Author: Kanchan Arora
Cloud computing has transformed the way businesses operate by providing scalable, reliable, and cost-effective solutions to meet their digital needs. As a result, every industry is moving towards a cloud-positive future. According to IDC (International Data Corporation), the overall public cloud service market will reach $338.8 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 28.8% for 2021-25.
It is an ever-growing industry that requires a diverse range of skill sets, including technical and non-technical skills. The demand and expansion of cloud services are so high that the labor market has struggled to match the rapid growth. According to a survey of over 2500 CIOs cloud computing is the second most in-demand skill when seeking new team members.
All these numbers & trends give a clear indication that this is the right time to consider a career in Cloud Computing. While it is true that many cloud computing roles require technical expertise, there are also numerous opportunities for non-tech candidates in this field. In this article, we will explore some of the most popular cloud computing career paths and the skills you will need to succeed in each of them.
Let us start with understanding the various roles and the skills requirements of these roles.
TECHNICAL ROLES:
Cloud Developer:
As a cloud developer, you will be responsible for developing and maintaining cloud-based applications. You will need to have experience with programming languages, cloud-based platforms, and development tools. A cloud developer should be able to create efficient, scalable, and reliable applications that run on cloud infrastructure.
Skills required: Programming languages, cloud-based platforms, development tools, APIs, databases, and automation.
Salary: The average salary for a Cloud Developer is around $114,000 per year.
Cloud Administrator:
As a cloud administrator, you will be involved in configuring, deploying, and managing cloud-based infrastructure. You will be responsible for ensuring that the infrastructure is secure, reliable, and scalable.
Skills required: Cloud platforms, networking, Operating Systems, Security, Automation, monitoring & troubleshooting.
Salary: The average salary for a Cloud Administrator is around $84,000 per year.
Cloud Engineer:
As a cloud engineer/cloud operations engineer, you will be responsible for managing and maintaining cloud infrastructure. You will need to have experience with cloud platforms, networking, automation, and troubleshooting. A cloud operations engineer should be able to monitor and optimize cloud infrastructure to ensure maximum performance, uptime, and security.
Skills required: Cloud platforms, networking, automation, scripting, monitoring and optimization, troubleshooting, and security.
Salary: The average salary for a Cloud Engineer is around $116,000 per year.
Cloud Support Engineer:
As a cloud support engineer, you will be providing technical support for cloud-based applications and services. You will help customers troubleshoot and resolve technical issues related to cloud computing services.
Skills required: Cloud platforms, Operating Systems, Networking concepts, Basic knowledge of scripting languages like Python or Powershell, and troubleshooting skills.
Salary: The average salary for a Cloud Support Engineer is around $89,000 per year.
Cloud DevOps Engineer:
As a cloud DevOps engineer, you will be responsible for implementing and managing the deployment of software applications in cloud environments. You will also be responsible for ensuring that the software applications run efficiently and smoothly, as well as for maintaining and improving the infrastructure that supports them.
Skills required: Cloud Platforms, Infrastructure Automation Tools, Continuous Integration & Continuous Deployment, Containerization, Scripting, and Security.
Salary: The average salary for a Cloud Support Engineer is around $89,000 per year.
Cloud SysOps Engineer:
As cloud sysops engineer, you will be responsible for the maintenance of cloud infrastructure and ensuring its optimal performance. You will also be responsible for deploying, managing, and operating scalable, highly available, and fault-tolerant systems on the cloud.
Skills required: Cloud Platforms, Cloud Infrastructure, Scripting & Automation, Security & Compliance knowledge, Site Reliability Engineering & ITIL Process.
Salary: The average salary for a Cloud Support Engineer is around $89,000 per year.
Cloud Technical Account Manager:
As a cloud technical account manager (TAM), you will be responsible for managing the relationship between a cloud services provider and its clients. You will act as the primary point of contact for clients, providing technical guidance, and ensuring that the client’s needs are met.
Skills required: Cloud Platforms, Communication skills, ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, Analytical & Problem-solving skills.
Salary: The average salary for a Cloud Technical Account Manager is around $124,000 per year.
Cloud Architect:
As a cloud architect, you will be responsible for designing and implementing cloud-based solutions for businesses. You will need to have a deep understanding of cloud computing technologies and platforms, as well as experience with architecture and design principles. A cloud architect should be able to design solutions that meet the specific needs of a business while ensuring scalability, security, and performance.
Skills required: Cloud computing technologies, architecture and design principles, programming languages, networking, and security.
Salary: The average salary for a Cloud Architect is around $130,000 per year.
Cloud Security Engineer:
As a cloud security engineer, you will be responsible for ensuring the security of cloud infrastructure and applications. You will need to have experience with security technologies, cloud platforms, and compliance regulations. A cloud security engineer should be able to identify and mitigate security risks, implement security controls, and monitor security events.
Skills required: Security technologies, cloud platforms, compliance regulations, risk management, security controls, and monitoring.
Salary: The average salary for a Cloud Security Engineer is around $120,000 per year.
NON-TECHNICAL ROLES:
Project Management:
Cloud computing companies require project managers who can lead teams, manage timelines, and ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget. Non-tech candidates with strong organizational skills and project management experience can pursue roles such as project managers, program managers, and product managers.
Skills required: To be an effective Project Manager, for a cloud-based project, it’s important for you to have an understanding of various cloud services. You should know how these services are used for various business needs, what are the various pricing options available, what are various configuration options available, and how to configure them based on your project’s cost, performance, and security needs.
Sales and Marketing:
Cloud computing companies as well as cloud computing service partner companies need professionals who can effectively sell and market their products and services. Non-tech candidates with strong communication and interpersonal skills can excel in roles such as account executives, business development managers, and marketing managers.
Skills required: Along with the communication, negotiation, and business skills, which are core for these roles, having knowledge of the cloud landscape, understanding cloud offerings, knowing the pros & cons of cloud services, ability to map cloud services with your customer’s need, will give you an edge over other candidates. It will also help you in doing your job more effectively and be not just a vendor, but also a solution partner for your client.
Finance:
Cloud computing companies require financial experts who can manage budgets, forecast revenue, and analyze financial data. Non-tech candidates with accounting, finance, or business degrees can pursue roles such as financial analysts, controllers, and CFOs.
Skills required: Having an understanding of cloud financials is a must to be able to cost estimate, budget, and plan for your clients or your company’s cloud migration journey.
These are just a few examples of standard job roles in cloud computing. It is important to note that different organizations may use different names for these roles. It is essential for candidates to identify their strengths and skills and match them with roles that align with their interests and goals.
Below matrix can help you in this analysis in identifying the right career path or the probable starting point.
* Refer above for Role responsibilities & skills required.
This is an indicative grid to help you in visualizing multiple opportunities for both Tech & Non-tech candidates in the cloud. Based on your current skills & your aspiring role you can curate a customized career path for yourself. For example, if you come from IT Security background, you may want to explore Cloud security; if you come from Finance background, you may want to explore Cloud Financials, and so on.
Remember, the wider the gap between your current skills and your aspiring role, more the effort you need to put in to reach there.
Conclusion:
Cloud computing is a rapidly growing field, and there are many career paths available for those with the right skills and experience. Whether you are interested in architecture, development, operations, sales, security, or management, there is a place for you in the cloud computing industry.
