Certifications are useful for software developers just starting out as well as those seeking career advancement, better pay, or new opportunities.
Devops continues to expand in development environments everywhere from small startups to the largest global enterprises.
The worldwide devops market, including products and services, was expected to increase from $10.56 billion in 2023 to $12.8 billion in 2024, according to market research firm Business Research Co. The market will see “exponential growth” in the next few years, the firm predicts, expanding to $29.79 billion in 2028.
The growth of the devops market in the forecast period can be attributed to a focus on developer experience, the maturing of continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines and tools, more collaboration across development and operations teams, multi-cloud and hybrid cloud strategies, and an increased emphasis on observability.
As devops adoption increases, there is more need for developers with demonstrated expertise in devops culture, tools, and best practices. I asked a variety of experts what hiring managers look for in a devops candidate.
Certifications and the hiring process
Certifications can serve as a strong differentiator in the hiring process, particularly for early-career professionals or those transitioning into devops roles,” says Iryna Melnyk, a marketing consultant at marketing services firm Jose Angelo Studios.
“While practical experience often takes precedence, certifications signal a commitment to learning and validate foundational knowledge,” Melnyk says. “They act as a ‘foot in the door,’ especially for candidates competing for roles in organizations with structured hiring processes.”
Certifications are particularly important in the hiring process when job candidates are early in their careers or transitioning into devops roles, says Rob Stevenson, founder of BackupVault, a provider of cloud-based data backup and protection services.
“Certifications signal to employers that a candidate has formal training and hands-on experience with key tools and methodologies like CI/CD pipelines, containerization, and automation,” Stevenson says. For established devops professionals, certifications can validate an individual’s expertise and demonstrate a commitment to staying updated with industry standards, he says.
How much of an impact devops certifications have on the hiring process often depends on the company and role, says Archie Payne, president of technical recruiting firm CalTek Staffing, which frequently works with devops candidates and the companies who hire them.
“Some of our client companies hold certifications in very high regard, “ Payne says. “I have worked with some that require employees to get certified if they aren’t already when they’re hired, and for these employers candidates who hold certifications are often at the top of their list when we pass along resumes.”
In general, “I would say that certifications are valuable because they prove that you have the skills required for the role,” Payne says. “Many of these credentials require a designated amount of professional experience in addition to passing an exam, so they function as a kind of shorthand to indicate a candidate’s likely suitability for the role.”
If a hiring client doesn’t specify its stance on certifications, “I tend to consider these credentials equally alongside work experience and other forms of education like college degrees, and they can make an impact on who I recommend for a role,” Payne says.
The level of consideration for certifications often depends on the maturity of the organization in adopting devops practices, says Vladislav Bilay, devops engineer at software development and consulting firm Aquiva Labs.
“In enterprises with structured teams, certifications can act as a gatekeeper for promotion into technical roles,” Bilay says. “On the other hand, for smaller or highly dynamic companies, real-world experience and problem-solving abilities often carry more weight. However, even in these scenarios, certifications can tip the scales in favor of candidates with similar levels of experience because they demonstrate a commitment to continuous learning.”
Benefits of devops certifications
Having one or more devops certifications offers a variety of benefits for technology professionals seeking a role in software development or operations.
Certifications often help professionals secure higher-paying roles, says Binod Singh, founder of cybersecurity technology provider Cross Identity. “For instance, a certified devops engineer or site reliability engineer can negotiate better salaries compared to uncertified peers,” he says.
Certifications can also enhance the credibility of professionals in devops. “Certifications like AWS Certified Devops Engineer or Kubernetes certifications are recognized globally,” Singh says. “They showcase expertise in specific tools and methodologies that are in high demand.”
Bilay agrees that certifications build credibility, especially for those new to the market or those moving to devops from other fields. “For example, someone with development experience can earn Kubernetes certifications like Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) to demonstrate their operational capabilities in managing container workloads,” he says. “This can bridge the credibility gap with potential employers.”
Certifications can help individuals to be better at collaboration, Singh says. “Devops certifications emphasize the cultural aspects of software development, helping professionals improve their collaboration with cross-functional teams,” he says. “For example, certified professionals often excel at facilitating smoother communication between development and operations teams, leading to faster product delivery.”
Another possible advantage of devops certification is professional growth. “Earning certifications fosters a mindset of continuous learning, which aligns perfectly with the iterative nature of devops,” Melnyk says.
“They provide a structured learning path, allowing professionals to gain a comprehensive understanding of specific tools or practices,” Bilay says. “For example, someone who earns an AWS Certified Devops Engineer – Professional certification gains a keen understanding of cloud deployment pipelines, container orchestration, and monitoring solutions like Amazon CloudWatch. This knowledge directly translates to better performance in cloud environments.”
Another benefit is career mobility. “I’ve seen professionals leverage certifications such as AWS Certified Devops Engineer to pivot into higher-paying roles or new industries,” Melnyk says. In another case, “a colleague transitioned from system administration to a devops engineering role after earning the Kubernetes Administrator certification
The benefits of devops certifications extend beyond just career advancement, Stevenson says. “For individuals, certifications build confidence and ensure a strong foundation in devops principles,” he says. “For example, earning a Terraform certification helps practitioners understand infrastructure as code at a deeper level, which is crucial for scalable and efficient deployments.”
Getting a certification can be useful for professionals who want to advance from entry-level roles into more mid- and senior-level positions, Payne says.
“I would also say it’s highly beneficial for those who have established careers in a related domain like software development, and want to transition into devops roles without the need to start from scratch,” Payne says. “Devops is a relatively new discipline and one that’s growing quickly, so there are a lot of career opportunities in the field. I’ve worked with several job seekers recently who were laid off from other tech roles and have struggled to find a new job, and pivoting into an in-demand field like devops can be one way to do so.”
Devops certifications can also provide value to organizations as they look to expand their devops teams.
“Certifications reassure employers of a candidate’s grasp of key tools and methodologies like CI/CD, automation, and container orchestration,” Melnyk says.
Certifications also ensure that individuals are aligned with best practices, minimizing errors and improving collaboration, Stevenson says. “For instance, a certified professional familiar with Jenkins can optimize CI/CD pipelines, reducing software delivery time,” he says. “For employers, hiring certified professionals ensures competence, leading to smoother project execution” and better return on investment.
For hiring managers, “these certifications reduce uncertainty when assessing technical skills, especially in environments where hands-on experience is difficult to assess through interviews alone,” Bilay says.
Nothing like experience
While certifications are valuable, they are not the only determining factor in whether someone will get hired for a job or offered a promotion.
Devops certifications “are typically reviewed alongside the candidate’s experience in the evaluation process to gauge their readiness for the role and skills balance,” says Damien Filiatrault, CEO of Scalable Path, a software development staffing agency.
“Although such certificates cannot replace actual practice, they can be tremendously useful in a competitive environment, especially when hiring managers are pressed for time in their recruitment efforts,” Filiatrault says.
Employers also weigh problem-solving ability and a candidate’s track record with successful implementations, Stevenson says. “Certifications like AWS Certified Devops Engineer or Kubernetes Administrator might get your resume noticed,” he says. “But demonstrating how you’ve reduced deployment times or streamlined workflows carries more weight during interviews.”
“Hiring managers often see certifications as a way to quickly assess technical competence in specific areas, such as CI/CD pipelines, containerization, or cloud infrastructure,” says Singh, who has worked closely with hiring managers to align technical expertise with business needs. “However, real-world experience combined with certifications carries the most weight during the decision-making process.”
Popular devops certifications
The value of a devops certification stems from the range of skills and platforms covered. The following are among the most popular according to experts.
AWS Certified Devops Engineer – Professional
Certifications like this one have gained popularity thanks to the ongoing growth of cloud services and the widespread adoption of cloud-native environments. The AWS Certified Devops Engineer – Professional showcases individuals’ technical expertise in provisioning, operating, and managing distributed application systems on the AWS platform, according to Amazon Web Services. The certification is intended for individuals with two or more years of experience.
Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)
This certification is gaining popularity as containerization becomes more central to devops workflows. The CKA was created by the Linux Foundation and the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) as a part of their ongoing effort to help develop the Kubernetes ecosystem. The purpose of the CKA program is to demonstrate that CKAs have the skills, knowledge, and competency to perform the responsibilities of Kubernetes administrators, according to the Cloud Native Computing Foundation, which is part of the Linux Foundation.
Microsoft Certified Azure Devops Engineer Expert
This certification demonstrates expertise in end-to-end devops practices on Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform. Skills measured include the ability to design and implement processes and communications and a source control strategy, build and release pipelines, develop a security and compliance plan, and implement an instrumentation strategy. Responsibilities for this role include delivering Microsoft devops solutions that provide continuous security, integration, testing, delivery, deployment, monitoring, and feedback.
Professional Cloud Devops Engineer
This is another certification that is in demand because of the growth of the cloud and cloud-native development environments. Certified Professional Cloud Devops Engineers deploy processes and capabilities throughout the systems development lifecycle using Google-recommended methodologies and tools, according to Google Cloud. They enable efficient software and infrastructure delivery while balancing reliability with delivery speed, the company says.
