NEXTWORK

Cloud Engineer Roadmap

Build your Cloud Engineer career with NextWork's hands-on project roadmap. Develop production-ready skills and create portfolio projects that showcase your skills.

Is this for me?

This pathway is designed for:

Career switchers ready for hands-on cloud experience

New graduates seeking structured DevOps & cloud expertise

Tech professionals looking to level up into cloud engineering roles

What will I learn?

You'll build hands-on projects that:

Design and secure cloud infrastructure

Deploy and connect scalable databases

Automate infrastructure and deployments

Containerize and deploy modern applications

What do I get?

NextWork gives you:

Step by step projects

Real community with real people

Showcase your skills with a portfolio that proves you can build, deploy, and scale modern apps - generated instantly.

Begin Roadmap

Your path to becoming a Cloud Engineer

Our structured learning approach transforms technical curiosity into career ready expertise. Each project builds meaningful skills while creating portfolio documentation that demonstrate your capabilities.

PHASE 1

AWS Basics

Perfect for AWS beginners. Set up your account, lock it down with IAM roles and policies, and get hands-on with the core services every cloud engineer relies on.

PHASE 2

Networking

Networking is the backbone of the cloud. Here, you’ll build your own Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) from the ground up - mastering traffic flow, security, and connecting your infrastructure with subnets, routing tables, NAT gateways, and VPC peering.

PHASE 3

Databases

Master cloud data fast. Launch Aurora MySQL, connect to EC2, and tap into DynamoDB for blazing NoSQL speed. Build real skills to own cloud data management.

PHASE 4

Security

Think like a cloud security pro. Lock down data, spot threats instantly, and protect secrets—no compromises. With hands-on projects, security becomes second nature.

PHASE 5

Containers & Compute

Level up fast: go from Lambda basics to mastering containers and Kubernetes. Own modern app deployment, scaling, and management—the core skills every cloud engineer needs.

PHASE 6

DevOps

Own the Cloud Engineer role: automate infrastructure, secure every deployment, and run scalable environments with AWS tools. Build a full CI/CD pipeline to deploy code and manage cloud resources like a pro.

PHASE 7

AI on Cloud

Take cloud engineering to the next level - blend AI into your projects using Amazon Lex and Bedrock. Walk away ready to build production grade, AI-powered cloud systems.

FAQs

Get quick answers to your top Cloud Engineer questions and know exactly what to expect on your learning journey.

Do I need any prior experience to start this roadmap?

Nope! Phase 1 starts from scratch. All you need is a laptop, an internet connection, and the drive to learn. We’ll guide you through each project step-by-step, even if you’ve never used AWS before.

What if I already have some technical experience?

Awesome! That gives you a head start. If you’re comfortable with the basics, you can skip Phase 1 and dive straight into the other phases. Each project is self-contained, so feel free to jump around and focus on the areas you want to level up in, whether it’s Terraform, Kubernetes, or building a real CI/CD pipeline.

How long will this take?

It depends on your pace! Some learners power through in 1-2 months full-time, while others spread it out over 6+ months part-time. Each phase is designed to be flexible. You can pause, revisit, and move at your own speed. Highlight your projects, leave notes, and it will still be there when you come back!

Do I get a certificate after completing these projects?

You’ll get a beautiful documentation of your NextWork projects which are great for showcasing on LinkedIn and your portfolio.

Is this really everything I need to know to become a Cloud Engineer?

It’s everything you need to start strong and get job-ready. This roadmap covers the core skills cloud engineers use every day, from networking and databases to automation, security, and real AWS tools.

Will this guarantee me a job?

We won’t lie to you…no roadmap can guarantee a job. But this one gives you everything you need to stand out: hands-on skills, a solid portfolio, real projects to talk about, and a learning journey that mirrors what cloud engineers actually do.

Will I build a portfolio through this roadmap?

Yes! Every project you complete can be documented and added to your NextWork portfolio site, which you can share with recruiters, mentors, and your future self. It’s proof of your skills…showcase not just what you’ve learned, but what you’ve actually built!

How much will this cost?

While our foundational projects are free, some of the advanced projects require a pro subscription. With pro access, unlock secret missions, unlimited quizzes and portfolio, customize your documentation and more!

What kind of support do I get?

You’ll get step-by-step guidance in every project, access to a supportive community, and YouTube live sessions and walkthroughs to go deeper. If you’re on the Pro plan, you’ll also have 1-1 check-ins with our team. Whatever your pace or path, support is always close by.

Still have questions?

We're here to help you succeed! Lots of people in the community, including the NextWork team, are here to assist you. 😊

Message us in the community

I always recommend NextWork to friends who are looking to learn and get into tech.

NextWork's changed everything about my journey into Cloud Computing.

I can't remember when last I logged into Coursera.

NextWork is more than a learning platform - it's a movement.

I'm really enjoying the topics/projects here. I'm learning a lot.

Everything you need to go from beginner to pro right in one place.

The fact that NextWork balances both theory and hands-on learning so perfectly should honestly be studied.