---
title: "The Six-Track Training Model"
description: "Track A through F: role-specific learning paths for all IT staff — from cloud awareness for everyone to specialised tracks for engineers, security and FinOps."
sidebar:
  order: 2
  label: "Training Programme"
source_url: "https://framework.stackit.cloud/adoption/cloud-empowerment/training-programme/"
source_file: "docs/adoption/cloud-empowerment/training-programme.mdx"
---

## Why six tracks instead of one universal course

Cloud competency is not a uniform quantity. A CIO needs strategic understanding, not Terraform knowledge. A platform engineer needs Terraform depth, not FinOps details. An IT controller needs cloud economics expertise, not Kubernetes knowledge.

Six role-specific tracks ensure that each person receives exactly the skills they need for their cloud responsibilities — no more, no less.

## Track A — Cloud Awareness (All staff)

**Target group:** 100% of IT staff + relevant business units + management
**Duration:** 4 hours (mandatory, within 6 months of adoption start)
**Format:** Interactive e-learning course + optional live Q&A

**Learning objectives:**

- What is cloud? What is sovereign cloud?
- What does STACKIT mean for our organisation?
- How does my work change — and what stays the same?
- Why are we choosing STACKIT instead of US Hyperscalers?

**STACKIT relevance:** STACKIT University Track A covers these topics with STACKIT-specific context.

**KPI:** Track A completion rate — target: 100% within 6 months

## Track B — Cloud Practitioner (IT generalists)

**Target group:** IT staff without cloud specialisation, project managers, IT procurement
**Duration:** 12–16 hours
**Format:** Blended in-person/online course + first sandbox exercises

**Learning objectives:**

- Understand the STACKIT product portfolio (Compute, Storage, SKS, Managed DB, Object Storage)
- Cloud cost models: pay-as-you-go, reserved instances, cost optimisation
- Basic security principles: IAM, least privilege, shared responsibility
- First hands-on experience: STACKIT console, creating simple resources

**STACKIT relevance:** STACKIT University Track B + hands-on lab in STACKIT sandbox

## Track C — Cloud Engineer (Platform engineers, DevOps)

**Target group:** Platform engineers, sysadmins in transition, DevOps engineers
**Duration:** 40–80 hours
**Format:** Technical intensive course + project practical tasks

**Learning objectives and content:**

| Module                    | Content                                               | Hands-on             |
| ------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | -------------------- |
| **IaC with Terraform**    | Terraform fundamentals, STACKIT Terraform Provider    | Deploy VPC + VM      |
| **STACKIT SKS**           | Managed Kubernetes, create clusters, deploy workloads | App on SKS           |
| **Network configuration** | VPC, subnets, firewall rules, hub-and-spoke           | Landing zone network |
| **CI/CD integration**     | GitHub Actions / GitLab CI with STACKIT               | Build a pipeline     |
| **Observability**         | STACKIT Observability, logging, alerting              | Configure an alert   |
| **IAM in practice**       | Service accounts, workload identity, RBAC             | IAM setup            |

**Track C final project:** Deploy a complete workload (web application + database) on STACKIT — with Terraform, in SKS, with CI/CD pipeline, with monitoring and tagging.

**STACKIT relevance:** STACKIT University Track C + CKA preparation + Terraform Associate preparation

## Track D — Cloud Architect (Enterprise architects, senior engineers)

**Target group:** Enterprise architects, senior cloud engineers, technical leads
**Duration:** 40+ hours
**Format:** Workshop format + architecture review cases

**Learning objectives:**

- Landing zone design: hub-and-spoke, multi-project topology, CIDR planning
- High-availability architecture patterns on STACKIT
- Migration architecture: 6R strategy (Rehost, Replatform, Refactor, Repurchase, Retain, Retire)
- Cost optimisation architecture: right-sizing, reserved instances, serverless patterns
- Multi-service design: how compute, storage, database and Kubernetes work together

## Track E — Cloud Security (Security teams)

**Target group:** Security analysts, CISO office, compliance managers
**Duration:** 30–50 hours
**Format:** Technical course + compliance mapping workshop

**Learning objectives:**

- STACKIT IAM deep-dive: federation, RBAC, service accounts, PAM
- Policy-as-code: Terraform Sentinel, Open Policy Agent
- DevSecOps: security scanning in CI/CD pipelines
- Regulatory compliance in the cloud: GDPR/TISAX/BAIT in practice
- Cloud incident response: forensics, containment, recovery

**STACKIT relevance:** STACKIT IAM product training + CCSP preparation

## Track F — Cloud FinOps (Controlling, IT management)

**Target group:** IT controllers, CFO office, IT management
**Duration:** 16–24 hours
**Format:** Business-oriented seminar + dashboard workshop

**Learning objectives:**

- Cloud cost models: CAPEX vs OPEX, reserved vs on-demand
- Implementing STACKIT tagging strategy
- Creating and interpreting showback reports
- Building chargeback models
- Improving budget management and forecast accuracy

**STACKIT relevance:** STACKIT Billing Dashboard Workshop + FinOps Foundation Practitioner preparation

## Training rollout timeline

| Month       | Activity                                                            |
| ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Month 1     | Launch Track A for all IT staff; sandbox access for technical roles |
| Months 2–3  | Track C first cohort (platform engineers + DevOps)                  |
| Months 3–4  | Track B for IT generalists; Track E first cohort (security)         |
| Months 4–6  | Track D for architects; Track F for controlling                     |
| Months 6–12 | Further cohorts, cloud guilds active, external certifications       |

## Common mistakes

**One-size-fits-all:** A general cloud course for everyone wastes time.

**Training without application:** Track C without an immediately following practical project in the sandbox evaporates within 2 weeks.

**Training under time pressure:** Instructing teams to complete training while maintaining 100% production load reliably results in training not happening.