From Gaming Curiosity to Cloud Strategy: David Lercher (PwC Österreich) on Becoming a Swiss‑Army‑Knife Cloud Consultant

A human path into tech—and why it keeps paying dividends in the cloud

At DevJobs.at, we tuned into “David Lercher, Cloud Consultant bei PwC” with keen interest. The speaker, David Lercher from PwC Österreich, offers a journey many engineers will recognize: a childhood fascination at the family PC, the spark of “How do you build a game?”, early C# tinkering at vocational school, detours into networking and databases, and eventually a role where breadth, problem framing, and collaboration are core to the work.

Right from the outset, David grounds his story in curiosity. He started by playing games and quickly asked himself how software is made. HTL brought him to C#, where building small applications unlocked the joy of “teaching the computer something with my own hands.” Then he broadened out—networks, databases, the interconnected whole of IT. That expanding perspective steadily pulled him into consulting and, ultimately, into the cloud.

His central message: Cloud consulting thrives on a mix of technical curiosity, collaborative ideation, and a commitment to continuous growth.

The first spark: games, C#, and the thrill of making computers learn

David’s entry point is relatable. Playing on his dad’s PC, gaming with friends, then asking the decisive question: How could he build something like that himself? HTL introduced C#, and with small applications, he felt the simple, powerful feedback loop of programming—your intention becomes a working artifact.

• Curiosity as the starting engine: A small question becomes an enduring pathway.
• Concrete tools matter: Learning C# gave him a direct bridge from interest to output.
• Output fuels identity: The feeling of “I can teach the computer” sustains motivation.

For early‑career developers, this is a reminder: you don’t need giant projects at first. Tiny apps are perfect laboratories for learning models, state, and flow.

Broadening out: networks, databases, and the “big picture” of IT

After his first steps in programming, David explored other disciplines: networking, databases, and more. Not because programming wasn’t valuable, but because real systems are interwoven. Understanding those seams makes you better at trade‑offs.

• Networking: Knowing how data traverses systems underpins scale and security.
• Databases: Without sane schemas and queries, there is little enduring value.
• Big‑picture thinking: Being able to assemble the puzzle is consulting currency.

This breadth helps explain why David later describes cloud consultants as Swiss‑army‑knife professionals who fluidly take on different profiles depending on the situation.

From helping friends to a profession: business informatics and the leap into consulting

A key inflection point in David’s story is when friends started asking him for help: tips to reach a goal, advice on an app, guidance for a website. Those small requests became the bridge from personal tinkering to professional practice. After HTL he studied business informatics and today works as a consultant, primarily in the cloud.

The broader lesson: informal requests often reveal where you’re already creating value. If you begin to repeat and structure that value, you’re already on the path to consulting‑style work.

Making the cloud usable: the “huge, perfect data center”—in everyone’s pocket

David describes the cloud as a “huge, perfect data center,” now effectively available to everyone—“in your pocket,” as he puts it. The capacity is there; the art is in making it useful. That’s precisely where cloud consulting enters: helping companies not just have the cloud but leverage it meaningfully.

• The cloud is both infrastructure and a construction kit: Potential is abundant; without a concept, there’s little benefit.
• Value over feature lists: The job is to map goals to solutions, not chase tools.
• Translating between worlds: Tech and business need to see the same end state.

To us at DevJobs.at, this feels like the essence of modern IT consulting: the cloud is not the objective—it’s the means. Consulting provides the translation layer.

The client journey: baseline, strategy, implementation

David outlines a crisp consulting arc:

1. Understand the baseline: “We look at the starting situation, evaluate the problem, and ask where the client wants to go.”
2. Co‑create a strategy: Plan which components make sense—“Server 1, 2, 3; idea 4, 5, 6—we combine them and here’s the outcome.”
3. Implement together: Carry the joint strategy into execution and adjust along the way.

Simple words, demanding work. Each stage becomes complex once real constraints, legacy systems, and people enter the room. That’s exactly why the structure matters: it keeps attention on outcomes rather than individual features.

What makes a sound strategy

• Start from goals, not tools.
• Combine existing assets with new options.
• Budget for translation work across teams.
• Keep it adaptable—contexts change.

Wearing many hats: the Swiss‑army‑knife reality of cloud consulting

“Wherever you work as a cloud consultant, you are a Swiss army knife,” David says. The role requires stepping into multiple profiles:

• Cloud developer: Composing services, orchestrating interfaces, automating infrastructure.
• Cloud solution architect: Making architectural choices, shaping security and target state.
• Project manager: Structuring, prioritizing, and communicating for large implementations—like cloud migrations.

For engineers used to a single role, this is an invitation: try on adjacent hats. The more perspectives you internalize, the greater your leverage in the team. For organizations, it underscores that strong cloud consultants bring context intelligence—seeing technical, organizational, and human dimensions as interdependent.

What actually matters for entry and growth

David’s criteria are refreshingly inclusive:

• “It’s almost irrelevant what education you have.”
• “If you can get excited about the cloud … you’re in the right place.”
• “Programming experience helps, but honestly, programming with Stack Overflow is completely sufficient. It also works without programming skills.”
• “Ultimately, what matters is wanting to develop yourself and embrace new technologies.”

This is not a dismissal of craft; it’s a call to mindset. In a domain where platforms and services evolve constantly, transferability and learning discipline matter at least as much as current detail knowledge.

How that mindset looks day to day

• Ask before asserting: Name what you don’t know, then systematically find answers.
• Ideate together: Don’t just pitch ideas—co‑shape them collaboratively.
• Keep learning: Build a steady cadence of exploring new services, patterns, and practices.

Actionable takeaways for developers from David’s story

We distilled core ideas from “David Lercher, Cloud Consultant bei PwC” into pragmatic steps for engineers considering cloud consulting—staying strictly within the talk’s frame:

1. Follow your curiosity—and start small: C#‑style exercises or tiny applications make excellent learning vehicles. Fast feedback builds momentum.
2. Build breadth: Spend time with networking, databases, and fundamental architecture patterns. Consulting thrives on system‑level thinking.
3. Practice problem discovery: Ask where the client wants to go and structure the problem space. That’s the heart of the first meeting.
4. Think in strategies: Sketch solution variants, combine building blocks (“Server 1, 2, 3; idea 4, 5, 6”), and prioritize by value and risk.
5. Learn to switch roles: Try on the lenses of developer, architect, and project manager. Orchestration is a skill you can practice.
6. Be pragmatic in implementation: “Programming with Stack Overflow” captures a healthy bias for efficiency. Ship clean, understandable, reproducible solutions.
7. Commit to continuous development: Tie your growth rhythm to the ongoing evolution of technology—the exact coupling David calls a perfect fit for cloud consulting.

Practical entry moves into cloud consulting

Even without naming specific tools or platforms, David’s story supports a clear entry playbook:

• Shadow the discovery: Sit in on requirements sessions and capture goals, assumptions, constraints.
• Sketch architectures: Map goals to building blocks and outline combinations as target pictures—always starting from the desired outcome.
• Learn in sprints: Time‑box exploration of new technologies. Start broad; go deep where it pays off.
• Tight feedback loops: Share sketches, assumptions, and interim results with peers. Consulting is fundamentally collaborative.
• Lightweight docs: Write down decisions succinctly. It sharpens your thinking and makes implementation smoother.

Communication as a technical force multiplier

Between David’s lines, a theme emerges: cloud consulting is translation work. Understanding requirements, mirroring expectations, and explaining outcomes isn’t “softer” than technology—it’s what makes technology effective.

• Ask questions that move the ball: “Where do you want to go—and why?”
• Anchor outcomes in goals: “This combination leads to X because …”
• Name risks while preserving options: “If A doesn’t work, B or C are viable.”

These patterns aren’t nice‑to‑haves; they stabilize projects. Mastering them reduces friction and increases the likelihood that implementation delivers on the strategic promise.

The energy of enthusiasm: why it outlasts the perfect résumé

David emphasizes that formal education is secondary. What counts is enthusiasm, collaborative ideation, and learning appetite. His quip that programming can “work without programming skills” and that “Stack Overflow is sufficient” is best read as encouragement: be practical, find answers, ask for help. The willingness to keep moving is the keystone.

What stuck with us

• Cloud as enabler: The cloud is a “huge, perfect data center”; value comes from making it usable.
• Strategy before tools: Start with goals and baseline, then combine building blocks.
• Role fluidity as default: The “Swiss army knife” is not a metaphor—it’s the job description.
• Mindset over pedigree: Enthusiasm and learning drive beat the “perfect” résumé.
• Pragmatic craft: “Programming with Stack Overflow”—efficiency matters, as long as results are clean and comprehensible.

Closing thought: synchronize your growth with tech’s evolution

David closes with a powerful pairing: combine your own development with the technology’s relentless evolution, and you’re in the right place for cloud consulting. It’s not a sprint for credentials; it’s a posture—stay open, learn systematically, and enjoy solving together.

In “David Lercher, Cloud Consultant bei PwC,” David Lercher of PwC Österreich shows how a curiosity‑driven start, deliberate breadth, and the ability to link people, goals, and technology can converge into a role that’s rarely dull. For anyone considering a similar path, his encouragement is clear: you don’t need a perfect map—just the next confident step, and the willingness to take it with others.

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