effectively pick up DevOps along the way without dedicating all your focus to it right now.
Thanks, your explanation really resonated with me! The laptop vs PC problem you mentioned is so accurate for my situation.
Thanks for the response! I have a couple of weeks before my course starts; do you think that’s enough time to get a handle on Git?