NEXTWORK
Solutions Architect Roadmap
Build your Solutions Architect 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:
What will I learn?
You'll build hands-on projects that:
What do I get?
NextWork gives you:
Your path to becoming a Solutions Architect
Our structured learning approach transforms technical curiosity into career ready expertise. Each project builds meaningful skills while creating portfolio documentation that demonstrate your capabilities.
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.
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,
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.
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.
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.
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
FAQs
Get quick answers to your top Cloud Engineer questions and know exactly what to expect on your learning journey.
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.
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.
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!
You’ll get a beautiful documentation of your NextWork projects which are great for showcasing on LinkedIn and your portfolio.
There’s always more to learn, but this roadmap gives you a solid launchpad for your Solutions Architect journey. It covers the foundational skills Solution Architects rely on including networking, security, and more.
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.
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!
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!
You’ll get step-by-step guidance in every project, access to a supportive community, and YouTube live sessions and walkthroughs to go deeper. 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. 😊
Your path begins now.
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