What is a DevOps engineer?

In the USA a beginning DevOps engineer earns upwards of $70,000 a year, and a senior specialist upwards of $120,000. Demand for people in this field is extremely high, because they are the ones who know how to integrate development processes and, crucially, how to automate them. The direction suits anyone drawn to technical work who enjoys improving existing systems and picking up new methods and approaches.

What a DevOps engineer does and their role in a company

DevOps is a philosophy that brings together two disciplines: development and operations. It makes collaboration more effective, automates processes and speeds up the release of software products.

A DevOps engineer is the specialist whose main job is putting that philosophy into practice. They are the link between developers and system administrators. When something goes wrong, they deploy the application to the servers quickly and clear the problem. Through them a company gains:

• New software versions released often enough that users never tire of the current one.
• A high-quality, stable product, which pleases both its users and its authors.
• A team that works more effectively and in better step.
• Faster scaling and more flexibility when things change.

Where a DevOps engineer's career can go

Having established what a DevOps engineer does and where they sit in a company, let's look at where the profession leads:

• You can move confidently from beginner to technical lead.
• You can pick a direction that appeals: containerisation and orchestration, security, monitoring and so on.
• If you are a natural leader, DevOps specialists can move into management roles running a team or engineering operations.
• Experienced professionals go into business and found startups, which is an excellent way to make a sharp turn in life.
• Another appealing option is consulting and passing your experience to the next generation.

The skills DevOps calls for

To close, here are the key skills this specialist needs:

• Scripting languages.
• An understanding of programming languages.
• Working with configuration management and automation tooling.
• Experience with containers and orchestration systems.
• A grasp of version control systems.
• Working with cloud platforms.
• Setting up continuous integration and delivery.

The requirements for a DevOps engineer are serious. If you are considering the profession, be ready for intensive study and a great deal of practice. But it need not take years.

How to become a DevOps engineer in six months or less

PASV offers four months of training in this promising, in-demand profession, starting from scratch. Classes are online in small groups for a few hours a day. Your instructors will be experienced working programmers, and during the course you can take an internship on a real project.

Becoming a DevOps engineer at PASV is the best first step towards an interesting, well-paid profession, wide career possibilities and a comfortable life. Sign up now and in four months you will be a competitive, promising specialist on the international job market.