Projects

• Saturday 17th: Build Multi-Region Apps on AWS

• Sunday 18th: Build an AI Security Guard for AWS

• Monday 19th: Build Instant Failover with CloudFront Origin Groups

• Tuesday 20th: Multi-Cloud Disaster Recovery with Pulumi

• Wednesday 21st: Build Your First Azure Function

• Thursday 22nd: Build AI Chat Moderator with Gemini

• Friday 23rd: Orchestrating Parallel Event Streams with Azure

• 21 projects in 21 days nearing completion; last Azure project shipped (noted as very challenging, queued for clarity updates)

• Standardised project intro patterns defined (30‑second summary, track selection, “what you’ll build”), with detailed guidelines for titles, bullets, emojis, and structure

• Ongoing quality pass across projects (intros, steps, policies) to bring them to a consistent standard

Features

• Added back in download markdown options (by popular demand!)

• Automatic OS-aware instructions: Mac/Windows tabs now auto-select based on the user’s operating system, with a fallback to manual tabs when detection fails

Marketing

• x7 Youtube videos

• x7 Shorts

• x7 Emails

• x7 Landing Pages

• x7 Project Step Carousels

• Internal “nano banana”/Napkin‑based image generator prototype for on‑brand diagrams and assets (Markdown + brand‑guidelines aware)

• Mobile signup modal removed to reduce friction; follow‑up analysis planned on impact to sign‑ups and re‑engagement

Community

• 5 community calls and 2 pre‑built labs run over the weekend

• New build labs delivered, including Krishna’s Azure lab (called out as “next level”)

• Project Spotlight launched with community members (e.g. Okasha)

• Organic learner‑led labs emerging (e.g. Azure project club, DevOps + AI series)

• New community members joining and immediately engaging via live sessions (e.g. Germany, San Diego)

• Early city/community group experiments underway (towards “50 groups in 50 states”)

• New record: 30 hours of live community time this week

Quality of Life fixes

• Multiple quality-of-life fixes and code cleanup: PDF download bugs fixed, ~2k lines of unused code removed, and React modal migration underway (expected to remove another 2–3k lines)

• Editor no longer needs a full page refresh to show saved content (removing the need to spam “Reset changes”)

• YouTube comment sync live: pulls new comments ~every 3 hours (≈12 runs/day) into a single internal discord channel with direct “Watch video” links. Goal is to increase the replies we can give to our wider community, create a great experience/interaction with NextWork.

Projects

• Sunday: Build an AI Security Scanner with Gemini (Part 3)

• Monday: Deploy Your RAG API to Kubernetes (Part 4)

• Tuesday: Automate RAG Testing with GitHub Actions

• Wednesday: Ship a Payment Landing Page with v0 + Vercel

• Thursday: Secure Payments with Antigravity + Stripe

• Friday: Payment Analytics with PostHog

• Saturday: Build Multi-Region Apps on AWS

• New YouTube Playlists:

  • 21 projects in 21 days

  • DevOps + AI series

  • All AI Projects

Project Automation

• Automated image framing in app

• Image placeholders

• Validation checkers to avoid errors in mismatched number of validations between tracks.

Features

• Preview feature improvements to the social sharing part of MyWork

  

• Last Updated timestamp for projects

  

  
  

Growth

• x7 Youtube videos

• x7 Shorts

• x7 Emails

• x7 Landing Pages

• x7 Project Step Carousels

• x3 Project Architecture Diagram Carousels (new!)

• x3 Project Definition Carousels (new!)

Community

• x7 BuildLab events

• x1 Humans of NextWork event with Krishna

• x5 Connect with Community events

• Improved social sharing assets for community events (new!)

Projects

Goal: 21 projects in 21 days.

• Day 1/21. Released 9th Jan: Build a RAG API with FastAPI
  Build your very first AI API. Use Python and FastAPI to answer questions with your own files - no experience needed.

Project Automation

Goal: enable learners to generate NextWork projects on the fly.

• Internal Claude skill for project documentation

• Internal Claude skill for reviewing content repo

• Internal Claude skill for creating validations

Features

• Pro plan removed, using NextWork is entirely free.

Growth

Goal: x14 pieces of quality content per day.

• x2 Youtube videos; Project Live, Project Demo

• x1 Short on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Tiktok

• x1 Email

• x1 Landing Page

• x1 Project Step Carousels on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Tiktok

Community

• x3 BuildLab event in Discord, live on YouTube and Twitch

• x1 Humans of NextWork event with Maximus

• x5 Connect with Community events

• Events now also on Luma.

Learner Love

Navigation on the Explore menu was improved by adding categories and filters for Roadmaps, Specialties, and Tools.

• Added keyboard shortcuts for opening the Explore Menu and the Portfolio.

• Started the React migration. This took majority of our engineering capacity this week as we’re working on moving a significant amount of our app to React from Web Components. We’re doing this so we can make use of front-end libraries for animation and UX experience, and design faster using LLMs and AI native building tools. We expect this to be a three week sprint, followed by work on the ASK and Live Documentation features!

• Highlight menu changes direction if it looks like it’s going off screen

  

• Reset project also resets the documentation generated, allowing students to generate multiple documentations per project.

• The prompt behind ‘Made for You’ is updated to give better, more accurate results for students.

• New roadmaps out for:

  • AI/ML Roadmap

  

  • DevSecOps Roadmap

    

  • Solutions Architect Roadmap

    

• Roadmap landing page for Cloud Engineer live!

• Add link to easily unsubscribe or change membership plan

🔹 Improvements

• Filter indicator to show what status filter is applied on My Projects

  

• Saved user variables are now available for inline code blocks

  

• Community homepage update

  

• Pro badge now shows in Explore and in My Projects

• Updates to support AI native browsers such as Dia

• Add animations to transitions for expanding/hiding steps

This update delivers comprehensive event tracking across the platform, enhanced bookmark functionality, improved Circle Login experience, and support for educational document management. We've also implemented automated email notifications for new users and project completions.

✨ New

• Note edit adds a blank line on typing

🔹 Improvements

• Improved Circle Login Page - Improve the Circle community login page

• Bookmark on callouts

• Adjust crop on search results details line

• Update Cloud Security with IAM project from student feedback

• Comprehensive event tracking implementation, capturing key user interactions including: • Project navigation (restart, next, add projects) • Documentation interactions (viewing, saving as README/Markdown) • Pro feature engagement (unlocking content, clicking on pro-related elements) • UI interactions (expanding/collapsing sections, menu interactions) • User journey events (portfolio access, project completion)

• Updated Amazon Lex 3 project

🚀 New Features

• Send an email on first project completion

• Send an email 2 days after signup

• BUILD Bookmark - Bookmark feature

The past few cycles were brief and disrupted by the Easter and ANZAC holidays. However, we successfully delivered comprehensive documentation improvements, including enhanced pattern documentation and formatting. Additionally, we made refinements to the user interface, such as font upgrades and the introduction of the new AI Hallucinator Indicator for reporting.

The consolidated implementation of the Pro badge and the improved project components streamline the user experience. Furthermore, several critical fixes have been addressed, including issues with profile refresh and document sharing functionality.

✨ New

• AI Hallucinator Indicator

• Consolidate where the Pro badge is being used

🔹 Improvements

• LinkedIn sharing URL

• Tidy Up for Documentation - Documentation Formatting still getting complaints

• Update whole project, not just one track

• Font Upgrade across all components across design

• Floating checklist formatting

• Consolidate all components into a UI kit, including Master and Child components for project contents and documentation for all patterns (both primary and nested)

• PRO badge when you're PRO

• Add where documents are being shared to, via the sharing modal

• [UPDATE] Amazon Lex 2 project

🧪 Testing

• n/a

🐞 Fixes

• Documentation Formatting still getting complaints

• Profile refresh does not refreshes nickname and profile pictures

• PDF Generation failure status

• Internal links not working

• Markdown document images broken on GitHub

Cycle 13 delivers the the anticipated Restart Project feature, giving users the ability to reset and begin projects fresh. Yew! Additionally, we've introduced project revamps and updates, UI improvements include multiline checkbox positioning and profile refresh updates, while notable fixes address LinkedIn sharing functionality and document rendering issues.

✨ New

• Restart Project; Pro Feature

• Getting Started with AWS Projects [RELEASED]

• Create the single completion email template

• Current selected project made private
  

🔹 Improvements

• Pro cancel issues resolved

• Live dash reload

• Check if nickname is empty on profile refresh

• Add job to recreate user nicknames with problematic content

• All tracks saving

• Accept numbers on variable names

• Single completion emails sent to students

• Update reset to trigger intro refetch

• Add what the user asked, to the analytics event

• Multiline checkbox positioning
  

🧪 Testing

• Visualize data with QuickSight

• Network Series Intro
  

🐞 Fixes

• Current selected project made private

• Email single project completion to students

• Revert "Fix LinkedIn sharing functionality due to LinkedIn changing their api."

• Fix LinkedIn sharing functionality due to LinkedIn changing their api.

• Remove hidden responses from doc

• Validation hidden attribute

• Fix scroll_to_sentry errors

• Table of Content: Fix markers not showing as focused when they are in view & delete the old one

• Adding Variables to Code Blocks
  Often in a NextWork project you’ll need to add a new variable directly into a block of code - from simple things like your initials, to AWS account IDs, to regions, and more. Now you can do this directly in NextWork…and we’ll remember your variables too! Even across multiple projects! 🥳
  

  

  
  
  Previously, the process to do this was to copy the code, paste it somewhere else, update your unique variable, then copy and paste the final version into your terminal. No more.

New Projects (x1)

• New project and YouTube live on Build a Security Monitoring System on AWS

New Videos (x20+)

• Over 20 new videos released across YouTube, Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook, and X.

• Made For You tile

  Finding the right projects for your goals can be tricky! Now with Made For You, you can enter your goal and we’ll generate a list of NextWork projects that best meet your needs.

  

  
  

• Quiz Me feature

  Test your knowledge at the end of a project with the Quiz Me feature. Questions and answers are generated using AI based on every individual project.

  

  
  

New Projects (x8)

• New project on Join the 7 Day DevOps Challenge!

• New project and YouTube live on 7-Day DevOps Challenge (DAY #1) | Set Up a Web App in the Cloud

• New project and YouTube live out on 7-Day DevOps Challenge (DAY #2) | Connect a GitHub Repo with AWS

• New project and YouTube live on 7-Day DevOps Challenge (DAY #3) | Store Dependencies in CodeArtifact

• New project and YouTube live out on 7-Day DevOps Challenge (DAY #4) | Package an App with CodeBuild

• New project and YouTube live on 7-Day DevOps Challenge (DAY #5) | Deploy an App with CodeDeploy

• New project and YouTube live out on 7-Day DevOps Challenge (DAY #6) | Automate with CloudFormation

• New project and YouTube live on 7-Day DevOps Challenge (DAY #7) | Build a CI/CD Pipeline with CodePipeline

Polish

• Fixed documentation formatting

  We fixed a minor bug that made some of the documentation generated format in strange ways. All better!
  

• Up to 1000 characters.

  Our Pro users can now enjoy up to 1000 characters while crafting their task answers.
  This will allow them to create even more detailed documentation of their projects.

  

  
  

New Projects (2x)

• New project and YouTube live on Build a Web App for your RAG Chatbot

• New project and YouTube live out on Secure Secrets with Secrets Manager.

Polish

• Update our checkout experience.

  Fixed issue to avoid delays on Pro subscription.

• Fixed LinkedIn share documentation.

  We fixed a minor bug preventing users from uploading their documentation while sharing on LinkedIn via our share button.
  

• In Progress Status + Filter
  View which projects are not-started, in-progress, and complete. Filter by project status on your My Projects page.

  

  

  
  

• Show Parts of a Series
  Showing parts of a series within the Explore tab to make it easier to navigate and understand which projects are stand-alone and which are part of a larger series.

New Projects (x2)

• New project and YouTube live out on P2 - Create an API for Your RAG Chatbot

• Community events in Vancouver and virtually with @ShaeInTheCloud

Polish

• Update Grey Swatch
  A little left over colour work from our re-brand at the start of the year - updating all our hover and grey swatch colours.

• x3 Colour Themes for Documentation
  Choose from one of three themes for your documentation; light, dark, or fun. It’s the start of more personalised ways to showcase your skills.

  

• Add custom URL to the title page
  Add a URL to your LinkedIn, GitHub, or personal website directly on the title page of your documentation.

New Projects (x2)

• New project and YouTube live out on P1 - Set Up a RAG Chatbot in Bedrock

• New project and YouTube live out on P2 - Chat With Your Bot in the Terminal

• Community events in Lagos and Atlanta.

Polish

• Adding tiles to the Explore menu
  Now it’s easier (and more fun!) to find the different series of projects.

  

• Remember your tab selection; either `Explore` or `My Projects`
  NextWork will remember which tab you were on last and open you to that tab directly next time you search for a project.

  

Fixes

• Notes being generated in some callouts as plain text
  We noticed that some notes were being generated as plain text and displayed inline with the project content. This is fixed! Let us know if you see anything suspicious 🤨

• Keyboard Shortcuts
  Adding notes, asks, or highlighting is now easier with Keyboard shortcuts. Stay in flow and enjoy learning at speed 🏃‍♀️

  

  
  

• Live activity in the community
  Students can see when other students complete a project on NextWork. It shows the time, date, which project, and country the student who completed it is from. The goal with this is to make students feel less alone; to show that there are other students learning, just like them. It’s possible!

• Make it easier to view projects on mobile
  Previously there was a screen-blocker on mobile after signing-up which said that NextWork was only available on desktop. We removed this to show students projects on mobile when they signup and build trust with students that NextWork really does have great projects.

New Projects (x2)

• New project and YouTube live out on Automate Your Browser with AI Agents

• New project and YouTube live out on Turn Your Data into an AI Chatbot

• Community events in Chicago, Rwanda, and Philippines.

Polish

• Simplify profile menu by removing necessary links
  Now that we have a website at nextwork.org, it doesn’t make sense to keep Privacy Policy and Terms and Condition links in the student profile menu. Removed!

Fixes

• Highlight menu working on Safari.
  It can to our attention that the highlight menu wasn’t working for our Safari students. This took most of the time this week. We’ve resolved that now, and have a working version of the highlight menu on Safari. Thank you for your patience!

  

In 2025, deciding which AWS certifications are worth pursuing for a DevOps career can feel overwhelming. Some certifications continue to hold immense value, while others may no longer align with industry needs.

First and foremost, hands-on experience always outweighs certifications.

Nothing compares to building real-world skills by working on projects, troubleshooting issues, and solving complex problems. However, certifications can be powerful tools to validate your expertise. They’re recognized indicators of technical competence and have been linked to salary increases of up to 25-30%.

With that in mind, let’s explore the most impactful AWS certifications for a successful DevOps career in 2025.

Top Certifications Table
Create a concise table comparing key AWS certifications, their cost, exam duration, difficulty level, and validity.

Best AWS Certifications for DevOps in 2025

Best AWS Certifications for DevOps in 2025

1. AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional (DOP-C01)

• Focus: Advanced DevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, monitoring, and automation.

• What it covers:

  • Designing and implementing scalable and secure CI/CD pipelines using AWS services such as CodePipeline and CodeBuild.

  • Configuring monitoring solutions with CloudWatch for real-time insights into system performance.

  • Managing cost optimization and resource utilization strategies.

  • Implementing automated testing and deployment strategies.

• Exam details:

  • Cost: $300.

  • Duration: 180 minutes.

  • Format: Multiple-choice, multiple-answer.

  • Difficulty: Advanced.

• Preparation tips:

  • Learn AWS services such as CodePipeline, CodeBuild, CloudFormation, and CloudWatch.

  • Practice networking projects such as building a multi-tier application with automated deployments.

2. AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate

• Focus: Building scalable, resilient architectures relevant to DevOps workflows.

• What it covers:

  • Designing highly available and fault-tolerant systems.

  • Integrating automation into architecture to support CI/CD pipelines.

  • Selecting the right AWS services for performance and cost optimization.

  • Creating disaster recovery and failover strategies for mission-critical applications.

• Who it’s for: Aspiring DevOps engineers focusing on architectural best practices.

• Exam details:

  • Cost: $150.

  • Duration: 130 minutes.

  • Format: Multiple-choice, multiple-answer.

• Preparation tips:

  • Focus on designing distributed systems with tools like Elastic Load Balancing and Auto Scaling.

  • Work on a project involving multi-region architectures and load balancing.

3. AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate

• Focus: Deployment, management, and operations in AWS environments.

• What it covers:

  • Managing and monitoring AWS resources effectively with CloudWatch and CloudTrail.

  • Automating deployments and scaling solutions using tools like Auto Scaling and Elastic Beanstalk.

  • Implementing secure access control with IAM roles and policies.

  • Troubleshooting system issues and optimizing operational processes.

• Why it’s helpful: Bridges operational and development roles for aspiring DevOps professionals.

• Exam details:

  • Cost: $150.

  • Duration: 130 minutes.

  • Format: Multiple-choice, multiple-answer.

• Preparation tips:

  • Master operational tools like CloudWatch, Systems Manager, and Elastic Load Balancing.

  • Create a project involving automated scaling and monitoring for web applications.

4. AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional

• Focus: Advanced architecture design and optimization for large-scale, distributed systems.

• What it covers:

  • Designing multi-account architectures and hybrid cloud solutions.

  • Implementing advanced security and compliance controls.

  • Optimizing cost and performance for enterprise workloads.

  • Creating highly scalable applications using AWS services like S3, DynamoDB, and Lambda.

• Who it’s for: Experienced professionals looking to manage large, complex environments.

• Exam details:

  • Cost: $300.

  • Duration: 180 minutes.

  • Format: Multiple-choice, multiple-answer.

• Preparation tips:

  • Work on projects involving hybrid cloud deployments.

  • Focus on security and compliance scenarios using AWS Config and IAM policies.

5. AWS Certified Security - Specialty

• Focus: Specialized knowledge in securing AWS environments and DevOps pipelines.

• What it covers:

  • Advanced identity and access management (IAM) strategies.

  • Implementing encryption for data in transit and at rest.

  • Security monitoring and incident response with tools like GuardDuty and CloudTrail.

  • Managing compliance and governance in regulated environments.

• Who it’s for: Professionals specializing in DevSecOps or cloud security roles.

• Exam details:

  • Cost: $300.

  • Duration: 170 minutes.

  • Format: Multiple-choice, multiple-answer.

• Preparation tips:

  • Build projects focused on secure VPC setups, IAM policies, and encryption.

  • Practice monitoring and threat detection scenarios.

Which order do I take certifications in?
Potential roadmaps based on roles.

Your certification journey will depend on your unique background, skills, and career goals. Not everyone’s path will look the same - and that’s perfectly fine!

Below are some recommended roadmaps provided by AWS to guide you, but remember, these are just suggestions. You can adapt them based on your own aspirations.

1. Test Engineer Pathway:

Test engineers ensure the quality of applications by designing and executing tests across development pipelines. They focus on identifying bugs, ensuring compatibility, and improving performance.

Salary: $104,000

• Start with AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate.

• Progress to AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional.

2. Cloud DevOps Engineer Pathway:

Cloud DevOps engineers manage infrastructure, automate deployments, and create CI/CD pipelines to ensure efficient delivery of cloud-native applications.

Salary: $130,802

• Begin with AWS Certified Developer - Associate.

• Optionally, earn AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate.

• Complete AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional.

3. DevSecOps Engineer Pathway:

DevSecOps engineers focus on integrating security practices into DevOps workflows, ensuring applications and systems are secure throughout the lifecycle.

Salary: $101,752

• Start with AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate.

• Progress to AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional.

• Add AWS Certified Security - Specialty for advanced security expertise.

Are AWS Certifications Worth It?

Certifications provide a structured way to validate technical skills, but real-world experience is invaluable. Employers prioritize candidates who can demonstrate:

• Practical experience in deploying and managing AWS solutions.

• Hands-on expertise in CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure automation, and system monitoring.

While certifications enhance credibility and job prospects, showcasing your ability to solve real-world problems carries more weight.

Real-world projects for AWS DevOps skills

1. Set Up a Web App in the Cloud: Deploy a simple web application to AWS and connect it to scalable resources like EC2 and RDS.

   • Project Guide

   • YouTube Guide

2. Connect a GitHub Repo with AWS: Automate source code deployments by integrating GitHub with AWS CodePipeline.

   • Project Guide

   • YouTube Guide

3. Package an App with CodeBuild: Build and test applications automatically using AWS CodeBuild.

   • Project Guide

   • YouTube Guide

4. Deploy an App with CodeDeploy: Automate the deployment of applications to EC2 or Lambda.

   • Project Guide

   • YouTube Guide

5. Automate with CloudFormation: Create and deploy infrastructure templates to automate resource provisioning.

   • Project Guide

   • YouTube Guide

6. CI/CD with CodePipeline: Set up a complete CI/CD pipeline to automate application deployment workflows.

   • Project Guide

   • YouTube Guide

7. Containers on Elastic Beanstalk: Deploy containerized applications on AWS Elastic Beanstalk for scalability.

   • Project Guide

   • YouTube Guide

8. Launch a Kubernetes Cluster: Use Amazon EKS to launch and manage Kubernetes clusters.

   • Project Guide

   • YouTube Guide

9. Create S3 Buckets with Terraform: Automate the creation and management of AWS S3 buckets using Terraform.

   • Project Guide

   • YouTube Guide

Conclusion

AWS certifications remain a cornerstone for advancing in DevOps roles in 2025. They validate your technical skills, enhance job prospects, and open doors to higher salaries. Start with a certification that aligns with your goals, and complement your knowledge with hands-on projects to stand out in this competitive field.

Free Hands-on Projects

Sources:

https://awsforengineers.com/blog/aws-certifications-salary-and-job-market-impact/

https://aws.amazon.com/certification/?nc2=sb_ce_co

https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Entry-Level-Software-Test-Engineer-Salary

https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Cloud-Devops-Engineer-Salary

https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Devsecops-Engineer-Salary

The Highlight Menu has been expanded again by adding Ask and Example generation.

• Add Ask feature to highlight menu

  This week we added an open prompt option to the Highlight Menu where students can ask any prompt of their highlights.

• Add Example to highlight menu

We also added more options for sharing project documentation, including

• Share project link directly
  Copy and share the URL to your project documentation directly.

  

  
  

• Different post templates to copy and paste on socials
  Copy pre-written social media posts for LinkedIn, X.com, Facebook, and LinkedIn

• Download documentation as markdown

  Now you can add your projects directly to Github or your website as a markdown file.

• Add documentation directly to portfolio
  At the end of your project, add your documentation directly to your portfolio without having to download and then upload it again later.

New Projects (x3)

• New project and YouTube live out on Prompt Engineering

• New project and YouTube live out on DeepSeek

• New project and YouTube live out on AI Workflow

• Community events in Austin and New Jersey.

Polish

• Brandkit on Website
  For NextWorkers who want to make their own stickers, swag, and other cool shareables. We love to see it!

• Reverse fade on the notes
  Adding a slight reverse fade on NextWork notes to indicate when there is more content below.

  

  
  

• Ability to collapse steps
  Steps can be collapsed to make for easy reading and understanding of a whole project.

Fixes

• Line breaks not showing in call-outs

The Highlight Menu has been expanded by adding Explain more and Blank note generation.

• Blank Notes
  Students can now add blank notes to any highlight, of any length. Great for adding questions, thoughts, or ideas to come back to later.

• Explain More
  To complement the Simplify features, students can now get more detailed explanations on concepts they’ve highlighted.
  

• All notes are editable
  All notes, generated or blank, can be edited by the student to have their own questions, ideas, or alterations.

• Tabs in content
  Projects will now have the ability to have tabs, showcasing different paths depending on steps, operating system, or difficulty.

  

  
  

  
  

Projects

• New project and YouTube live out on Threat Detection with GuardDuty

• New project and YouTube live out on Prompt Engineering

• Community events in Pennsylvania USA, and Kenya.

Polish

• Bubble bar icon update
  Now you can easily access the three key parts of NextWork from the bubble bar; Portfolio, Projects, Community. The profile and NextWork home logo are visible on hover.

  

  
  

• Formatting available for checklists
  Text in checklists can now be formatted in bold, italics, code-blocks, etc.

  

  
  

• New pricing page
  New pricing page layout with options for an annual plan.

  

  
  

Fixes

• Portfolio not showing projects in order of recently added

Hands-on Tech Projects

As we move into 2025, the tech industry is growing at an extraordinary pace, creating unprecedented demand for skilled professionals. Fields like data analysis, cloud computing, and cybersecurity are not only thriving but also reshaping industries worldwide. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment in computer and information technology is projected to grow by 15% between 2023 and 2033, adding approximately 3,567,000 new roles.

If you’re looking to start a career in tech, entry-level tech jobs are a great place to begin. These jobs pay well, give you hands-on experience, and provide a clear path to grow into higher-level roles in the future.

Below you’ll find the top 10 entry level tech jobs + a hands-on projects to get started!

What are entry-level tech jobs?

Entry-level tech jobs are jobs made for people who are new to the tech world. They don’t require much, or any, professional experience, and they help you learn the basic skills needed to grow in the industry.

Key traits of entry-level tech jobs

• You don’t need a lot of experience: Many of these jobs are open to people who have done online courses, attended bootcamps, or learned skills on their own.

• You learn the basics: These jobs teach important skills like coding, troubleshooting, and data analysis, often using tools like Excel, SQL, or JavaScript.

• You can grow into higher roles: Entry-level jobs give you the training and experience needed to move into more advanced positions, like becoming a cybersecurity analyst or cloud engineer.

If you’re a recent graduate, switching careers, or just starting out in tech, these jobs are an excellent way to get your foot in the door and start gaining real experience.

Top 10 Entry-Level Tech Jobs in 2025
Salaries and Key Skills

The rankings in this list were determined based on several key factors, including current job demand, projected growth rates, median salaries, accessibility for entry-level candidates, and the relevance of skills required in today’s tech landscape. Each role was carefully evaluated to provide accurate and practical insights for those starting their careers in technology.

10. Junior DevOps Engineer

Median Salary in the US: $95,000/year
Salary Range in the US: $80,000–$110,000/year

What they do:
Junior DevOps Engineers help teams deliver software faster and more efficiently. They automate tasks like building and managing CI/CD pipelines, managing infrastructure as code (IaC), and deploying applications in cloud environments. Their work ensures reliable and scalable software delivery.

Required skills:

• Knowledge of Docker, Kubernetes, and other containerization tools.

• Experience with scripting languages like Python, Bash, or PowerShell.

• Familiarity with CI/CD tools like Jenkins, GitLab, or CircleCI.

Job growth:
Demand for DevOps professionals increased by 20% in 2023, driven by the need for automation and cloud-based solutions.

Potential career progression:

• DevOps Engineer: $110,000–$140,000/year

• Site Reliability Engineer (SRE): $120,000–$150,000/year

• DevOps Architect: $140,000–$170,000/year

Hands-on projects to get started 👇

• Build a CI/CD Pipeline

• Learn how containers work with Docker & Elastic Beanstalk

• Set up a Kubernetes Deployment

9. Digital Marketing Specialist (Tech-Focused)

Median Salary in the US: $60,000/year
Salary Range in the US: $50,000–$70,000/year

What they do:
Digital Marketing Specialists help companies grow their online presence. In tech-focused roles, they use SEO, PPC campaigns, and data-driven marketing techniques to increase website traffic and engagement.

Required skills:

• Experience with SEO tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush.

• Proficiency in Google Analytics, Google Ads, and social media platforms.

• Basic knowledge of HTML and web optimization.

Job growth:
Marketing analyst roles are projected to grow by 19% from 2021 to 2031, driven by the increasing importance of digital strategies.

Potential career progression:

• SEO Specialist or PPC Manager: $85,000–$110,000/year

• Digital Marketing Manager: $100,000–$130,000/year

• Chief Marketing Officer (CMO): $150,000–$200,000/year

  ---

8. IT Support Specialist

Median Salary in the US: $55,000/year
Salary Range in the US: $45,000–$65,000/year

What they do:
IT Support Specialists assist users with hardware and software issues, troubleshoot networks, and maintain IT systems. This is an ideal role for beginners entering the IT field.

Required skills:

• Basics of networking (TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP).

• Familiarity with operating systems and ticketing tools like ServiceNow.

• Strong communication and problem-solving skills.

Job growth:
IT support roles grew by 14% in 2024 as businesses adopted new technologies and required reliable technical support.

Potential career progression:

• System Administrator: $70,000–$90,000/year

• Network Engineer: $85,000–$110,000/year

• IT Manager: $120,000–$150,000/year’

Hands-on projects to get started 👇

• Networking Fundamentals
  

7. QA Tester (Quality Assurance)

Median Salary in the US: $68,000/year
Salary Range in the US: $55,000–$80,000/year

What they do:
QA Testers ensure software works as expected before release. They write and run test cases, perform manual and automated testing, and work with developers to fix bugs, ensuring a seamless experience for end users.

Required skills:

• Attention to detail and an understanding of the software development life cycle.

• Experience with tools like Selenium, Postman, or JIRA.

• Basic programming knowledge (e.g., Python, Java) for creating automated tests.

Job growth:
The software testing market is expected to grow by 7% annually from 2023 to 2030, reflecting increased demand for high-quality software.

Potential career progression:

• Automation Engineer: $80,000–$110,000/year

• QA Manager: $90,000–$120,000/year

• Director of Quality Assurance: $130,000–$160,000/year

6. Cybersecurity Analyst

Median Salary in the US: $92,000/year
Salary Range in the US: $75,000–$105,000/year

What they do:
Cybersecurity Analysts protect systems and data from cyberattacks. They monitor networks, detect vulnerabilities, and respond to incidents to ensure businesses stay secure.

Required skills:

• Basics of networking and firewalls.

• Knowledge of SIEM tools like Splunk or QRadar.

• Familiarity with frameworks like PCI DSS or NIST.

Job growth:
Cybersecurity jobs are expected to grow by 35% from 2021 to 2031, as organizations invest heavily in protecting their systems.

Potential career progression:

• Cybersecurity Engineer: $110,000–$140,000/year

• Security Architect: $140,000–$170,000/year

• Chief Information Security Officer (CISO): $180,000–$250,000/year

Hands-on projects to get started 👇

• Cloud Security

5. Front-End Developer

Median Salary in the US: $78,000/year
Salary Range in the US: $65,000–$90,000/year

What they do:
Front-End Developers design and build the visual and interactive elements of websites and web applications. They ensure that websites are responsive, user-friendly, and align with design and branding requirements. Their work connects the back-end functionality to what users see on the screen.

Required skills:

• Proficiency in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

• Knowledge of frameworks like React, Vue.js, or Angular.

• Familiarity with responsive design principles and debugging tools like Chrome DevTools.

Job growth:
Web development roles are projected to grow by 23% from 2021 to 2031, as businesses prioritize improving their online presence and user experience.

Potential career progression:

• Full-Stack Developer: $90,000–$120,000/year

• UI/UX Designer or Engineer: $95,000–$130,000/year

• Web Development Manager: $140,000–$160,000/year

Hands-on projects to get started 👇

• Build a Three-Tier Web App

4. Help Desk Technician

• Median Salary in the US: $45,000/year

• Salary Range in the US: $40,000–$55,000/year

What They Do:
Help Desk Technicians provide first-line IT support, assisting users with troubleshooting hardware and software issues, resolving network connectivity problems, and maintaining IT systems. This role is often the gateway into IT for those starting their careers.

Required Skills:

• Troubleshooting hardware and software issues.

• Familiarity with ticketing systems like Zendesk or ServiceNow.

• Strong communication and customer service skills.

Job Growth:
Help desk roles remain a steady entry point into IT, with organizations increasingly investing in technical support as they expand their IT infrastructure.

Potential Career Progression:

• IT Support Specialist → $55,000–$70,000/year

• System Administrator → $70,000–$90,000/year

• IT Manager → $120,000–$150,000/year

3. AI/ML Junior Developer

Median Salary in the US: $90,000/year
Salary Range in the US: $75,000–$100,000/year

What they do:
AI/ML Junior Developers assist in creating machine learning models and AI algorithms. They help process data, fine-tune models, and integrate AI into applications.

Required skills:

• Strong programming skills in Python or R.

• Familiarity with libraries like TensorFlow, PyTorch, or Scikit-learn.

• Understanding of data preprocessing and statistics.

Job growth:
AI-related roles are growing by 31% annually as businesses embrace machine learning to enhance decision-making.

Potential career progression:

• Machine Learning Engineer: $120,000–$150,000/year

• Data Scientist: $130,000–$160,000/year

• AI Research Scientist: $160,000–$200,000/year

Hands-on projects to get started👇

• Build Your Own AI Chatbot

• Transcribe Audio Files with AI

2. Cloud Support Engineer

Median Salary in the US: $80,000/year
Salary Range in the US: $65,000–$90,000/year

What they do:
Cloud Support Engineers help businesses manage and optimize their cloud systems. They resolve technical issues, ensure systems run efficiently, and work on cloud-based infrastructure.

Required skills:

• Proficiency in platforms like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.

• Knowledge of Linux and networking basics (DNS, TCP/IP).

• Scripting experience (e.g., Python, Bash).

Job growth:
The cloud computing market is expected to grow at a 17.9% annual rate through 2030, driven by increasing cloud adoption.

Potential career progression:

• Cloud Engineer: $100,000–$130,000/year

• Cloud Architect: $140,000–$180,000/year

• Cloud Operations Manager: $160,000–$200,000/year

Hands-on projects to get started:

• Cloud Networking Fundamentals

• Cloud Security Basics

• Deploy a Web App with Elastic Beanstalk

1. Data Analyst

Median Salary in the US: $74,000/year
Salary Range in the US: $60,000–$85,000/year

What they do:
Data Analysts collect, clean, and analyze data to help businesses make informed decisions. They uncover trends, create visualizations, and generate reports to provide actionable insights. Their work plays a critical role in shaping business strategies.

Required skills:

• Proficiency in SQL for querying and managing databases.

• Knowledge of data visualization tools like Tableau, Power BI, or Looker.

• Experience with programming languages like Python or R for data manipulation.

Job growth:
According to the World Economic Forum, Data Analyst roles are among the top 10 fastest-growing jobs globally. Businesses across industries rely heavily on data-driven decision-making, fueling demand for this role.

Potential career progression:

• Business Intelligence Analyst: $90,000–$120,000/year

• Data Scientist: $130,000–$160,000/year

• Chief Data Officer (CDO): $200,000–$250,000/year

Hands-on projects to get started👇

• Analyze Datasets with SQL

• Create Visualizations using Tableau or Power BI

  ---

Breaking into the tech industry is easier than ever, and the roles we've outlined- ranging from Cloud Support Engineer to Data Analyst - offer exciting opportunities for growth, competitive salaries, and the chance to work on cutting-edge technologies.

The most important step is to take action now. Employers in tech look for hands-on experience, even for entry-level roles, so building small projects and showcasing them in your portfolio is crucial.

Start prepping for these entry level jobs 👇

Step-by-Step Guides

We updated our logo and brand. Read more about it here.

We also created a landing page at nextwork.org to provide more information about NextWork for future hires, and to kickstart SEO efforts under the nextwork.org domain.

Projects

• New project out on Transcribe Audio Files with AI

• New YouTube live demo for Transcribe Audio Files with AI

• First community event in New York, USA

Polish

• Ability to pin tool bar to make it easier to navigate to other projects

  

• Added more spacing to Project Page to emphasise which path to choose

  

  
  

• Students can now upload their own image and change their username for project documentation

  

  
  

Fixes

• Fixed a bug that stopped certain results showing in the search.