There is no reason for women to trail behind in the new age technologies. Fortunately, more and more women technologists are helping companies drive their next big initiatives, and cloud technology is one such area. If you are keen to explore a career in cloud technology, you are in the right place, as we bring all the details to help you understand the space better.
Cloud technology has gained more ground in recent years, and it is almost impossible not to use it in your everyday life. The technology allows you to listen to music or watch TV on your favorite streaming services, back up your phone files to the internet, or use an online email platform. The technology makes it easier for companies and organizations to store and back up data, and software updates can be rolled out on demand. It also allows customers to access their information from different devices. As a specialist in that field, you’ll work behind the scenes to keep all the functions running.
A cloud engineer is an IT professional saddled with the responsibility of building and maintaining cloud infrastructure. There are so many things to know about the career of a cloud engineer and what the job entails. In addition, cloud engineers can have more specific roles, such as cloud development (coding for the cloud), administration (working with cloud networks), and architecting (designing cloud solutions for organizations).
To help those interested in the field better understand how to break into a career in cloud engineering, we have teamed up with experts from job aggregator Jooble to discuss the roles and responsibilities of a cloud engineer. Let’s proceed.
Top Responsibilities of a Cloud Engineer
Cloud engineer is an umbrella term that describes several cloud computing roles that focus on development, administration, engineering, and architecture. Below are some typical responsibilities of professionals in the most in-demand cloud computing roles:
Cloud Engineering
Cloud engineering roles involve the assessment of an organization’s technology infrastructure and exploring options for moving to the cloud. If the organization decides to move to the cloud, a cloud engineer will oversee the process, referred to as migration, and maintains the new system.
Also, cloud engineering requires managerial skills alongside technical skills. Therefore the engineer could be called upon to negotiate with vendors, coordinate with other IT team members, and communicate with senior colleagues about the progress of a cloud migration project.
A clear, crisp resume is vital in the job hunt, offering a snapshot of skills and experience. In a competitive market, it swiftly captures recruiters’ attention, highlighting key achievements and professionalism. An organized layout ensures vital information isn’t missed, increasing chances of securing interviews and advancing one’s career journey.
Cloud Architecture
Cloud architecture roles focus primarily on assembling the cloud infrastructure. Numerous computing, networking, and security services must be appropriately configured within a cloud environment. The configuration helps ensure that the right users have access to the right services, depending on their role within the organization. That structure also ensures that the company doesn’t incur unnecessary charges.
Contracts to use cloud services can be as abstract as charging to execute a function within a line of code or as concrete as charging to rent the hardware to store data. This variability means architects must be attentive to cloud contracts’ fine print and compare that to how the organization intends to use a cloud-based service.
Cloud Development
Cloud development entails designing databases, applications, and functions that run on the cloud. Although the best practices, such as fast load times, consuming little space, and support for multiple internet browsers, are analogous to more traditional software and database development.
Also, developers must understand how an application will respond when accessing databases in different locations and how to run functions or queries efficiently when renting hardware.
Cloud Administration
This role is similar to the traditional system administrator function that manages an organization’s on-premise software and hardware but emphasizes cloud-based services. The primary responsibilities include managing requests for new technology, developing and implementing policies for cloud services, ensuring appropriate availability of services, and establishing a secure cloud environment.
However, it is worth noting that availability and security require careful attention. The cloud platforms use a “shared model” to guarantee some but not all security measures. For instance, an organization is responsible for building a firewall around the network to access cloud services with sensitive business applications and data.
How to become a cloud engineer
In some instances, you can prepare yourself to be competitive in the market for cloud engineering jobs by getting the right skills and experience or certification.
1. Develop relevant skills
IT jobs with cloud-related tasks include database administrator, systems engineer, and network engineer. However, if you’re already in an IT role, you should be able to explore opportunities to grow in the following areas.
- Cloud platforms: You should learn at least one cloud platform well instead of having little knowledge about several. However, most of the knowledge you acquire in one cloud platform may be transferable to another, but with slight variations. The four largest cloud infrastructure providers worldwide are Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, IBM Cloud in 2021, and Amazon Web Services (AWS).
- Data storage and security: As a cloud worker, you must know how to access, store, and protect data.
- Networking: As much as possible, try and seek knowledge of networking basics and virtual networks. The knowledge will be useful in integrating networks with cloud services.
- Programming: The common languages used in cloud computing are Java, Golang, Ruby, and Python.
- Operating systems: You should be able to work around operating systems such as Windows and Linux efficiently.
2. Build hands-on experience
There are several ways of exposing yourself to hands-on experience with the cloud. You can approach your supervisor to give you cloud-related tasks to work on if you’re on an internship. You can also sign up, register for a cloud platform account, and begin exploring on your own.
3. Earn a certification
Certification helps build technical skills and shows employers that you are knowledgeable about the cloud space. Having the proper knowledge in the required field adds value to your profile and will make your potential employer see you as an asset. However, there are several certifications you can go for, depending on your experience level.
4. Prepare yourself for interview success
Another smart move is to practice answering the common technical interview questions you might encounter during a live job interview. Mock interviews are a fantastic way to prepare yourself for the process.
Conclusion
Cloud engineers are professionals responsible for assessing a business’s infrastructure and migrating different functions to a cloud-based system. There are several cloud computing roles under the belt of a cloud engineer. And each position focuses on a specific type of cloud computing rather than the technology as a whole. As more companies move critical business processes and applications to public, private, and hybrid cloud infrastructures, the professions are in high demand. Companies that hire cloud engineers are often on the verge of deploying cloud services, scaling up their use of cloud resources, or improving their cloud understanding and technology.
