Career Shift – Do You Need A DevOps Degree?
Friday, 22 July, 2022
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A DevOps career is in high demand these days, and for good reason. DevOps engineers play a vital role in the software development life cycle, working to streamline collaboration between software development and operations teams.
As a result, they can help to improve the quality and speed of software delivery.
If you’re an experienced engineer with strong technical skills, then a career in DevOps could be very rewarding financially. However, if you’re a fresher with no experience in the field, then you might find it tough to break into the role.
DevOps is a highly technical field, and entry-level engineers often have difficulty keeping up with the pace of change. So while it’s certainly worth considering a career in DevOps engineering, freshers should be aware of the challenges involved.
By the end of this article, you’ll find yourself better equipped to make the decision for yourself and find profitable avenues to equip yourself with the right DevOps engineer skills and technical practices.
Why DevOps?
If you look at DevOps as just another job role, this employment sector is experiencing massive growth. Not to mention the higher-than-average DevOps engineer salary is almost the first aspect that many software developers research before tackling the job application.
The software field is expected to see an unprecedented rate of 22% growth in job demand where DevOps covers just a small portion of it, although substantial.
Over 11,000+ DevOps engineers are currently employed in the US alone with California and New York being the top-paying states for experienced DevOps engineers.
Aside from the massive employment demand and the above-average annual salary that DevOps engineering candidates enjoy, there is a lot of scope in the field for further career advancement while also fulfilling the cutting-edge benefits of a lucrative job.
A Few Factors That Make DevOps a Desirable Career Path
DevOps is a set of principles and practices that aim to automate and improve the process of software development and delivery. By focusing on collaboration between developers and operations teams, DevOps enables organizations to deliver software faster and more reliably.
Here are a few reasons that an aspiring DevOps engineer can bank on when entering the field confidently.
1. Easy Adoption of DevOps Practices
The rise of cloud computing has made it easier for organizations to adopt DevOps practices. Cloud-based infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) and platform-as-a-service (PaaS) offerings provide the compute, storage, and networking resources needed to support a DevOps environment.
2. Greater Customer Satisfaction Through Iterative Software Development Methodologies
Further, the adoption of agile methodologies has created a need for faster software development and delivery cycles. This iterative approach helps to ensure that the final product meets the needs of the customer or client through a continuous partnership between the software developers and IT operations.
3. Breaking Free from Traditional IT Organizational Silos
One of the most appealing aspects of DevOps is its focus on collaboration and communication between developers and operations teams. In many organizations, these two groups have traditionally operated in silos, which can lead to tension and finger-pointing when things go wrong. DevOps helps to break down these barriers by promoting a culture of collaboration and shared responsibility.
4. Automation that Maximizes Productivity
Another key benefit of DevOps is its emphasis on automation. Automating repetitive tasks with the right automation tools can help to speed up the software development process and improve reliability. By automating routine tasks, developers can focus on more strategic tasks that require their creative expertise.
5. Fulfilling the Software Development Life Cycle Efficiently
DevOps has been shown to improve an organization’s bottom line. By increasing efficiency and lowering costs, DevOps can help businesses to achieve their financial goals. In today’s competitive marketplace, that’s an advantage that any business can appreciate.
6. Financial Perks of the Job
To become a DevOps engineer is to develop interpersonal skills and sound technical skills and walk down a career path that requires you to wear multiple hats with seamless production capabilities. Project management, code deployment, monitoring production systems, and automating tasks – are but a few roles a DevOps engineer is required to juggle.
Organizations that have undertaken a DevOps approach experience high-quality performance and rapid business growth, so much so that they’re willing to pay the price for such a talented DevOps engineer.
The average pay of a fresher applying to DevOps engineer jobs is $79,000 and the average salary that an experienced DevOps engineer earns is $101,910. Software engineers looking to rise higher in the DevOps jobs department can begin as a Release Manager moving up the ladder as a DevOps Test engineer, DevOps Cloud engineer, and DevOps Architect.
The average salaries for these high-demand jobs range from $81,000 to $130,000, a surefire incentive that makes many people want to shift their career path to become a DevOps engineer.
Here are the average salaries of DevOps engineers in a few high-ranking countries.
- US – $126,386
- UK – 57,072 Pounds
- Canada – $89,187
- Nigeria – $83,234
- New York – $146,000
- Washington – $133,000
7. Additional Perks
A career in DevOps comes with a lot of perks. One of the biggest perks is that you get to work with some of the most cutting-edge technology. You’ll also have the opportunity to work with a team of highly skilled professionals who are passionate about what they do.
DevOps also offers a competitive salary and benefits package. In addition, you’ll have the chance to work flexible hours and remote locations. And, last but not least, you’ll be able to take advantage of some great career advancement opportunities.
So, if you’re looking for a challenging and rewarding career, DevOps is definitely worth considering.
Mapping Out the Career Path of a DevOps Engineer
Fig. 1. You need to hone certain skills to become a DevOps engineer
(Source: Freepik)
Educational Route
If you’re looking to start early, then earning a Bachelor’s degree in a discipline encompassing math, computer science, and electronic engineering is the norm. The main aim of your bachelor’s degree would be to gain knowledge of applying your logical thinking to solve problems in a business environment.
You’ll need to gain a project management skill set and learn how to design and implement information systems to better operate business processes.
Going for a Master’s degree makes sense when you wish to rise through the career ranks and aim for a specialized DevOps job. Further studies will give you insight and working knowledge of software development and its various aspects like coding, infrastructure management, automation, and other specialized technologies.
Skills required
The necessity of soft skills is one aspect of DevOps skills required in a potential DevOps role. Having good communication skills is a given, with further emphasis on interpersonal skills and relevant interest in emerging new technologies.
Here is an exhaustive list of a few skills that are highly desired in a DevOps candidate.
Project management skills
Working knowledge of information technology systems
General insight into cloud technology and other relevant emerging technologies
Knowing how a production environment works, with experience in operations
Sound experience in data management and memory management
A thorough understanding of the tools and methodologies used in the software development life cycle
Ability to churn out efficient results in a competitive environment under tight deadlines and minimal tolerance to errors
Knowledge of automation tools and the ability to operate them
Adaptability that ensures complete focus with intense deployment frequencies and further testing
The zeal to achieve business outcomes despite setbacks and hurdles
Knowledge of required programming languages
Team collaboration skills and seamless communication standards
What does a DevOps engineer do?
DevOps engineers are responsible for the smooth and efficient operation of software development and delivery pipelines. They work closely with developers, QA teams, and operations staff to ensure that code is properly built, tested, and deployed to production servers.
DevOps engineers also monitor systems to identify and resolve issues in a timely manner. In addition, they often create and maintain automated scripts and tools to help streamline processes.
DevOps engineers must have a strong understanding of both software development and server administration. They should also be well-versed in automation technologies and have experience working with cloud-based infrastructures.
Above all, DevOps engineers must be able to effectively communicate with all members of the development team in order to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
DevOps Job Description
The list of job requirements for a DevOps engineer differs from company to company, but there are a few common specifications, mostly concerning soft skills, that pop up in a majority of these lists.
What companies require of a potential DevOps candidate:
- Design and implement IT solutions to automate software development where necessary and create a well-organized deployment system
- Contributing to a healthy work environment by raking effective results that foster a seamless developer and operations operating relationship
- Maintain cloud infrastructure and build services as needed
- Ensure secure and high-quality product releases
- Work in tandem with other tech members to ensure deployment and development are always top-notch
Skills that would be further appreciated:
- IT skills in the context of coding and implementing those codes on a regular basis
- Inquisitive nature that allows the candidate to learn on the go
- Team player and tech geek
- Geared towards understanding client and business goals
Do You Really Need a Degree to Have a DevOps Career?
Fig. 2. You don’t necessarily need a degree to pursue a career in DevOps
(Source: Freepik)
Getting into the role of a DevOps engineer means putting on multiple hats and effortlessly shifting from one mindset to another to fulfill one goal.
The good thing about wanting to get into a DevOps career is you don’t need to have a set degree or have studied from a specific or relevant background, like computer science or electronics.
Also, if you find yourself drifting in a different job field but wish to switch to DevOps, it’s absolutely possible!
Of course, the majority of IT organizations require candidates to have a related degree and sound knowledge of relevant skills but for the freshers who don’t have much field experience, there’s always a way to get into good companies, if they know what they’re doing.
If you look at DevOps with an open mind, you’ll realize that it is a culture, an environment where everyone is willing to cooperate and work towards a common goal. And everyone pretty much involves all the numerous departments of an organization, from sales to accounting to production to customer support.
DevOps is a set of practices that combines software development (Dev) and information-technology operations (Ops) to shorten the time between committing a change to code and deploying it in production.
Many companies look for candidates with relevant work experience, which can be gained through internships or meaningful projects. In addition, because DevOps is all about collaboration, soft skills are just as important as technical chops.
For aspiring DevOps engineers, there are numerous soft skills to learn that can show they understand the concepts behind the DevOps operations.
1. Interpersonal Skills
While it is important to have a strong technical foundation, successful DevOps teams also require excellent communication and collaboration skills. In order to build effective relationships with other team members, it is important to be able to share information clearly and effectively.
Additionally, active listening skills are critical for understanding the needs of others and resolving conflicts. By developing strong interpersonal skills, aspiring DevOps engineers will be better equipped to build successful teams and projects.
2. Having a Solid Foundation in a Programming Language
As an aspiring DevOps engineer, developing a solid foundation in a programming language is essential. While there are many different languages to choose from, some of the most popular options include Java, Python, and Ruby.
Once you’ve decided on a language, it’s time to start learning the basics. In addition to syntax and basic commands, you’ll also need to develop an understanding of data structures and algorithms. This knowledge will be essential when it comes time to build and deploy applications.
Familiarize Yourself With Automation Tools
Automation tools are an essential part of the DevOps workflow, and they can help you speed up processes and get tasks done more efficiently. However, they can also be complex and confusing, so it’s important to familiarize yourself with them before you start using them.
Make sure you understand the basics of the tool before you start using it. Get to know how it works and what it can do before you try to automate anything.
Automation is all about efficiency, so don’t try to automate everything at once. Start with simple tasks and gradually add more complex ones as you become more comfortable with the tool.
Don’t be afraid to experiment. There’s no one right way to use an automation tool, so try different approaches and see what works best for you.
Take on Training Courses in Relevant Fields
Although DevOps is a relatively new field in the industry with limited genuine resources from where you can learn the basics, there are certified and authentic courses online that are designed to tackle the various aspects of software development.
The courses offer a detailed and practical understanding of continuous integration, development, and deployment, IT service agility, inter-team collaboration, configuration management, automation, DevOps tools, and more.
Darey.io – The Best Place to Start Your DevOps Career
Fig. 3. Darey.io can help jumpstart your career in DevOps
(Source: Freepik)
If you have the passion for tracing a career path in the DevOps field, then all you need is a little dedicated push from an intensive training program designed to give you real-world experience through project-based learning.
Of course, you need more than just certifications to show your expertise in DevOps, and Darey.io will help you acquire skills only achievable while on the job to jumpstart your career.
Darey.io’s approach isn’t like the online courses where you learn about the various DevOps tools but end up with a ton of knowledge acquisition. Instead, we push you to get your hands dirty by encouraging skills acquisition through multiple project implementations.
How We Work
What makes us unique is our approach to learning that can give non-tech individuals the skills that DevOps degree holders have attained after years of studying.
We begin with a study plan best suited to your current situation and needs and begin the onboarding process with a dedicated study buddy. Next, you get to build your knowledge and skill with help from the community, implement live projects, and get graded by your mentor.
If self-training isn’t your thing, our Masterclasses offer intensive coaching from highly experienced mentors so you can get the best of our interactive series of DevOps training.
Visit our website today, and hear from our alumni or reach out to us with your queries and we’ll get back to you shortly.
written by
Dare Olufunmilayo
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