Prerequisite Knowledge
- Basic networking awareness
- Comfort with command-line tools
- Interest in cloud services and automation
Learning Path
Site Reliability Engineer
Improve service reliability, observability, incident response, and performance at scale.
Advanced
8 to 12 weeks
Cloud Engineer
Who It Is For
Veterans who enjoy systems, automation, infrastructure, delivery pipelines, and reliability-focused work.
Why it is relevant for veterans: Cloud and DevOps roles map well to operations, maintenance, escalation handling, and disciplined change management.
Core Skills Covered
- SLIs and SLOs
- Incident response
- Observability
- Capacity thinking
Beginner-To-Advanced Roadmap
Learn the core concepts, vocabulary, and hands-on basics for Site Reliability Engineer. Build one small practice project or lab and document what you learned.
Use Prometheus, Grafana in a more realistic scenario, practice troubleshooting, and create portfolio evidence tied to the skills employers ask for.
Move from task execution to ownership by improving reliability, security, communication, and delivery quality within Site Reliability Engineer workflows.
30-60-90 Day Starter Plan
Each step includes free learning links so users can move straight from plan to practice.
Phase 1Days 1-30
Learn the fundamentals
Learn the fundamentals of Site Reliability Engineer and complete one introductory course.
Set up the tools
Install or access Prometheus, Grafana and finish one guided lab.
Track what you learn
Capture notes, unfamiliar terms, and a short weekly reflection so you can see progress.
Phase 2Days 31-60
Build a practice project
Build a practice project that demonstrates SLIs and SLOs and Incident response.
Review certification objectives
Review at least one certification objective from Google Cloud Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer.
Refresh resume and LinkedIn
Update LinkedIn and your resume with concrete tools, projects, and results.
Phase 3Days 61-90
Create a portfolio-ready artifact
Create a portfolio-ready artifact or demo tied to Site Reliability Engineer responsibilities.
Practice your story
Practice explaining your project, your learning process, and your transferable veteran strengths.
Start applying
Start applying to internships, apprenticeships, support roles, or junior positions connected to Site Reliability Engineer.
Recommended Tools and Platforms
Prometheus
Grafana
Kubernetes
Linux
Sample Roles
- Site Reliability Engineer
- Reliability Analyst
- Production Engineer
Certification Progression
- Google Cloud Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer
- Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator