What IT Professions Commonly Transition to DevOps?

Introduction: Why IT Professionals Are Moving to DevOps

In the rapidly evolving tech landscape, what IT professions commonly transition to DevOps has become a pressing question for many professionals seeking career growth. As organizations increasingly adopt DevOps practices to streamline software delivery and improve collaboration, IT specialists from diverse backgrounds are finding opportunities to transition into this dynamic field. According to a GitLab survey, 74% of organizations have embraced DevOps practices, with roles like software engineers and system administrators leading the charge.

This blog explores the IT roles that most frequently transition to DevOps, the skills required for success, and why this career path is gaining momentum. With expert insights and compelling data, we’ll uncover how these transitions happen and what makes DevOps such an appealing choice for IT professionals.

What is Driving the Transition to DevOps?

The rise of DevOps is fueled by its ability to bridge the gap between development and operations teams, fostering collaboration and agility in software delivery. According to Puppet’s State of DevOps Report, high-performing organizations that adopt DevOps practices deploy code 46 times more frequently and recover from failures 96 times faster than their counterparts. This efficiency has made DevOps a cornerstone of modern IT strategies.For IT professionals, transitioning to DevOps offers several benefits:

• Higher salaries: Many professionals report salary increases after adopting DevOps roles.
• Remote work opportunities: The collaborative nature of DevOps often supports flexible work arrangements.
• Exposure to cutting-edge technologies: From containerization tools like Docker and Kubernetes to cloud platforms like AWS, DevOps professionals work with state-of-the-art tech stacks.

“DevOps isn’t just a job; it’s a mindset that challenges you to learn all the things,” one Reddit user aptly noted.

What IT Professions Commonly Transition to DevOps?

Software Developers

Software developers are among the most common IT professionals transitioning into DevOps roles. Their expertise in coding and familiarity with development pipelines make them natural candidates for roles like DevOps engineers or automation architects.

In fact, GitLab’s Global DevOps Survey revealed that 19% of surveyed professionals in DevOps roles were originally software engineers or developers. These individuals bring valuable programming skills that are essential for building CI/CD pipelines, automating workflows, and integrating tools across the software lifecycle.

‍“The most powerful tool we have as developers is automation,” notes Tommy Tynjä, emphasizing the synergy between development and operations in a successful DevOps environment.

System Administrators (SysAdmins)

System administrators often transition into DevOps due to their deep understanding of infrastructure management and operational processes. Their expertise in configuring servers, managing networks, and troubleshooting system issues aligns closely with the operational side of DevOps.

A Reddit user shared their journey from SysAdmin to DevOps:

‍“I wanted more remote work opportunities and higher pay, so I learned Docker, Jenkins, and AWS—now I’m a full-time DevOps engineer.”

This highlights how SysAdmins can leverage their existing skills while acquiring new ones in automation and cloud technologies to make the leap into DevOps roles.

Quality Assurance (QA) Engineers

QA engineers transitioning into DevOps bring a unique perspective focused on testing and quality control. In a DevOps environment, QA is integrated throughout the development lifecycle rather than being a separate phase. This shift requires QA engineers to adopt automated testing frameworks and collaborate closely with developers and operations teams.

According to iCert Global: “DevOps developers are in charge of converting new requirements into code as well as testing, distribution, and continuous monitoring.”

This integration underscores how QA engineers can thrive in roles like developer-testers or experience assurance experts within a DevOps team.

Network Engineers

Network engineers are also making their way into the world of DevOps as organizations increasingly rely on cloud infrastructure and containerized environments. Their knowledge of networking protocols, security configurations, and load balancing is invaluable for managing scalable systems in a DevOps context.

By learning tools like Terraform for infrastructure as code (IaC) or Kubernetes for container orchestration, network engineers can transition into specialized roles such as site reliability engineers (SREs) or cloud architects within a DevOps framework.

Database Administrators (DBAs)

Database administrators are finding opportunities in database-centric aspects of DevOps—often referred to as Database Ops or DataDevSecOps. With the rise of continuous delivery pipelines that include database changes, DBAs play a crucial role in ensuring seamless integration between application code and database systems.

According to DBmaestro’s blog on database DevOps: “Automation is key when managing database changes within CI/CD pipelines.” This makes DBAs well-suited for transitioning into specialized roles within the broader scope of DevOps.

Skills Required for Transitioning Into DevOps

While each profession brings unique strengths to a DevOps role, there are certain skills that all aspiring professionals must develop:

• Automation Proficiency: Tools like Jenkins, Ansible, Puppet, or Chef are essential for automating repetitive tasks.
• Cloud Expertise: Familiarity with platforms like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud is critical as most modern applications run on cloud infrastructure.
• Containerization Knowledge: Understanding Docker or Kubernetes is vital for managing microservices architectures.
• Collaboration Skills: A key principle of DevOps is breaking down silos between teams; strong communication skills are non-negotiable.
• Coding Ability: Even non-developers must learn scripting languages like Python or Bash for automating workflows.

As Matthias Marschall puts it: “The key in such a transition to continuous delivery is to expect things to get worse before they get better.” This sentiment reflects the learning curve involved but also highlights the long-term benefits of adopting these skills.

The Future Outlook for IT Professionals in DevOps

The demand for skilled professionals in this field shows no signs of slowing down. According to StrongDM’s statistics:

• The global market size for DevOps exceeded $4 billion in 2019 and is projected to grow at over 20% CAGR by 2026.
• 78% of individuals reported learning new skills after transitioning into a DevOps role.
• Nearly half (48%) said adopting these practices resulted in salary increases.

These figures underscore why transitioning into this field is not only viable but also highly rewarding.

Conclusion: Is Transitioning Into DevOps Right For You?

For those wondering what IT professions commonly transition to DevOps, the answer lies in identifying transferable skills from your current role while embracing new tools and methodologies central to this discipline. Whether you’re a software developer looking to automate workflows or a SysAdmin seeking remote opportunities with better pay, there’s room for everyone in this collaborative ecosystem.

DevOps isn’t just about mastering technology—it’s about fostering a culture of shared responsibility and continuous improvement across teams. As organizations continue adopting these practices at scale, now is the perfect time for IT professionals from diverse backgrounds to make their move into this exciting field

.“If you wrote it,” one expert quips about the ethos behind successful transitions into this field,“you darn well had better be there when it runs!”