Career roadmap: breaking into SRE/Platform Engineering
with Akram Riahi
Breaking into SRE feels overwhelming from the outside: job posts demand ten tools, every roadmap online contradicts the last one, and it's hard to tell what actually gets you hired … Read more
Scheduling conflict? No-show? Cancel session & get your money back instantly.
Only 4 spots left
About this session
Breaking into SRE feels overwhelming from the outside: job posts demand ten tools, every roadmap online contradicts the last one, and it's hard to tell what actually gets you hired versus what's noise. In one hour, we cut through that and build a plan that fits your starting point — I've guided developers, sysadmins, and support engineers through this exact transition.
What we'll do:
- Map where you are today: your current skills and experience, measured against what real SRE and Platform job requirements actually ask for
- Pick the right target: SRE vs. Platform Engineer vs. DevOps vs. Cloud — these roles overlap but aren't the same, and your background makes some doors easier to open than others
- Build your learning path in the right order: fundamentals (Linux, networking), Kubernetes, IaC, CI/CD, observability, incident response — and just as importantly, what to skip for now
- Decide which certifications are worth your time and money for your specific target (CKA? Terraform? AWS?) and which projects will prove your skills better than any certificate
- Position your existing experience so it reads as an asset, not a gap
You'll leave with:
- A written, personalized 3–6 month roadmap with concrete milestones
- A prioritized shortlist of skills, certs, and portfolio projects — with the reasoning behind each
- A clear answer to "which role should I actually aim for, and am I closer than I think?"
Your mentor
Akram Riahi is a leader, international speaker, and community leader specializing in Site Reliability Engineering (SRE), Kubernetes, Platform Engineering, DevOps, AI SRE and Observability. With extensive experience leading global engineering teams and modernizing cloud-native platforms, he helps organizations improve reliability, scalability, and operational excellence at enterprise scale.
Beyond his day-to-day leadership, Akram is an active mentor, and advocate for the cloud-native community. He regularly shares his experience at international conferences, including Devoxx France, DevOps Pro Europe, Conf42, Chaos Carnival, and many other global events, where he speaks about Kubernetes, observability, platform engineering, DevOps, and modern SRE practices.
Certifications: CKA, CKAD, Terraform Associate, AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate , Vault: Certified HashiCorp Implementation Partner, GitLab Certified Associate, Certified Chaos Engineering Professional, Prometheus Certified Associate, Mongodb optimization and performance certified, CAPA(Certified Argo Project Associate).
Github: https://github.com/akria18
What mentees say
“Akram has been mentoring me for over half year now, helping me build stronger skills in DevOps. He gave me guidance and is always motivating and helping! He is a crucial part in my transition from being a simple devel…”
Stefan Georg
Lite Plan · 11 months
“Akram played a huge role in helping me reach my goals. He didn’t just give advice, he helped me build skills and confidence. I’m genuinely grateful for his support and the impact he had on my technical growth.”
Laz
Standard Plan · 1 month
“I colaborated 1 month with Akram, and it was a very pleasant experience, always proactive, and very available for my questions, we crafted a plan together that suits my needs. Very recommended!”
Aris
Lite Plan · 1 month
“Akram is a good person and a great mentor.”
Jean
Standard Plan · 1 month
“Akram is a professional mentor who can guide you in the right direction. Even within just one month, he has already helped me find clarity. I need to pause the mentorship for now due to my current workload, but I fully …”
Martin
Standard Plan · 1 month
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is a session?
A session is a focused one-on-one call with your mentor. Use it to get feedback, work through a specific problem, review your work, or get unstuck. You reserve up to 1 hour 30 min of their time.
How do I pick a time?
After checkout you pick a slot from Akram's live availability, and it's confirmed on the spot.
How does the session take place?
Sessions happen over video call. Your mentor shares the meeting link ahead of time, so all you need is a quiet spot and a stable connection.
Can I reschedule?
Yes, up to 24 hours before the session. Message your mentor and find a new time that works for both of you.
What if my mentor doesn't show up?
You're protected. If a mentor is a no-show, it takes one click to cancel and get your money back, no questions asked.
How do refunds work?
You pay securely by card at checkout. If the session can't go ahead, you can cancel and get your money back instantly from your dashboard.
Still have questions? Visit our Help Center.
Our pledge to you
We're committed to a safe and reliable mentorship experience with quality mentors.
Protected
If you don't hear from a mentor, it only takes one click to get your money back.
Top-rated
All mentors are pre-vetted and continuously evaluated based on their ratings.
Easy scheduling
We find the easiest way to schedule your session with your mentor.
Other sessions you might like
Scheduling conflict? No-show? Cancel session & get your money back instantly.
Only 4 spots left