The PowerShell Podcast Are PowerShell Pros Ready for C# – Ryan Coats
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In this insightful episode of the PowerShell Podcast, host Andrew Pla welcomes longtime friend and seasoned technologist Ryan Coates. Together, they explore the intersection of PowerShell and C#, discuss the natural evolution of tech careers, and examine the role of continuous learning in long-term success. Ryan shares a wealth of perspective from decades in IT—covering everything from early networking to modern cloud architectures and why C# is a practical next step for PowerShell users. Whether you’re deep in automation or eyeing your next language leap, this conversation is packed with career wisdom, developer philosophy, and some solid tech nostalgia.
What You’ll Learn:
Why C# is a great next step for experienced PowerShell users
Use cases where C# offers performance or capability advantages over PowerShell
How PowerShell and C# skills complement each other in the .NET ecosystem
Ryan’s journey from MCSE teen prodigy to early retirement
Why soft skills are just as vital as technical skills for senior roles
The value of working across many technologies and industries early in your career
Insights into DevOps maturity, architecture thinking, and lifelong learning
Bio & Links:
Ryan Coates is an Enterprise Architect with 25+ years in IT, evolving from systems ops to DevOps and developer advocacy. He leads internal API and DevRel strategy at a global consulting firm. Passionate about mentoring, Ryan speaks at conferences on cloud and automation and helps run Microsoft Cloud, DevOps, and PowerShell user groups in Boise, Idaho.
Ryan’s C# Talk at PS Wednesday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOaFdHTlDXE
Ryan’s Summit Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AePjFyuWvg8
Join the PowerShell Scripting Channel on PDQ Discord: https://discord.gg/pdq
Check out PDQ Connect: https://pdq.com/podcast
The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/72UCneA1X40
The PowerShell Podcast Hub: https://pdq.com/the-powershell-podcast
About the Author
Andrew Pla
PowerShell MVP, podcast host, and Community Director of PowerShell Summit
I’m a technical educator and community builder. I’m a Microsoft PowerShell MVP, podcast host, speaker, and Community Director of PowerShell Summit. I also work at PDQ alongside sysadmins and IT pros every day.
Community isn’t just what I do. It’s where I get my energy. I genuinely light up when I see someone land a new job, level up a skill, or show up to their first conference. I love sharing that passion with others.
Every week I host a live podcast and stream on YouTube covering PowerShell, automation, and the humans behind the keyboards.
If you’re on your IT journey and need someone in your corner, you’re in the right place. Find more at andrewpla.tech/links.