based on Khalil comment

Author: stevendongatmsft

.github/workflows/_create_aks_cluster.yml

@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     env: 
       RESOURCE_GROUP: ${{ vars.RESOURCE_GROUP }} 
-      KUBERNETES_VERSION: ${{ vars.KUBERNETES_VERSION }}
     outputs:
       cluster-name: ${{ steps.create-aks-cluster.outputs.cluster-name }}
     steps:
@@ -52,7 +51,6 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           az aks create --resource-group $RESOURCE_GROUP \
           --name skr-kafka-demo-${RUN_ID} \
-          --kubernetes-version $KUBERNETES_VERSION \
           --os-sku AzureLinux \
           --node-vm-size Standard_DC4as_cc_v5 \
           --tags "Owner=accct" \

.github/workflows/_setup_aks_cluster.yml

@@ -106,5 +106,5 @@ jobs:
           # Apply the `Kafka` Cluster CR file
           kubectl apply -f https://strimzi.io/examples/latest/kafka/kafka-persistent-single.yaml -n kafka 2>&1
   
-          echo "Sleep for 3 minutes and wait for Kafka cluster to be created and fully working..."
-          sleep 180
+          echo "Wait while Kubernetes starts the required pods, services, and so on..."
+          kubectl wait kafka/my-cluster --for=condition=Ready --timeout=300s -n kafka