02-27 What Is DevOps and Why Should You Care in 2025?
- Steve Chau
- Jun 2
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 5
DevOps is more than a buzzword—it’s a high-paying career path. Learn what it is, why it matters, and how to get started.
There’s a reason why “DevOps” keeps showing up on every top-paying tech careers list—it’s not just a trend. It’s a movement. A culture shift. And most importantly, it’s a smarter, faster way to build and deploy software in a digital world that never hits pause.
If you’ve been hearing the word “DevOps” tossed around but aren’t quite sure what it means—or why people are landing six-figure jobs because of it—you’re not alone. Let’s break it down in plain English and explain why this is the skill to watch (and learn) in 2025.
What Exactly Is DevOps?
DevOps is short for Development and Operations—two teams that used to work in silos but now collaborate to deliver software more quickly and reliably.
In the past, developers would write code, pass it to the operations team, and hope it ran smoothly on the company’s servers. When things broke (and they often did), each side blamed the other. DevOps gets rid of that blame game by uniting both teams into one streamlined, agile force.
With DevOps, companies automate the entire software delivery pipeline—from writing code to testing, deploying, and monitoring. This not only improves speed and quality but also cuts down on bugs, downtime, and late-night panic attacks.
Why DevOps Replaced the Old Way of Doing IT
The traditional IT model just couldn’t keep up with the pace of innovation. Businesses needed to deploy updates faster, respond to customer feedback quickly, and recover from system failures without hours of downtime.
Here’s a quick side-by-side:
Traditional IT | DevOps |
Manual deployments | Automated pipelines (CI/CD) |
Long release cycles (months) | Frequent updates (daily/weekly) |
Reactive problem-solving | Proactive monitoring and feedback |
Dev and Ops = separate teams | Dev and Ops = one team |
High failure rates | Fewer errors, faster recovery |
In short, DevOps lets teams move faster, stay more reliable, and adapt quickly to changing business needs. That’s why 80% of organizations surveyed by Puppet’s 2023 State of DevOps Report said they were investing heavily in DevOps or already had it in place.
The Must-Have DevOps Skills in 2025
To thrive in a DevOps role, you’ll need a mix of development and IT operations know-how. But don’t worry—you don’t need to be an expert in everything on day one.
Here’s what hiring managers are looking for right now:
CI/CD Pipelines (Continuous Integration and Delivery): Automating how code moves from dev to production using tools like GitHub Actions, Jenkins, GitLab CI, and Azure DevOps.
Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Tools like Terraform, Ansible, and AWS CloudFormation to manage cloud resources with version-controlled scripts.
Cloud Computing: Understanding how to deploy and scale applications in AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
Containers & Orchestration: Working with Docker and Kubernetes to deploy microservices quickly and efficiently.
Automation: Shell scripting, Python, Bash—automate all the things.
Monitoring & Logging: Tools like Prometheus, Grafana, and the ELK Stack help you detect issues before they become problems.
According to LinkedIn’s 2024 Emerging Jobs Report, DevOps engineers were among the top 5 most in-demand tech roles—and that’s not changing any time soon.
DevOps Careers Are Skyrocketing—And So Are Salaries
Let’s talk money.
In the U.S., DevOps engineers earn an average salary of $125,000–$150,000, according to Glassdoor and Indeed.
Senior roles and cloud DevOps architects can top $180,000+, especially in major tech hubs or remote-first companies.
The global DevOps market is projected to grow to $51 billion by 2030, up from just $10.4 billion in 2021 (Fortune Business Insights).
What’s behind that growth? Simply put, companies of all sizes are moving to the cloud, building digital services, and modernizing their IT systems—and DevOps makes all of that faster, safer, and smarter.
Industries hiring DevOps talent include:
Tech & SaaS companies
Healthcare systems (for HIPAA-compliant cloud operations)
Finance and fintech (for secure and rapid deployments)
Government and defense (especially with automation and cybersecurity needs)
Retail and eCommerce (where uptime is mission-critical)
What DevOps Certifications Should You Get?
Certifications show employers that you’re serious, skilled, and ready to take on complex challenges. Whether you're pivoting into DevOps or leveling up, here are a few top certs worth pursuing:
AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional
Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert
Google Professional DevOps Engineer
Docker Certified Associate
Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)
HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate
Each of these certifications gives you hands-on experience with cloud environments, automation tools, and real-world DevOps workflows.
How to Get Started—Even If You’re New to IT
You don’t need a computer science degree or years of coding experience to break into DevOps. In fact, many successful DevOps engineers started as:
System administrators
QA testers
Help desk specialists
Junior developers
The key is learning by doing. That’s why structured courses, labs, and real-world projects matter.
👉 Explore our DevOps course bundle and get certified. At Chauster, we’ve designed a hands-on DevOps curriculum that walks you through every step, from the basics to advanced automation, cloud deployments, and beyond. Whether you're studying part-time or diving in full-time, we help you build job-ready skills that recruiters are actually hiring for.
Final Thoughts
DevOps is more than a toolset—it’s a culture that rewards innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement. As more companies embrace cloud-native systems and rapid development cycles, DevOps is quickly becoming the heartbeat of modern IT.
If you want a future-proof skill set, a high-growth career path, and the ability to make a real impact, DevOps is calling.
Don’t just watch the tech world change. Be part of building it.
🔧 Ready to level up? Explore the DevOps Bundle at Chauster and start your journey today.
About Steve Chau
Steve Chau is a seasoned entrepreneur and marketing expert with over 35 years of experience across the mortgage, IT, and hospitality industries. He has worked with major firms like AIG, HSBC, and (ISC)² and currently leads TechEd360 Inc., a premier IT certification training provider, and TaoTastic Inc., an enterprise solutions firm. A Virginia Tech graduate, Steve’s career spans from founding a teahouse to excelling in banking and pivoting into cybersecurity education. Known for his ability to engage underserved markets, he shares insights on technology, culture, and professional growth through his writing and leadership at Chauster Inc.
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