High School

In high school, learn as much as you can about information technology by taking as many computer science, networking, programming, and computer security classes as possible. Other recommended courses include English, speech, business, mathematics, statistics, and social studies.

Postsecondary Education

A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in an information technology–related field is required to work as a cloud engineer. Typical majors include programming, computer security, computer networking, digital automation, and computer science. A growing number of colleges and universities offer degrees in cloud computing. For example, Purdue University offers a bachelor of science in cloud computing and solutions. Some of the required classes in this program include Introduction to Cybersecurity; Software Development Concepts; Introduction to Cloud Computing; Cloud Infrastructure Administration; Database Concepts; Networking Concepts; Application Development and Scripting in the Cloud; Cloud Services Management; Advanced Cloud Security; Security Testing for Cloud Applications; Migrating Data and Applications to the Cloud; and Software Development Operations in Cloud Environments.

A master’s degree in business management or IT management is often required for managerial positions.

In addition to their in-class work, students usually participate in at least one internship or co-op at a cloud services provider to obtain experience.

Certification

Many colleges and universities offer six-month to one-year certificate programs in cloud computing (and some focus on specific cloud platforms), computer networking, programming, cyber security in computer networks and cloud infrastructure, and related fields. In-person, online, and hybrid options are available. Contact schools in your area for more information. Additionally, the Cloud Security Alliance offers a certificate of cloud security knowledge to those who complete classwork and pass an online examination.

Other Education or Training

The Cloud Computing Association, Cloud Security Alliance, CompTIA, IEEE Computer Society, Association for Computing Machinery, colleges and universities, and for-profit online education providers offer webinars, conference seminars, and other continuing education (CE) opportunities that help cloud engineers keep their skills up to date and prepare for certification or re-certification programs. Contact these organizations for more information.

Certification or Licensing

Professional associations, tech companies, and other providers offer certification credentials in cloud computing, networking, programming, computer security, and related areas. Most require applicants to meet educational and experience requirements and pass an examination. Here are some popular certification credentials for cloud engineers.

• AWS Certified Developer-Associate
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect-Associate
• AWS Certified SysOps Administrator
• CompTIA Cloud Essentials
• CompTIA Cloud+
• Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect
• Google Certified Professional Data Engineer
• ISC2 Certified Cloud Security Professional
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert
• Microsoft Certified: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals

Any cloud engineering experience one can obtain via an internship, co-op, volunteering, or a part-time job will be useful for aspiring engineers.

Cloud engineers need both technical and soft skills to be successful in this career. In terms of technical skills, engineers must have a comprehensive understanding of popular cloud platforms such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform. Many employers are using multi-cloud environments as a way to manage fault tolerance, so knowledge of several platforms will be an asset for engineers. Cloud professionals should also be familiar with existing application programming interfaces and know how to build their own; be familiar with software configuration management tools such as Puppet, Chef, and Ansible; and have an understanding of Agile development methodologies.

In regard to soft skills, engineers must have excellent troubleshooting and problem-solving skills, be able to perform effectively in a high-stress environment, be creative, have leadership ability, possess strong interpersonal and communication skills, be organized and good time-managers, and be willing to continue to learn throughout their career.