Becoming a Cloud Solutions Architect: A Career Roadmap for Absolute Beginners

The role of a cloud solutions architect is challenging and complex, but it can be one of the most rewarding careers in IT, putting these professionals in the drivers’ seat of digital transformation and innovation for their organizations. Learn what it takes to break into this highly sought-after career and start navigating your own path towards becoming an expert in cloud application architecture and strategy. Gain a sense of what the daily lives of cloud architects entail, what essential skills are used in their roles, and how you can go about building those skillsets yourself. Join Kevin Evans, expert in customer architecture and platform engineering, at Microsoft, to explore the role of cloud architects, along with all of the core competencies needed to become one. After this course, you’ll be equipped to build a learning plan and career plan that can help get you started on your own journey towards becoming a highly-skilled (and highly-paid!) cloud solutions architect. This course draws from experience and examples in Microsoft Azure, but will be helpful to learners in any enterprise cloud context.

What you’ll learn and how to apply it

By the end of this course:

• The learner should have a solid understanding of the cloud solutions architect role and the building blocks for becoming one.
• The learner should be familiar with the fundamentals of cloud architecture and application design, with the ability to describe and identify the various responsibilities of a cloud architect.
• The learner will be able to form a study plan and chart their own path towards a cloud architect role based on their existing background and experience.

This course is for you because

• You are just getting started in your IT career and what to know what it takes to become a cloud solutions architect.
• You are exploring your next career move and want to gain insight into the field of cloud computing.
• You are looking to transition from a non-tech role into a tech role, particularly with an emphasis in cloud infrastructure and operations.
• You want to know how your existing skills could transfer into a cloud role and learn about the best approaches for upskilling in the cloud.

Prerequisites

• No prior knowledge is required, but a general understanding of the modern IT industry is helpful.

Recommended follow-up:

• Explore Becoming a Cloud Solutions Architect (playlist)