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How to Switch to DevOps Engineer: Roadmap, Skills, and Certifications

Professional walking toward DevOps infinity loop icon representing career switch to DevOps Engineer.

Introduction

The increase in the use of automation, cloud computing, and continuous deployment has led to rapid growth in the need for DevOps engineers in India. Professionals with experience in software, testing, and infrastructure roles are specifically seeking ways to transition into DevOps engineer roles to boost their careers.

At Naresh i Technologies – the leader in training for software careers for the last 22 years – we provide a pathway for students and professionals to transition into the DevOps role with confidence with our DevOps Training with Placement and DevOps with AWS Training courses. Our project-based curriculum with hands-on training positions students to graduate from each program with knowledge of the tools, cloud environments and CI/CD pipelines used by leading IT companies.

If you are considering a career switch to DevOps, this guide uses the Model to present who can make a switch, what skills are needed, when and where to get started, why DevOps is the right course of action, and how to get started.

Who Can Switch to DevOps Engineer?

Who is Ready to Switch to DevOps? (Who)

Here’s a bullet-point list of people that will most likely be able to switch to DevOps:

  • Software developers interested in automation.
  • System administrators moving into cloud DevOps.
  • QA/test engineers that want to become more proficient in continuous testing.
  • Network engineers that are learning how to deploy into the cloud.
  • Recent graduates that are trying to explore a career across domains in IT.

Transition: “If you understand coding, servers, or testing, DevOps will get your career into a leadership position more quickly.”

What Skills Do You Need to Change Careers to Become a DevOps Engineer?

The roadmap for changing careers to DevOps will be about becoming fluent with development tools, and operational tools. The following is a list of required skills to develop:

1.Linux and Networking

You will need to know the basic Linux commands, file permissions, and a little networking whether you will be managing servers, development servers, or cloud resources.

2.Version Control (Git & Github)

Your code will have to be versioned for multiple developers/teams to collaborate, and develop copies without stepping on each others’ toes. …. Push, pull, merge and manage code repositories.

3.CI/CD Tools

You’ll be a subject matter expert for automation pipelines (ie: release pipelines) using Jenkins, GitLab CI, or github actions to integrate and release code features and fixes.

5.Containers and Orchestration

You will need to know how to build an application using Docker, and how to use Kubernetes to orchestrate Docker containers.

6.Cloud Platforms

Regardless of the cloud platforms you may decide to work with, AWS, Azure and GCP (?) fit well in a modern DayOps practice, but to simply establish your DevOps foundations, NareshIT training on AWS (EC2, S3, IAM and EKS) will be best.

7.Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

You can learn a little more about automating provisioning and configuring your cloud infrastructure tooling like Terraform and Ansible.

8.Monitoring & Security

You want to understand, configure, and use at least monitoring tools like Grafana, Prometheus, and CloudWatch to monitor, alert performance metrics, etc.

9.Scripting Knowledge

You are likely to have at least some basic scripting automation when dealing with systems using Bash and maybe even Python, the intention is to automate away the tedious, repetitive things or anything in the development process.

Transition Phase: Developing your foundational skills can happen in a formalized way by committing to a DevOps Career.

When Is the Right Time to Switch to DevOps?

There isn’t a specifically bad time, besides you can start as soon as possible.

  • Newcomers: Start learning DevOps when you’re finishing up your programme so you can enter the workforce with skills that will be valuable to potential employers when relevant.
  • Professionals: For those already in an IT or development focused role, you can easily start for weekends or learn DevOps in online programs to transition into a role in approximately 3-6 months.
  • Mid-Career Engineers: Timing, don’t let your skills go stale, do it now while mainstreaming DevOps.

At NareshIT, we find that many people achieve job-ready competency in only 12 weeks using a tool-driven, learning by doing approach.

Where Are DevOps Engineers in Demand?

DevOps jobs are in high demand in India’s IT cities: Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Pune, Chennai, and Gurugram.

Industries With The Most Jobs For DevOps Engineers:

  • IT Services & Consulting
  • FinTech & Banking
  • Healthcare Technology
  • E-commerce Platforms
  • Cloud & AI Startups

Common Job Roles You Can Expect To Transition Into:

  • Junior DevOps Engineer
  • Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)
  • Cloud Engineer
  • Release Manager
  • Platform Engineer

Advantages of a DevOps Career

Many people in India are choosing to go into the future with DevOps as a career path. Consider these examples why:

  • Demand: There are currently over 100,000 jobs listed in India in job boards with the title DevOps.
  • Salary: DevOps average salaries increase from about ₹6 Lakhs Per Year for entry-level to ₹25 Lakhs Per Year for senior level.
  • Change: DevOps can have a multitude of tasks performed over multiple domains such as cloud, automation, development, etc.
  • Global Labour Market: There are positions outside of India in DevOps in the US and UK, and elsewhere.
  • Sustainability: DevOps relates to the future of AI, Cloud, and Cybersecurity.

Transition Line: Therefore, thinking about transitioning into DevOps with MultiCloud may be an opportunity for career development and your salary increase.

A Brief Guide to Transitioning into DevOps

StepSubject   Provides Purpose
1Linux + Networking        the process of building technical foundations
2Git + Github

Start building a knowledgebase around working together and versioning

3Practice Jenkins and CI/CDAutomate build and deploy pipelines
4Learn Docker and KubernetesRun and manage a containerized application
5Cloud Experience (AWS/ Azure)Create, Deploy and Scale applications
6Learn Terraform and AnsibleAutomate provisioning infrastructure
7Add Monitoring & Security SkillsMaintain system stability
8Build Projects & PortfolioShowcase real-time experience
9Get Certified (AWS / Docker)Improve job credibility
10Join NareshIT Placement ProgramLand your first DevOps job in India

Pro Tip: Working on your project alongside a mentor at NareshIT gives you program for your projects that real-world employers are looking for.

Frequently Asked Questions – Transitioning to a DevOps Engineer

Q1. Can I switch to DevOps without coding?

Ans: Yes, DevOps only requires a basic understanding of scripting/command-line knowledge and you can learn some Bash or Python in the DevOps training.

Q2. How much time it takes to switch DevOps?

Ans: Typically, 3-6 months of hands-on and guided learning is sufficient to get started as a DevOps engineer.

Q3. Is DevOps a good career option to choose in India?

Ans: I doubt you will have a better career option than DevOps for job growth, job security, and salary in India.

Q4. What is the best DevOps certification for career switchers?

Ans: The AWS Certified DevOps Engineer or Docker Certified Associate are both very good certifications in India as of date.

Q5. Does Naresh i Technologies help with placement?

Ans: Yes, we offer 100% Javascript and resume preparations help, mock interviews and recruiter connects.

Final Thoughts

Transitioning to a career in DevOps engineer is an empowering commitment for not only fresh graduates, but also for professionals who have been in their careers for a while. Armed with the right combination of skill, certification, and hands-on training, you can move into a career that is both rewarding and future-proof.

Naresh i Technologies offers market-based curriculum in both the DevOps Training with Placement assistance and DevOps with AWS Training programs which include mentor-led sessions with real-time labs and multi-cloud learning opportunities to prepare you for key positions in reputable companies!

NNV Naresh is an entrepreneur armed with a noble vision to make a difference in the career aspirations of the students. 20+ years of experience in the education sector, Naresh is the founder and the driving force behind the victorious journey of NareshIT.

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