Welcome to Chasing Cloud Careers - Your Free Path to Engineering Success
We're thrilled to welcome you to Chasing Cloud Careers - a completely free, community-driven platform designed to help you break into and advance in engineering careers. Whether you're making your first career transition or looking to level up your existing skills, we're here to guide you every step of the way.
Our Story
Chasing Cloud Careers was born from a simple belief: everyone deserves access to high-quality engineering education, regardless of their financial situation. We've curated the best free resources from across the internet, organized them into structured learning paths, and built a supportive community around shared learning and growth.
This isn't about selling you courses or certifications. This is about empowering you with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to chase your engineering dreams.
Ten Comprehensive Learning Paths
We've designed ten distinct learning paths, each tailored to different engineering disciplines and career goals:
Support Engineering
Perfect for those who love problem-solving and helping others. Learn technical troubleshooting, customer success principles, and the art of turning frustrated users into happy customers. This path is ideal for career changers who want to enter tech with strong communication skills.
What you'll master:
- Technical troubleshooting methodologies
- Customer communication and relationship management
- Advanced debugging and system analysis
- Career development and leadership skills
Software Engineering
Master programming fundamentals and build scalable applications. Learn multiple programming languages, web development frameworks, and professional software development practices. Perfect for those who want to create applications and systems from the ground up.
What you'll master:
- Programming fundamentals and multiple languages
- Web development (frontend, backend, full-stack)
- Software engineering practices and methodologies
- System design and scalable architecture
Data Science
Extract insights from data and build predictive models. Master statistical analysis, machine learning, and data visualization to drive business decisions. Perfect for analytical minds who want to turn data into actionable insights.
What you'll master:
- Statistics, mathematics, and probability theory
- Data analysis, cleaning, and manipulation
- Machine learning algorithms and model building
- Data visualization and storytelling
Linux Engineering
Dive deep into the backbone of modern infrastructure. Master command-line interfaces, system administration, and the skills that power everything from web servers to cloud platforms. Linux knowledge is foundational for almost every other engineering discipline.
What you'll master:
- Command line proficiency and shell scripting
- System administration and user management
- Network configuration and security
- Server management and performance optimization
Cloud Engineering
Learn to build, deploy, and manage applications across multiple cloud platforms. Master AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform while learning infrastructure as code, containerization, and cloud-native architectures.
What you'll master:
- Multi-cloud platform expertise (AWS, Azure, GCP)
- Infrastructure as Code with Terraform and CloudFormation
- Cloud security and compliance frameworks
- Advanced architecture and cost optimization
AI Engineering
Build AI-powered applications using modern frameworks and APIs. Focus on practical AI implementation, user experience design, and integrating AI capabilities into real-world applications.
What you'll master:
- AI fundamentals and framework integration
- LLM integration and prompt engineering
- Computer vision and image processing
- AI application development and deployment
Machine Learning Engineering
Master the mathematical foundations and algorithmic principles behind machine learning. Build ML systems from theory to implementation, focusing on rigorous model development and cutting-edge research.
What you'll master:
- Mathematical foundations and algorithm theory
- Advanced model development and optimization
- Research implementation and experimentation
- Cutting-edge ML techniques and paradigms
MLOps Engineering
Learn to operationalize machine learning systems at scale. Bridge the gap between ML development and production deployment through infrastructure automation and monitoring.
What you'll master:
- ML infrastructure and deployment pipelines
- Model monitoring and drift detection
- Automated ML workflows and orchestration
- Production ML system reliability
DevOps Engineering
Bridge the gap between development and operations. Learn to automate deployments, manage CI/CD pipelines, and create the systems that allow software teams to ship faster and more reliably.
What you'll master:
- CI/CD pipeline design and automation
- Infrastructure as Code and configuration management
- Containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes)
- Monitoring, observability, and site reliability
Research Engineering
For those who want to push the boundaries of what's possible. Learn to bridge cutting-edge research with practical implementation, working at the intersection of academia and industry. Partner with our Average Joes Lab community for comprehensive research training.
What you'll master:
- Research methodology and experimental design
- Academic paper implementation and analysis
- Prototype development and innovation
- Open science and collaborative research
Built by the Community, For the Community
What makes Chasing Cloud Careers special isn't just our content - it's our community. We believe that learning happens best when people support each other, share experiences, and grow together.
Why We Do This
- 100% Free: No hidden costs, no premium tiers, no paywalls
- Community-Driven: Built by engineers, for engineers
- Practical Focus: Real-world skills that employers actually want
- Continuous Learning: Updated regularly with industry trends and feedback
Join Our Growing Community
- Discord Community: Real-time discussions, study groups, and peer support
- Learning Path Channels: Dedicated spaces for each of our 10 engineering paths
- Study Groups: Connect with learners at your level and form accountability partnerships
- Project Collaboration: Work on real projects with other community members
- Career Support: Resume reviews, interview prep, job opportunities, and networking
- Success Celebrations: Share wins, milestones, and career transitions
- Technical Help: Get assistance with coding, tools, and learning obstacles
Technologies We Cover
Depending on your chosen learning path, you'll work with industry-standard tools and technologies:
- Programming Languages: Python, JavaScript, Go, Java, C++, Bash scripting
- Web Development: React, Node.js, HTML/CSS, REST APIs, GraphQL
- Data Science: NumPy, Pandas, Scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch
- Cloud Platforms: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform, multi-cloud architectures
- AI/ML Frameworks: TensorFlow, PyTorch, Hugging Face, OpenAI API
- Containerization: Docker, Kubernetes, container registries, service mesh
- Infrastructure: Terraform, Ansible, CloudFormation, Infrastructure as Code
- Databases: PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis, time-series, data warehousing
- Analytics: Statistical analysis, data visualization, business intelligence
- Monitoring: Prometheus, Grafana, ELK Stack, distributed tracing
- CI/CD: Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, deployment automation
- Version Control: Git, GitHub, GitLab, data versioning (DVC)
- Security: Cybersecurity fundamentals, cloud security, DevSecOps
Getting Started is Easy
- Explore the Learning Paths: Browse our ten paths and choose the one that excites you most
- Check Prerequisites: Each path has a prerequisites guide to ensure you're ready
- Start with Fundamentals: Every path begins with foundational concepts and builds progressively
- Join the Community: Connect with other learners, mentors, and study groups on Discord
- Learn by Doing: Follow along with hands-on projects and real-world exercises
- Build Your Portfolio: Create projects that showcase your new skills and expertise
- Get Career Support: Use our job search resources, resume reviews, and interview prep
- Land Your Dream Job: Transition into your new engineering career with confidence
Success Stories
Our community members have successfully transitioned into roles at:
- Major cloud providers (AWS, Microsoft, Google, Oracle)
- AI/ML companies (OpenAI, Anthropic, Hugging Face, DataRobot)
- Fast-growing startups and unicorn companies
- Traditional enterprises embracing digital transformation
- Financial institutions building fintech and quantitative systems
- Healthcare organizations implementing AI and data analytics
- Research institutions and innovation labs
- Consulting firms specializing in cloud and AI transformation
What's Next?
Ready to start your engineering journey? Here's what we recommend:
- Browse the Learning Paths: Take some time to explore all ten paths and see what resonates with you
- Join Our Discord Community: Connect with learners, get support, and find study partners
- Check Prerequisites: Review the prerequisites guide for your chosen path
- Start Learning: Begin with the "Getting Started" guide and progress through modules
- Share Your Journey: Document your learning process and help others in the community
Connect With Us
We're always here to help and would love to hear from you:
- Discord: Join our community for real-time discussions and support
- GitHub: mrcloudchase/chasingcloudcareers-site
- Community Discussions: Ask questions, share projects, and collaborate with fellow learners
- Feedback: Help us improve by sharing your learning experience and suggestions
A Personal Note
From all of us at Chasing Cloud Careers, thank you for being part of this journey. We started this project because we believe that with the right resources, community support, and determination, anyone can build a successful engineering career.
Your success is our success. Every person who lands their dream job, solves their first production issue, or helps a colleague learn something new validates why we do this work.
Welcome to the community. Let's chase those cloud careers together!
Ready to begin? Choose your learning path and start your transformation today.