I'm new to IT and trying to change careers. I've heard that DevOps usually isn't an entry-level role because employers expect experience in software development, system administration, networking, or infrastructure. If starting directly in DevOps is difficult, what should I learn first, and which types of jobs should I apply for? Should I focus on Linux, AWS, Python, networking, monitoring, or something else? I'd appreciate a realistic learning path rather than expecting one tool or certification to be enough.
5 Answers
DevOps usually grows out of another technical foundation. You can start with either software development or operations and then learn the other side. Python, shell scripting, Git, databases, HTTP, troubleshooting, and basic security are more valuable than memorizing a list of cloud services. Build small projects that deploy an application, automate tests, create infrastructure, and include logging or monitoring. That gives you something concrete to discuss in interviews.
Monitoring and cloud support can also be useful entry points because they expose you to production systems, incident response, networking, and reliability. Learn the basics of metrics, logs, alerts, and troubleshooting, then add cloud services as you gain context. A certification can help organize your study and get past some screening filters, but it won’t replace practical knowledge or hands-on projects.
DevOps is more of a way of working than a single job skill. In some organizations, developers handle deployments and operational responsibilities, while platform engineers build reusable Terraform modules, deployment workflows, documentation, and self-service tools. That’s why becoming a capable developer who understands infrastructure—or an operations engineer who can script and work with software teams—can be a stronger goal than trying to learn every tool at once.
A common route is to build strong Linux and networking fundamentals first, then learn one cloud provider such as AWS or Azure. After that, study version control and CI/CD with a tool like GitHub Actions. Kubernetes is useful later, but it shouldn’t be the starting point. Look for junior roles in system administration, cloud support, infrastructure, backend development, QA automation, or technical operations. Those can provide the experience needed for a future DevOps or platform engineering role.
Don’t assume you need to wait several years before applying. Junior opportunities do exist, but they’re less common and often have titles like cloud support, infrastructure technician, junior systems administrator, release engineer, or platform support. Be honest about what you don’t know, ask good questions, document your work, and show that you can investigate problems independently. Employers may value that attitude alongside your fundamentals.
That makes sense. I’ll focus on building a foundation first instead of trying to learn every cloud and automation tool immediately.