Breaking into the cloud world can feel overwhelming. When I first started researching how to pivot into a cloud-focused career, I was bombarded with opinions, jargon, and scattered advice. So I decided to map out a clear, no-nonsense path and now I want to share it with others who are starting from the same place.
This blog outlines my personal journey and the certification roadmap I built to go from IT fundamentals to cloud fluency. This isn’t a universal prescription. It’s the route I took. That said, it’s a path anyone can follow or adapt based on their own pace and interests. Whether you’re coming from a help desk, sysadmin, or just curious about the field, this guide should help demystify the process.
Just a quick note before we dive in: I didn’t earn every certification listed here. My background is a mix of formal certifications and education, and extensive hands-on experience, some of it from well before the modern cloud even existed. I've read many of the recommended books, deployed real systems in production environments, and built much of my cloud knowledge through actual project work. So, while these certs provide structure, they’re not the end goal. Skills and problem-solving ability matter far more.
As someone who works in the cloud every day as a Principal Technical Project Manager at Oracle, I’ve seen firsthand how important the fundamentals are. One thing I noticed early on: many blogs and posts push people directly into vendor cloud certifications as if the cloud exists in a vacuum. But the truth is once you’re in the cloud, you’ll still need to troubleshoot connectivity issues, understand routing, configure firewall rules, and work comfortably in both *nix and Windows environments. Skipping the basics can leave you lost when real-world problems arise.
If you’re self-motivated and disciplined, you can learn everything through free and affordable resources online. The key is consistency and hands-on practice.
Just keep in mind, certs alone won’t make you cloud-ready. It’s the underlying skills that matter most when things break or systems misbehave.
Tier 1: Core IT Foundations (My Perspective)
If you’re new to IT or cloud, this is where I believe you should begin. Before you jump into the cloud, you need a solid grasp of the fundamentals, how computers work, how networks are built, how systems communicate, and how to secure them. These aren’t just topics for passing exams, they’re the backbone of troubleshooting, architecture, and administration in any cloud environment.
While I didn’t collect every cert on this list, I studied each domain deeply, read the official materials, and most importantly, gained hands-on experience solving real problems. These foundational certs helped me structure that knowledge and verify my understanding. For someone just getting started, they offer an excellent blueprint to follow.
- CompTIA A+ – Hardware, OS, and troubleshooting basics
- Resource: Professor Messer (free videos), Mike Meyers’ A+ All-in-One Guide, CompTIA CertMaster
- CompTIA Network+ – Networking protocols, topology, and security
- Resource: Professor Messer, Jason Dion Udemy course, CompTIA CertMaster
- CompTIA Security+ – Key security principles and best practices
- Resource: Dion Training (Udemy), Professor Messer, CompTIA Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead book
- CompTIA Linux+ – Command-line navigation, scripting, system admin
- Resource: Linux Essentials by LPI, CBT Nuggets, LearnLinuxTV (YouTube)
Tip: If you already have experience in IT, you might be able to skip or fast-track through these.
Tier 2: DevOps & Cloud-Native Tools
DevOps and automation tools aren’t just technical buzzwords, they’re the gears behind the scenes of nearly every cloud deployment today. You can know everything about cloud services, but if you can’t package, deploy, and monitor your applications efficiently, you’ll hit a ceiling fast.
In my experience, these tools were some of the most challenging to learn at first, but also the most rewarding. Once I understood containerization (Docker), orchestration (Kubernetes), and how to define infrastructure as code (Terraform), I could contribute more meaningfully to automation efforts.
Whether you’re aiming for a DevOps role or just want to be a better cloud technologist, mastering these will unlock real power and confidence.
Here’s how I learned them:
- Docker – Containerization of apps for portability and efficiency
- Resource: Docker Mastery on Udemy (by Bret Fisher), Play with Docker labs
- Kubernetes – Orchestration of containers at scale
- Resource: Kubernetes for Absolute Beginners (Udemy), KodeKloud labs, Kubernetes.io documentation
- Terraform (optional) – Infrastructure as code, automated deployments
- Resource: HashiCorp Learn, Terraform on Udemy (by Ned in the Cloud), Cloud Academy
- Git & CI/CD basics – Version control and automated pipelines
- Resource: GitHub Learning Lab, Codecademy Git course, GitLab CI/CD docs
Tier 3: Cloud Foundations
Once I had my basics in place, I explored the major cloud platforms. Starting with foundational-level certifications gave me a vendor-neutral way to compare ecosystems and build confidence in cloud concepts.
These foundational certifications don’t make you an expert in each platform, but they do teach you the language of cloud, how services are structured, and how providers frame shared responsibility and compliance. If you’re not sure which cloud to dive into long-term, these help you get a feel for the landscape and allow you to make informed decisions.
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
- Resource: freeCodeCamp AWS Cloud Practitioner course, Tutorials Dojo practice exams, AWS Skill Builder
- Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)
- Resource: Microsoft Learn path for AZ-900, John Savill’s Technical Training (YouTube), Whizlabs
- Google Cloud Digital Leader (GCP)
- Resource: Google Cloud Skills Boost (free courses), Coursera “Google Cloud Digital Leader” specialization, GCP documentation
- OCI Certified Foundations Associate
- Resource: Oracle University’s free learning path, OCI documentation, YouTube: “OCI Essentials” by Oracle
These entry-level certs help you understand cloud concepts, pricing models, shared responsibility, and core services.
I also want to mention CompTIA Cloud+ here. While not as widely requested by employers as the vendor-specific certs, it’s a solid, vendor-neutral cloud certification that reinforces foundational knowledge across multiple platforms. If you’re not sure which provider you want to specialize in yet, or if you want to validate your understanding before diving into platform-specific material, Cloud+ is a great stepping stone.
Tier 4: Specializations Based on Career Goals
After getting a taste of each cloud provider, I chose to go deeper in areas that matched my interests. You might want to do the same based on your goals. Below are common specialization paths in the cloud space.
You don’t need to chase all of these. Pick one or two based on your interests and the kind of problems you enjoy solving. For example, if you love scripting and automation, DevOps or SRE might be your sweet spot. If you’re more into designing systems or client-facing architecture, Cloud Architect could be a better fit.
| Goal | Certifications |
|---|---|
| Cloud Architect | AWS/Azure/OCI Architect Associate |
| Cloud Security | AWS Security Specialty, CCSP, CompTIA CySA+ |
| DevOps | AWS DevOps Engineer, Azure DevOps Expert, Jenkins, Terraform |
| Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) | Linux, Monitoring, CloudWatch, Prometheus |
| Cloud Developer | AWS Developer, Azure Developer, APIs, Serverless |
What I Learned Along the Way
- Hands-on beats theory. I spun up free-tier labs, followed YouTube walkthroughs, and practiced deploying apps. When I encountered errors or confusing behavior, I didn’t treat it like failure, I treated it like real learning. Trial and error is the best teacher in cloud.
- Build a portfolio. Certifications are great for validation, but real-world projects are what prove your skills. I created static websites hosted on S3, automated basic infrastructure with Terraform, and containerized apps with Docker. These projects gave me talking points in interviews and built my confidence.
- Document everything. Whether in a GitHub README, a personal blog, or a OneNote notebook, writing down what I learned helped solidify it. It also made it easier to share knowledge with others or retrace steps when I got stuck.
- Don’t skip soft skills. Communication, documentation, and basic architecture diagrams go a long way. Explaining how a system works to a stakeholder or writing a clear deployment plan is just as valuable as technical skills.
- Stay humble, stay curious. There will always be someone who knows more, and a new tech to learn. I got comfortable not knowing everything and embraced the learning process instead of waiting to “feel ready.”
Final Thoughts
If you’re trying to build a career in the cloud, the roadmap isn’t linear. But having a structured plan with checkpoints like certifications and hands-on labs gives you direction.
That said, don’t treat this roadmap as a checklist you have to complete in order. Everyone’s background, goals, and learning style are different. What worked for me might not work for you in exactly the same way, and that’s okay. Use this guide as a compass, not a contract.
Remember: the tech world moves fast. What matters more than any single cert is your ability to learn continuously, build things, solve problems, and adapt. Certifications can open doors, but your mindset and work ethic will keep you growing.
This is the roadmap I wish I had when I started. It’s not the only way in, but it’s one that worked for me. Feel free to adapt it to your own pace, interests, and learning style.
What’s Next? I’m currently working on deploying real-world cloud projects and might pursue professional-level certs next.
If you have questions about any of the certs or want help tailoring a path to your goals, drop a comment or connect with me!
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