Saffron Wildbore
~ 6min read
~ 6min read
If you’ve been exploring a career in tech, you’ve probably heard of the term ‘DevOps’. It sounds a bit like a buzzword, doesn’t it?
But, DevOps is so much more than that. It's a key approach used by tech teams all over the world to build and deliver software more efficiently. Whether you're looking to get your first tech job or pivot from another role, understanding what DevOps is and why it matters can give you a real edge.
et’s start with the basics. What is DevOps all about? The word itself is a mash-up of Development and Operations – two teams that traditionally worked in separate silos within tech companies.
Development teams write the code that powers apps and websites.
Operations teams keep systems running smoothly, handling servers, deployment, security and maintenance.
In the past, these teams didn’t communicate much. Developers would build software and “throw it over the wall” to operations, who would then deploy and manage it. This often led to frustration, delays and errors – especially when things worked perfectly in development but crashed in production.
DevOps aims to break down that wall. It’s a way of working that encourages collaboration between the two groups, often using automation and shared responsibilities to streamline the software development lifecycle.
Think of DevOps as a cultural and technical shift that helps teams deliver better software, faster.
If you're still wondering what DevOps really is, here’s a simple definition:
DevOps is a set of practices and tools that bring together software development and IT operations to improve collaboration, increase deployment speed and maintain high-quality systems.
That includes everything from planning, coding and testing to deploying, monitoring and scaling applications. With DevOps, the goal is to create a continuous cycle of improvement and delivery, rather than one-off launches that take months or even years.
Now that we’ve looked at the concept, let’s talk about the job itself. What is a DevOps role, and what kind of work does it involve?
A DevOps engineer (or someone working in a DevOps role) typically straddles the line between development and IT. Their job is to ensure that code can be tested, deployed and run efficiently, securely and reliably.
Key responsibilities in a DevOps role might include:
Building CI/CD pipelines: These are automated systems that take code from the developer’s machine and push it through testing and deployment.
Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Writing scripts to provision and manage infrastructure like servers, databases and networks.
Monitoring and incident response: Setting up tools to detect issues in real-time and resolving them quickly.
Working with containers and orchestration tools: Using Docker and Kubernetes to manage apps across different environments.
Collaboration with development teams: Helping developers understand how their code will behave in production and improving system reliability.
It’s about being the bridge that brings tech products from code to customer, in the most seamless and stable way possible.
Before DevOps, software releases were often chaotic. Teams would spend weeks or months coding, then scramble to release it, often discovering problems late in the game. If something broke in production, it was a blame game between developers and operations.
DevOps changes that by fostering a collaborative culture. Everyone works toward the same goal: building and delivering great software, quickly and safely. This approach brings several key benefits:
Faster releases: Code gets into users’ hands more quickly.
Higher reliability: Fewer bugs and less downtime.
Better teamwork: Developers and operations work together rather than pointing fingers.
More innovation: With less firefighting, teams can focus on building new features.
For businesses, this means happier customers and more agility in a fast-moving digital world. For aspiring tech professionals, it means DevOps skills are highly valued and DevOps roles are in demand across every industry – from fintech and e-commerce to healthcare and gaming.
If you’re thinking of pursuing a DevOps career, it helps to get familiar with the tools and concepts commonly used in the field. Here are some of the big ones:
CI/CD is at the heart of DevOps. It’s all about making small, frequent changes to software and automatically testing and deploying them.
Tools to explore: Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, CircleCI
Tools like Git help track changes to code and allow teams to collaborate without stepping on each other’s toes.
Tool to start with: Git + GitHub
Instead of manually setting up servers and networks, DevOps engineers write code to do it automatically.
Tools to learn: Terraform, Ansible, Pulumi
Containers package apps and everything they need to run, making them portable and consistent. Orchestration tools manage lots of containers at once.
Tools to learn: Docker, Kubernetes
To keep systems healthy, DevOps teams use monitoring tools to catch issues early and respond quickly.
The good news is that DevOps is a field where you can start small and build your knowledge over time. Here are some of the most useful skills to develop:
Basic programming/scripting – Python, Bash or Go
Understanding of networking and Linux systems
Familiarity with cloud platforms – AWS, Azure, Google Cloud
Automation mindset – Always look for ways to remove manual steps
Problem-solving and troubleshooting
Communication and collaboration – You’ll be working across multiple teams
You don’t need to be an expert in all these areas right away. Many DevOps engineers start as developers or sysadmins and learn the rest on the job or through self-study.
If you're serious about breaking into tech and wondering how to land your first DevOps role, here’s a roadmap to guide your journey:
Start with online tutorials and courses to understand core DevOps concepts. FreeCodeCamp, YouTube and platforms like Udemy or Coursera are great starting points.
Create a small web app and then set up CI/CD, monitoring and deployment for it. This hands-on experience is invaluable.
Use GitHub to showcase your projects. Write README files, blog about your learning journey or even create a simple portfolio site.
There are active DevOps communities on Reddit (like r/devops), Discord, Twitter and LinkedIn. Ask questions, read discussions and learn from others.
This includes applying to our graduate programme, where we give you all the training you need to succeed as a DevOps engineer and give you the opportunity to interview with top companies to begin your career.
So, what does a typical day in a DevOps role look like?
Morning: Check alerts and system status. Join a daily stand-up meeting with the development team.
Midday: Work on automating a manual process (like setting up new environments).
Afternoon: Review a colleague’s code for a new CI pipeline. Test and deploy an update to the production environment.
Evening: Monitor post-deployment metrics. Maybe catch a webinar or read up on a new tool.
It’s a mix of problem-solving, scripting, collaborating and continuous learning – and no two days are ever exactly the same.
If you’re still asking yourself DevOps – what is it and is it something I can do?, the answer is yes. DevOps is for people who enjoy:
Making systems better and more reliable
Working across teams and understanding the big picture
Automating things that used to be manual
Learning new tools and technologies constantly
Whether you're a developer who wants to get closer to operations or someone from an IT background looking to modernise your skill set, DevOps offers a future-proof career path with loads of opportunity.
With some curiosity, dedication and hands-on practice, you can learn everything you need to land your first DevOps role with us and grow from there.
So take the first step. Learn a bit of Git, spin up a cloud server, build your first pipeline – and see where it takes you.
Looking for that foot in the door to the industry? Discover our current roles today.
Saffron is the Marketing Manager at mthree, with over five years of experience creating content that connects. She works across both B2B and B2C marketing, focusing on everything from career tips for graduates to real stories from our alumni. Saffron’s articles are all about sharing practical advice, industry insights, and inspiration to help readers take the next step with confidence.
