CAREER GUIDE

Cloud Computing Career Guide 2026: AWS, Azure & GCP

November 28, 2025 12 min read

Cloud computing is one of the fastest-growing and highest-paying career paths in tech. With over 90% of enterprises on cloud, the demand for cloud professionals continues to surge. Here's your complete guide to building a cloud career.

Cloud Computing Salary in India 2026

Role Experience Salary (LPA)
Cloud Engineer (Entry) 0-2 years ₹6-12 LPA
Cloud Engineer 2-5 years ₹12-25 LPA
Senior Cloud Engineer 5-8 years ₹25-45 LPA
Cloud Architect 8+ years ₹45-80 LPA
Cloud Director 12+ years ₹80-150 LPA

Major Cloud Platforms

Amazon Web Services (AWS) 32% Market Share

The largest and oldest cloud provider. Most job openings are for AWS skills.

Key Services: EC2, S3, Lambda, RDS, DynamoDB, EKS, CloudFormation

Best For: Maximum job opportunities, startups, general cloud learning

Microsoft Azure 23% Market Share

Fastest growing cloud, especially in enterprises. Strong in hybrid cloud.

Key Services: VMs, Blob Storage, Azure Functions, SQL Database, AKS

Best For: Enterprise jobs, Microsoft stack companies, government projects

Google Cloud Platform (GCP) 10% Market Share

Strong in data analytics, ML/AI, and Kubernetes (invented by Google).

Key Services: Compute Engine, Cloud Storage, BigQuery, GKE, Cloud Functions

Best For: Data engineering, ML workloads, Kubernetes-focused roles

💡 Which Cloud to Learn First?

AWS is recommended for most freshers because:

  • Largest market share = Most job opportunities
  • Best documentation and learning resources
  • Skills transfer easily to other clouds
  • Industry standard terminology

Cloud Career Paths

1. Cloud Engineer

Design, deploy, and manage cloud infrastructure.

  • Set up and configure cloud services
  • Implement automation and IaC
  • Monitor and optimize cloud resources
  • Ensure security and compliance

2. Cloud Architect

Design overall cloud strategy and architecture.

  • Create cloud architecture blueprints
  • Make technology decisions
  • Lead cloud migrations
  • Optimize costs and performance

3. DevOps/Cloud DevOps Engineer

Combine cloud skills with CI/CD and automation.

  • Build CI/CD pipelines on cloud
  • Implement GitOps practices
  • Container orchestration (Kubernetes)
  • Infrastructure as Code

4. Cloud Security Engineer

Secure cloud infrastructure and applications.

  • Implement IAM policies
  • Security compliance (SOC2, HIPAA)
  • Vulnerability management
  • Incident response

Learning Roadmap (6 Months)

Month 1-2: Fundamentals

  • Linux basics: Commands, file systems, networking
  • Networking: TCP/IP, DNS, firewalls, load balancers
  • AWS basics: Core services, console navigation

Month 3-4: Core Cloud Skills

  • Compute: EC2, Auto Scaling, Lambda
  • Storage: S3, EBS, EFS
  • Database: RDS, DynamoDB
  • Networking: VPC, Route 53, CloudFront

Month 5: Infrastructure as Code

  • Terraform: Providers, resources, modules
  • CloudFormation: Templates, stacks
  • Ansible: Configuration management

Month 6: Certification + Projects

  • Prepare for AWS Solutions Architect Associate
  • Build end-to-end cloud projects
  • Document projects on GitHub

Top Cloud Certifications

AWS Certifications (Recommended Path)

  1. AWS Cloud Practitioner - Entry level (₹12,000)
  2. AWS Solutions Architect Associate - Most valuable (₹15,000)
  3. AWS Developer Associate - For developers (₹15,000)
  4. AWS DevOps Professional - Advanced (₹30,000)

Azure Certifications

  1. AZ-900: Azure Fundamentals
  2. AZ-104: Azure Administrator
  3. AZ-305: Azure Solutions Architect

GCP Certifications

  1. Cloud Digital Leader - Beginner
  2. Associate Cloud Engineer - Technical
  3. Professional Cloud Architect - Advanced

Project Ideas

  1. Static Website on S3: Host a portfolio with CloudFront CDN
  2. Serverless API: Lambda + API Gateway + DynamoDB
  3. Three-Tier Architecture: VPC + EC2 + RDS with Auto Scaling
  4. CI/CD Pipeline: CodePipeline deploying to ECS/EKS
  5. Multi-Region Disaster Recovery: Cross-region replication

Best Learning Resources

  • AWS Free Tier: 12 months of free cloud usage
  • A Cloud Guru / Pluralsight: Comprehensive courses
  • Stephane Maarek (Udemy): Best AWS courses
  • AWS Skill Builder: Official free training
  • Cloud Resume Challenge: Project-based learning

Getting Your First Cloud Job

  1. Get certified: AWS SAA is the golden ticket
  2. Build projects: Document on GitHub with architecture diagrams
  3. Write blogs: Share your cloud learning journey
  4. Practice hands-on: Use free tier extensively
  5. Network: Join cloud communities, attend meetups
  6. Target cloud partners: AWS/Azure partner companies hire often

Cloud computing is the future of IT infrastructure. With the right skills and certifications, you can build a rewarding career with excellent compensation. Start your cloud journey today! ☁️