How I Would Learn DevOps Engineering in Zambia Today

My name is Jeffrey Mdala, an AI Engineer & Founder at Zambian Online Education Company (ZOEC), where I built eskulu, an AI-powered learning platform for the Zambian ECZ curriculum. Over the years, I have worked across software, AI, education technology, cloud systems, and product development in Zambia. Because of that, I have seen how important it is for young African engineers to build strong technical foundations instead of chasing buzzwords.

If I were starting from scratch and wanted to become a DevOps engineer, I would not begin with tools alone. I would begin with understanding how computing works at a fundamental level. DevOps is broad. It touches infrastructure, software delivery, automation, cloud systems, monitoring, and security. That means you need a wider view of the tech stack than many people expect.

In Zambia and across Africa, this matters even more. Many developers are self-taught, resourceful, and highly capable, but sometimes they are pushed to learn tools without first understanding the systems underneath them. My advice is simple: learn DevOps in layers.

Start with the basics of computing

The first step is to understand the basics of computing. Before touching advanced cloud tools, I would learn:

• How networks work
• How the internet works
• How file systems work
• Basic data structures
• General computing concepts

These things may sound basic, but they are not optional. If you do not understand networking, for example, cloud infrastructure will always feel confusing. If you do not understand file systems, Linux administration becomes harder than it needs to be. If you do not understand how data moves through systems, debugging deployment issues becomes guesswork.

My own background across engineering and computing taught me that fundamentals are what make advanced learning easier. I studied both telecommunications and electronics engineering, and later computing, so I learned early that systems thinking matters. DevOps is really a systems discipline.

Pick one programming language and go deep

As you learn computing fundamentals, I would strongly recommend choosing one programming language and building around it. My choice would be Python.

I would choose Python because it is widely used, easy to start with, and highly relevant in modern technology. It is also deeply connected to AI, automation, scripting, backend systems, and cloud workflows. In the years ahead, that matters even more because AI is now influencing almost every part of software engineering.

Python gives you a practical way to automate tasks, interact with APIs, write scripts, manage cloud resources, and understand backend logic. For someone trying to enter DevOps, that flexibility is powerful.

At ZOEC, building technology for education has shown me that practical tools win. You do not need to learn five languages at once. Learn one language properly, and use it to understand real systems.

Learn Git, GitHub, and version control properly

Once you have basic computing knowledge and a programming language, the next step is version control. I would learn Git and GitHub properly.

This is not just about pushing code to a repository. It is about understanding how teams work, how changes are tracked, how branches are managed, and how software is safely updated over time. DevOps depends heavily on repeatability and collaboration, and version control is one of the foundations of that culture.

If you skip this stage, many later concepts like CI/CD pipelines, deployment workflows, and infrastructure management become harder to understand.

Get comfortable with Linux and the command line

After that, I would spend serious time learning Linux and the command line interface. Many modern systems run on Linux, especially in cloud environments. If you want to work in DevOps, you need to be comfortable in the terminal.

I would focus on learning:

• Navigating directories and files
• Managing permissions
• Running processes
• Editing configuration files
• Basic shell commands and scripting

This is one of those stages where confidence grows with practice. At first, the terminal can feel intimidating. But over time, it becomes one of your most efficient tools.

For African developers building with limited resources, Linux is especially important because it gives you access to powerful open systems without expensive barriers. It is one of the most practical skills you can build.

Understand APIs and CI/CD pipelines

From there, I would move into APIs and CI/CD.

You need to understand how APIs work because modern applications are connected systems. Services talk to each other constantly. Whether you are deploying an app, integrating tools, or automating workflows, APIs are everywhere.

Then I would learn CI/CD pipelines — continuous integration and continuous delivery. This is where DevOps starts to become very real. You learn how code moves from development into testing and then into production in a structured, automated way.

This stage teaches discipline. It is no longer just about writing code. It is about building reliable delivery systems.

That mindset is something I value deeply in my own work. Whether I am building AI-powered education tools like eskulu or working on cloud-based solutions, I always think about how systems are maintained, improved, and deployed sustainably.

Choose one cloud platform and learn it well

After the foundation is in place, I would learn the cloud. DevOps today is deeply tied to cloud infrastructure, so I would recommend choosing one platform first instead of trying to learn everything at once.

If I were guiding someone, I would say: start with AWS.

On AWS, I would focus on understanding:

• EC2 for compute
• S3 for file storage
• Basic networking and permissions
• How cloud services connect together

I have personally invested in cloud and AI learning, including earning the AWS Lambda Foundations certification. One thing I have learned is that cloud becomes easier when you stop seeing it as magic and start seeing it as rented infrastructure built from the same computing concepts you already know.

That is why I keep emphasizing fundamentals. They reduce fear. They make the cloud feel logical.

Learn containers and Kubernetes

Once you understand cloud basics, I would move into containers. The main tool here is Docker. Containers help you package applications in a consistent way so they can run reliably across environments.

If you are building or deploying apps in the cloud, containers are extremely important. They solve many of the common problems that happen when software works in one environment but fails in another.

After Docker, I would learn Kubernetes for orchestration. This is how you manage containers at scale. It is a more advanced topic, but it becomes essential when dealing with larger, distributed systems.

You do not need to master everything immediately. But you do need to understand the role these tools play in modern infrastructure.

Do not ignore monitoring and security

At that point, you are already moving strongly into DevOps territory. But there are still two critical areas left: monitoring and security.

Monitoring teaches you how to observe systems, detect failures, and understand performance. A deployed application is not finished just because it is online. You need to know if it is healthy.

Security is equally important. You need to understand authorization, access control, and the broader responsibility of protecting systems and users. In African startups and growing digital businesses, security is sometimes treated as something to add later. That is a mistake. It should be part of your thinking from the beginning.

A good DevOps engineer does not just deploy systems. A good DevOps engineer helps make them reliable, observable, and secure.

Why this path matters in Zambia and Africa

I believe DevOps is one of the most valuable skill paths for young engineers in Zambia and across Africa because it sits at the intersection of software, infrastructure, automation, and scale. As more African products move online, we need engineers who can build systems that are not only functional, but dependable.

That is part of the same vision that drives my work through ZOEC and eskulu. I have spent years building technology that serves real needs in Zambia, and I care deeply about creating systems that can scale for African users. Through platforms like Zedpastpapers and eskulu, I have seen what happens when local technology is built with discipline and long-term thinking. Reaching hundreds of thousands of learners is not just about ideas. It is about infrastructure, reliability, iteration, and execution.

That same mindset applies to DevOps.

My journey has been shaped by both technical depth and persistence. From becoming the best Grade 12 student at Thornhill, to building products used by large numbers of Zambians, to being recognized through milestones like the X Pitchathon win in 2023, I have learned that sustainable impact comes from mastering fundamentals and applying them consistently.

Conclusion

If I were learning DevOps engineering today, I would follow this order:

• Learn the basics of computing
• Choose Python and build with it
• Learn Git and GitHub
• Get comfortable with Linux and the CLI
• Understand APIs and CI/CD pipelines
• Pick one cloud platform like AWS
• Learn Docker and Kubernetes
• Study monitoring and security

That path is practical, realistic, and strong enough to help you grow into a serious engineer.

If you are a student, developer, school, or business in Zambia or elsewhere in Africa and you want to learn more about the kind of systems I build, explore eskulu and the work we are doing through ZOEC. And if you need help with AI solutions, cloud-based systems, EdTech platforms, or consulting, feel free to reach out to me at jeffmdala@gmail.com.

I believe Africa needs more builders who understand both technology and context. If DevOps is your path, start with the fundamentals and keep going.