Frequently Asked Questions
What skills do platform engineers need?
Cloud, IaC, automation, containerisation. Kubernetes, Terraform, Python or Bash.
What industries hire platform engineers?
Finance, healthcare, retail, tech, government. Any company that builds and deploys software at scale needs platform engineering.
What tools do platform engineers use?
Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, Ansible, Jenkins or GitHub Actions. AWS, Azure, Google Cloud.
Do you need a degree for a platform engineering job?
Many roles require a computer science, software engineering or IT degree. Some employers accept experience with cloud infrastructure, automation tools and DevOps practices.
What is the average salary for platform engineers in the UK?
Depends on experience and location. Entry level £40,000, senior £90,000+
What certifications help in platform engineering careers?
AWS DevOps Engineer, Google Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer, Microsoft Azure DevOps Engineer Expert. Kubernetes and Terraform certs are also valuable.
Are remote platform engineering jobs available?
Yes, many companies offer remote or hybrid roles. Cloud and automation means platform engineers can work from anywhere.
What career paths exist after a platform engineering role?
With experience platform engineers can move into cloud architecture, SRE or DevOps leadership. Some specialise in security or infrastructure automation.
How do you get started in platform engineering?
Learn cloud, automation, containerisation. Get hands on with Kubernetes, Terraform and CI/CD. Build projects, get certified and apply for junior roles.