Sample paper
University: Federation University Australia
Word Count: approximately 1,100 words
Role Overview
The target position is a graduate Cloud Platform Engineer role at a global IT services and consulting firm, based across several Australian cities, supporting cloud infrastructure deployment, monitoring, automation (via tools such as Terraform or CloudFormation), and documentation. Requirements include a computer science, IT, or related degree; basic cloud computing knowledge across AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud; familiarity with scripting languages such as Python, Bash, or PowerShell; and strong problem-solving, communication, and teamwork skills.
Application Letter Summary
The letter connects the candidate's recently completed Bachelor of Information Technology to practical AWS project experience, noting familiarity with Terraform and basic Python scripting, and frames the employer's structured training and mentorship programme as well matched to continued professional development in cloud computing.
Response to the Key Selection Criteria
Technical skills: A capstone project deploying a WordPress website on AWS, configuring EC2, S3, VPC, and RDS resources directly, alongside foundational exposure to Azure services.
Programming knowledge: A Python script automating AWS EC2 instance provisioning from a configuration file, developed as part of coursework in scripting and automation.
Problem-solving: Leading root-cause investigation and remediation of a cloud deployment outage that caused application downtime during a group project, restoring service through a structured troubleshooting process.
Communication: Presenting technical concepts to non-technical audiences through coursework presentations and written reports, alongside close collaboration on group project deliverables.
Team player: Contributing to planning sessions and supporting teammates during an internship focused on migrating on-premises applications to the cloud.
Eagerness to learn: Ongoing engagement with cloud computing blogs, webinars, and online communities to track emerging tools and practices.
Resume Highlights
The resume lists a Bachelor of Information Technology (GPA 3.8/4.0) alongside a cloud migration internship at a consulting firm supporting a telecommunications client's AWS transition, and an IT support internship at the university itself. Three flagship projects anchor the technical narrative: the highly available AWS web application deployment (Auto Scaling, Application Load Balancer, CloudFormation, IAM/VPC security), the Python EC2 provisioning script integrated with Jenkins for continuous deployment, and participation in a cloud migration assessment for a financial services client. Certifications include AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, an in-progress AWS Solutions Architect Associate, Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900), and CompTIA Network+.
| Skill | SFIA Code | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud Infrastructure Management | ITOP | 2 |
| Systems Installation and Removal | HSIN | 2 |
| Release and Deployment | RELM | 3 |
| Programming/Software Development | PROG | 3 |
| Problem Management | PBMG | 3 |
Conclusion
The portfolio concludes that the candidate's capstone AWS deployment, automation scripting, and migration-focused internship experience together support a strong entry-level fit for the Cloud Platform Engineer role, with certifications reinforcing the case for readiness to build further on-the-job expertise.
References
Job advertisement source: Tata Consultancy Services Graduate Role -- Cloud Platform Engineer