Discover how earning the right DevOps certification can help you build expertise, gain recognition, and advance your career.
DevOps combines the efforts of software developers (devs) and operations (ops) teams to create software that runs faster, more efficiently, and with greater security.
A DevOps certification could enhance your resume, boost your salary potential, validate your expertise in development cycles, and set you up for more advanced career opportunities. DevOps positions are consistently ranked among the highest paying in the technical field.
Continue reading about five popular DevOps certifications to consider and explore some potential benefits of getting certified.
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You'll find numerous DevOps certifications, and the best for you will depend on your industry, current market trends, and level of experience. Discover five of the most respected and commonly requested DevOps certifications from employers:
This certification from Amazon Web Services shows employers you can test and deploy AWS applications and infrastructure. It also validates your expertise in cloud platforms in general, including implementing and automating compliance validation, governance processes, and security controls.
AWS is considered the leading cloud computing platform, and AWS certification is one of the most in-demand credentials.
Cost: 300 USD [1]
Who it's for: DevOps engineers who work with cloud technology, especially in an Amazon Web Services (AWS) environment
Recommended experience: Two or more years working in AWS environments and the ability to code in a high-level programming language
Kubernetes is a popular container-based open-source platform used to manage workloads and services. Earning CKA certification demonstrates you can manage and configure production-grade Kubernetes clusters and perform a basic installation. You'll be tested on your skills in Kubernetes troubleshooting; cluster architecture, installation, and configuration; services and networking; workloads and scheduling; and storage.
Cost: 395 USD [2]
Who it's for: IT professionals who manage Kubernetes instances, including Kubernetes administrators and cloud administrators
Recommended experience: Foundational understanding of Kubernetes
Docker is a tool that simplifies the development and deployment of software and programming projects using containers. It's considered one of the leading container runtime platforms, so having Docker certification is advantageous.
It will validate your skills with Docker and containers in general, including orchestration; image creation, management, and registry; installation and configuration; networking; security; and storage and volumes.
Cost: 195 USD [3]
Who it's for: DevOps engineers, software engineers, and others who work with Docker
Recommended experience: Six to 12 months using Docker and a good understanding of Linux
DevOps professionals use Puppet to automate processes, enabling them to deliver infrastructure changes more quickly and create better software. Puppet software is a system management tool that helps automate and manage server configuration.
Passing the Puppet Certified Professional exam validates that you can use Puppet IT automation software, as it tests both your technical skills and real-world experience. You'll be expected to understand and use concepts related to classification strategies, troubleshooting Puppet code, module authoring, orchestration and tasks, environments, administration, language, and concepts.
Cost: 200 USD [4]
Who it's for: DevOps engineers and IT professionals
Recommended experience: Foundational understanding and use of Puppet
Formerly called Azure DevOps Engineer Expert, this certification demonstrates your expertise in DevOps processes, specifically adding business value while using your people skills, managing processes, and staying on top of the latest technologies.
Some of your skills that will be assessed include developing instrumentation strategies, site reliability engineering strategies, and security and compliance plans. You'll also show your skill level for managing source control, facilitating communication and collaboration, and implementing continuous integration and management strategies.
Cost: 165 USD [5]
Who it's for: DevOps engineers
Recommended experience: Expert in Azure administration or development and familiarity with both. Either Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate or Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate Certification is required as a prerequisite.
Choosing a DevOps certification depends on your career goals, background knowledge, and personal interests. DevOps certifications come from several sources, including Red Hat, HashiCorp, DevOps Institute, MIT, Linux, Jenkins, and more.
Automation is a huge part of DevOps, and many of these certifications deal with the knowledge of cloud concepts, configuration management, and networking. Deciding which certification to explore depends on where in the development cycle you prefer and what systems you are familiar with.
As a current or aspiring DevOps professional, you might choose to pursue certification for many reasons, such as the following:
Potential salary increase: In Canada, the average annual salary for DevOps professionals is $125,185 CAD as of September 2024 [6]. With DevOps skills and expertise increasingly in demand over the past few years, getting certified in various DevOps architectures is a valuable way to supplement your resume.
Recognition: When you achieve your DevOps certification, you demonstrate expert knowledge in DevOps and understand the processes of producing code, managing versions, testing, integration, and deployment. Your certification could lead to opportunities for you to stand out and take on more advanced leadership roles within your company.
Develop skills: If you’re a developer, engineer, or working with the deployment team, strong DevOps skills can give you a better understanding of all stages of deployment and working to deploy software as a cohesive unit rather than siloed teams.
New career path: DevOps is widely considered the future of software development. Make yourself more marketable and valuable in the market and adjust to current trends in development with a certification in DevOps.
The average annual base pay for a DevOps engineer in Canada is $151,475 CAD [7]. Demand is expected to remain high for DevOps engineers through 2031 [8].
Prepare for an in-demand career in DevOps with the IBM DevOps and Software Engineering Professional Certificate. Practice Agile and Scrum methodologies as you build applications and deploy using containers and serverless technologies while learning at your own pace. Get started with a seven-day free trial of Coursera Plus.
AWS. “AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional, https://aws.amazon.com/certification/certified-devops-engineer-professional/.” Accessed September 24, 2024.
Linux Foundation. “Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA), https://training.linuxfoundation.org/certification/certified-kubernetes-administrator-cka/.” Accessed September 24, 2024.
Mirantis. “Docker Certification, https://training.mirantis.com/certification/dca-certification-exam/.” Accessed September 24, 2024.
Puppet. “Puppet Certified Professional Exam Details, https://www.puppet.com/learning-training/certification/exam-details.” Accessed September 24, 2024.
Microsoft. “Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert, https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/devops-engineer/.” Accessed September 24. 2024.
Talent. “How much does a DevOps Professional make in Canada?, https://ca.talent.com/salary?job=devops+professional.” Accessed September 24, 2024.
Talent. “DevOps Engineer average salary in Canada, 2024, https://ca.talent.com/salary?job=devops+engineer#:~:text=Find%20out%20what%20the%20average%20Devops%20Engineer%20salary%20is&text=The%20average%20devops%20engineer%20salary%20in%20Canada%20is%20%24151%2C508%20per,up%20to%20%24155%2C996%20per%20year.” Accessed September 24, 2024.
Government of Canada Job Bank. “Devops Engineer in Canada: Job opportunities over the next 3 years, https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketreport/outlook-occupation/296118/ca.” Accessed September 24, 2024.
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