In this trade the build is the examination. A phase is not complete until the artifact exists in a repository with your name on it. Every phase closes the same way: a one-page recap that draws the classes together, then a build that proves them.
Resource hierarchy, identity, RBAC, policy — the governance instincts that separate an engineer from someone clicking through a portal.
Networks, compute, storage, private endpoints, DNS — the depth most self-taught engineers are missing.
Bicep and Terraform, GitHub Actions federated to Azure without a single stored credential. This phase is the difference between two salary bands.
Containers, monitoring, KQL, DevSecOps, FinOps — and three classes on AI as infrastructure, not theory.
Build three projects, assemble them into a portfolio a reviewer can assess, then use Class 42 to practice presenting your work and preparing for the job search.