SysAdmin to AI/ML: Focus on MLOps, Data Engineering with Python & Cloud.

The user's system administration background provides a strong foundational advantage for transitioning into the AI/ML industry, particularly for roles like MLOps Engineer or Data Engineer. Existing skills in scripting (especially Python), cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), automation, and infrastructure management are highly valuable and directly transferable. To achieve the goal of working with LLMs, they should focus on developing skills in core machine learning concepts, Python ML libraries (TensorFlow, PyTorch, Hugging Face), data manipulation (Pandas, SQL), and MLOps tools (Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD). Personal projects, Kaggle competitions, and online certifications demonstrating these skills will be crucial for securing entry-level positions. Entry-level MLOps/Data Engineer roles typically offer $80k-$120k+, with significant growth potential.