What is Cloud Engineering?

Table of Contents

• What is Cloud Engineering?
• What Does a Cloud Engineer Do?
• How to Learn Cloud Engineering

Ever hear someone say, “Don't worry; it’s backed up to the Cloud?” That’s the work of a Cloud Engineer. Most people use Cloud services in their everyday lives, from streaming TV shows and listening to music, to backing up documents and photos to a phone, laptop, or tablet. A report by Gartner estimates that in 2025, companies will earmark nearly 66% of their IT spending on cloud technologies, ensuring that the demand for Cloud Engineers will be on the rise. Learn how IT professionals (including coding bootcamp graduates) use Cloud engineering and how you can learn to be a Cloud Engineer whether you have a college degree or not!

What is Cloud Engineering?

The Cloud is a network of remote servers accessed over the internet that store data and run apps — basically functioning as a “virtual computer.” Cloud Engineering is the design, implementation, and maintenance of cloud-based services to provide data storage, networking, and AI via the Internet, allowing businesses to reduce their hardware overhead costs and provide secure access to their employees no matter their location. 

There are three types of cloud engineering: private, public, and hybrid. Within those three types, there are subcategories, such as software-as-a-service (Saas), infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), and platform-as-a-service (PaaS), ensuring that each client can find the right cloud service to meet their needs. 

Four benefits of Cloud technology include:

1. Flexibility, allowing companies to customize storage, analysis, networking, and databases to meet their individual needs and requirements.

2. Cost effectiveness, as businesses can pay for what they need and when they need it, instead of making large investments up front.

3. Allows for greater collaboration within a remote and in-office workforce.

4. Increased reliability and security.

What Does a Cloud Engineer Do?

A Cloud Engineer is responsible for all day-to-day aspects of Cloud services, including design, implementation, maintenance, and support. Overall, Cloud Engineers work with clients to understand their system needs and design appropriate solutions, identify weak spots, and continuously monitor the cloud system to ensure its working properly and that all authorized users have access to the data.

A Cloud Engineer will also be expected to:

• Manage a Cloud system, including troubleshooting and debugging

• Work with other technical teams to pinpoint and carry out cloud solutions

• Automate platforms and operations in the system

• Transfer current systems to cloud-based platforms

• Keep current with industry news, trends, and technology

A Cloud Engineer’s specific duties will depend on their area of specialization. For example, a Cloud Architect designs cloud solutions for businesses; a Cloud Developer writes code for Cloud services; and a Cloud Administrator maintains the system. 

Other job titles that fall under cloud engineering include Cloud Software Engineer, Cloud Security Engineer, Cloud Systems Engineer, Cloud Solution Architect, and SysOps Administrator.

The job outlook for Cloud Engineers is bright, with a 26 percent job growth estimated between 2023 and 2033, which is much higher than average, and an estimated 3,400 jobs opening each year, largely due to more businesses moving over to cloud-based systems, an increase in remote work, and the need for more efficient data storage and maintenance. The salary for a Cloud Engineer will vary based on experience, location, and certifications, but the typical salary range is $92,645 to $118,957 a year, with an average of $104,110. And it’s not just tech companies who need Cloud Engineers; jobs can be found in industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, finance, automotive, education, and more.

How to Learn Cloud Engineering

Wondering how to become a Cloud Engineer? While a bachelor’s degree is generally preferred by many employers, if you don’t have a degree, there is still a clear path to becoming a Cloud Engineer, as employers value things like skills, certifications, and practical experience. If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree in IT or Computer Science, the best way to learn cloud engineering and other relevant tech schools is through a bootcamp. Cloud computing may be covered in the curriculum of full stack software engineering bootcamps, or you could enroll at a cloud computing-focused bootcamp, such as Fullstack Academy, Divergence Academy and Clarusway.   

If you choose to enroll at a full stack coding bootcamp, you can later complete an advanced course in cloud computing (like the Cloud Computing for Web Devs course offered at CareerFoundry or the cloud computing courses at Simplilearn). You can also specialize in cloud computing by getting certified in Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), or Microsoft Azure. To launch your career as a Cloud Engineer, you’ll want to have an understanding of:

• Data storage/security

• Programming

• Operating systems

• Networking

• Cloud platforms 

• Software architecture

• Microservices

If you’re looking for an in-demand career with great salary and job growth, as well as the ability to work on tangible projects that can have a great impact on a company (or even an industry!) consider becoming a Cloud Engineer. There are myriad opportunities for Cloud Engineers, including continuous learning, job flexibility, collaboration, and problem-solving, all of which add up to a rewarding, fulfilling tech career.