CNCF Launches Golden Kubestronaut Program and Expands Cloud Native Education Initiatives

New elite designation recognizes the highest certification in cloud native

LONDON, April 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe – The Cloud Native Computing Foundation® (CNCF®), which builds sustainable ecosystems for cloud native software, today announced the Golden Kubestronaut program, a distinguished recognition for professionals who have demonstrated the highest level of expertise in Kubernetes, cloud native technologies, and Linux administration.

As organizations increasingly rely on cloud native technologies, the demand for skilled professionals continues to rise. According to Portworx, a member of CNCF, in its The Voice of Kubernetes Experts Report 2024, 80% of organizations plan to build most of their new applications on cloud native platforms within the next five years. Additionally, 75% of businesses reported facing challenges in Kubernetes adoption due to a shortage of skilled personnel, highlighting the critical need for expertise in this space. Organizations hiring Golden Kubestronauts can be confident they are bringing on professionals with the most comprehensive cloud native skill set available.

"As more companies utilize cloud native technologies for their most critical projects, continuous learning is essential," said Chris Aniszczyk, CTO, CNCF. "The Golden Kubestronaut program recognizes the most dedicated professionals who have achieved the broadest possible expertise across Kubernetes, Linux, cloud native security, observability, and platform engineering. By setting a new benchmark, this program strengthens both the CNCF community and the industry's trust in certified cloud native professionals."

The Golden Kubestronaut program builds on the success of the Kubestronaut program; launched in 2024 to recognize professionals who earned all five Kubernetes-related CNCF certifications. With 1500 Kubestronauts in just one year, CNCF is taking its certification ecosystem to the next level by celebrating those who go beyond Kubernetes expertise and master the full CNCF certification portfolio.

To qualify as a Golden Kubestronaut, candidates must successfully complete all 13 CNCF certifications available to date, as well as the Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator (LFCS) certification to ensure strong foundational Linux skills. As certifications evolve and new ones are added, individuals will not lose their distinction, ensuring they are recognized for their dedication and expertise in cloud native technologies.

Golden Kubestronauts gain exclusive benefits that reinforce their leadership in the cloud native space. Perks include specialized branded gear, such as a commemorative backpack and beanie, a ThriveOne subscription for continued professional development, and ongoing discounts on CNCF certifications. Additionally, they receive a free annual ticket to a Kubernetes Community Days (KCD) of their choice, 50% off KubeCon registration for life, and a featured listing on the Kubestronaut website.

The Cloud Native Computing Foundation recognizes the inaugural class of Golden Kubestronauts—professionals who have demonstrated exceptional commitment and expertise across the CNCF certification portfolio. The following individuals have achieved this recognition:

• Aman Pasi, R&D Development Engineer, Dassault Systemes
• Andrei Pirjol, Senior Data DevOps Engineer, Entain Group
• Ant Smith, DevOps Engineer, Apple
• Christian Huth, Senior Cloud Native Platform Engineer, cloud37
• David Pech, Staff Cloud Ops Engineer, Wrike
• François Meulenberg, Cloud Consultant, Greater B.V.
• Jana Vonšák, DevSecOps Engineer, Deutsche Telekom Cloud Services
• Kasper Borg Nissen, Developer Relations Engineer, Dash0
• Kim Sondrup, Platform Engineer, Kamstrup
• Leo Paillier, Senior Sales Engineer, Datadog
• Łukasz Adamski, Senior DevOps Manager, GSK
• Mark Højer Hansen, Consultant, Netic
• Ole Mathias Heggem, System Consultant, Redpill Linpro
• Pedro Célestin, Principal SRE, CLDF
• Rahul Kumar, Senior Architect, McKinsey & Company
• Raja Ravindra Kathi, Software Engineer, Addverb
• Ramiro Alvarez Fernandez, Staff Platform Engineer & Advisor, Empathy.co & Resizes
• Roberto Magallanes, Technology Engineer, Banco de Crédito del Perú (BCP)
• Sajeeva Nambadawa Vithanage, Founder, CERTDIRECTORY.IO
• Shinji Aibara, Expert, NS Solutions Corporation
• Thorben Von Hacht, DevOps Engineer, Apple
• Ulises Martinez Araiza, Production Engineer, Meta
• Willian Marchan Aranda, Systems Engineer, Banco de Crédito del Perú (BCP)

Beyond individual recognition, the Golden Kubestronaut program strengthens the CNCF certification ecosystem and supports the continued growth of the cloud native industry. By incentivizing professionals to pursue the full range of CNCF certifications, the program expands the certified talent pool, increases engagement in CNCF's training and events, and further establishes CNCF as the industry standard for cloud native education.

In addition to this program, CNCF is also making significant updates to its certification offerings:

• Cloud Native Certified Platform Engineering Associate (CNPA): First announced at KubeCon North America in Salt Lake City, the CNPA certification is designed to validate the skills of cloud native platform engineers. The certification is now available for purchase.
  
  
• Kubernetes Training Partner (KTP) Program Update: CNCF is updating the KTP program to better reflect changes in the cloud native ecosystem and to provide additional support and benefits to training partners. For more information visit https://www.cncf.io/training/kubernetes-training-partners/
  
  
• Academic Accreditation Program: CNCF and OpenSSF have launched a joint initiative to accredit higher education curricula focused on cloud native technologies and security. Applications are now open. More information is available at: https://www.linuxfoundation.org/academic-computing-accreditation
  
  
• Kubernetes African Developer Training Program: CNCF continues to support global access to training through its collaboration with Andela. Announced in November 2024, the program's goal is to train 20,000–30,000 African-based technologists on Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA) and Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) over the next 2–3 years. Training for the 2025 class starts on Monday, May 5th 2025 and will train developers across 46 countries across Africa with Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa topping the list. Andela received over 6400 applications within four days of launching the program reflecting a strong demand for Kubernetes training in Africa.
  
  
• Certified Open Developer on the Enterprise (CODE) Program: CNCF, in collaboration with the Linux Foundation, TODO, and Open Source Initiative (OSI), is introducing the CODE certification to provide enterprise developers with essential open source training. This program aims to equip professionals with the skills needed to contribute effectively to open source projects in enterprise environments.

Individuals who want to advance their certification journey are encouraged to explore the program. More details are available on the CNCF Training and Certification page.

Additional Resources

• CNCF Newsletter
  
  
• CNCF Twitter
  
  
• CNCF Website
  
  
• Learn About CNCF Membership
  
  
• Learn About the CNCF End User Community

About Cloud Native Computing Foundation
Cloud native computing empowers organizations to build and run scalable applications with an open source software stack in public, private, and hybrid clouds. The Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) hosts critical components of the global technology infrastructure, including Kubernetes, Prometheus, and Envoy. CNCF brings together the industry's top developers, end users, and vendors and runs the largest open source developer conferences in the world. Supported by more than 800 members, including the world's largest cloud computing and software companies, as well as over 200 innovative startups, CNCF is part of the nonprofit Linux Foundation. For more information, please visit www.cncf.io.

The Linux Foundation has registered trademarks and uses trademarks. For a list of trademarks of The Linux Foundation, please see our trademark usage page. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.

Media Contact:
Kaitlin Thornhill
The Linux Foundation
[email protected]

SOURCE Cloud Native Computing Foundation