Amazon Web Services or AWS is, by far, the most popular term in the cloud space. AWS is a platform that offers on-demand cloud computing services for individual use, business use, and on a paid subscription basis for public projects. Probably the most profitable subsidiary of Amazon.com, AWS helps companies build advanced and flexible cloud applications and deliver their functionality. The cloud services offered by AWS are scalable, inexpensive, and reliable, and span across storage, computing power, artificial intelligence, databases, and more.
Whether you are a web developer, system administrator, database administrator, big data analyst, or IoT developer, you can simplify your work even more if you take advantage of the AWS cloud services. But, can you start working on AWS instantly without any prior knowledge of the cloud platform? Obviously, you need to build a foundation in AWS and become familiar with its services to start working on it in a corporate environment. This is where AWS certification can help. AWS certification can open the door to many up-and-coming high-paying IT careers.
Let us know more about AWS certifications and how you can become an AWS certified professional.
AWS Certifications
AWS offers a total of 12 certifications divided into Foundational, Associate, Professional, and Specialty categories. Mentioned below are all the certifications offered by AWS.
Foundational Certification
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
Associate-Level Certifications
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect
- AWS Certified Developer – Associate
- AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate
Professional-level Certifications
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional
- AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional
Specialty Certifications
- AWS Certified Data Analytics – Specialty
- AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty
- AWS Certified Security – Specialty
- AWS Certified Alexa Skill Builder – Specialty
- AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty
- AWS Certified Database – Specialty
Achieving an AWS certification means possessing some of the most in-demand cloud skills as verified by the most recognizable entities in the cloud market. As many companies are widely using the AWS platform, they are in need of AWS-certified professionals who can meet their cloud initiatives. So, achieving an AWS certification places one ahead of others during the hiring process.
How to Become AWS Certified?
Now that you know the names of all AWS certifications, let us become familiar with the steps to take to become AWS certified.
Select a suitable certification
First off, you need to select which AWS certification to pursue as per your career interests. If you are a beginner in this field, we would recommend the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner foundational certification. However, if you have at least 6 months of experience working with AWS cloud services, then you can directly pursue associate level certification. There are three options as mentioned above for job roles like solutions architect, developer, and system administrator.
Know the certification details
Now that you have selected an appropriate AWS certification, check out its details on the AWS website. AWS mentions the recommended experience and knowledge required for a specific certification along with details like the Exam Outline, its cost, duration, and mode of examination. Often, the questions are of multiple-choice and multiple-response type format.
Preparation
There are many ways to prepare for the AWS certification exams. AWS offers official resources like training courses, practice questions, and whitepapers to help individuals learn about AWS. Further, there are third-party training providers like Simplilearn who offer comprehensive courses on these certifications. When you complete any course, appear for AWS mock tests to understand if you are prepared enough for the actual exam. You are more likely to clear the exam in a single try when you prepare through such online resources.
Appear for the exam
The next step is to appear for the certification exam. Suppose you have decided to take the Certified Solutions Architect Associate exam. Then you have to answer 65 questions with a time limit of 130 minutes. You can either take the exam at a testing center or appear for the online proctored exam. If you pass the exam, you will earn a digital badge provided by Credly’s Acclaim platform that can be accessed using your AWS Certification Account.
Avail the various benefits of becoming AWS certified
If you pass the certification exam, you enter the group of elite professionals who have validated their cloud skills. You can join the AWS LinkedIn community and and get the most up-to-date cloud news. You also get a chance to participate in remote and in-person AWS events that focus on the creation and review of exam content, thereby becoming a subject matter expert (SME).
Over to You
AWS has witnessed commendable growth over the past few years. Startups, public sector organizations, as well as enterprises, are leveraging the latest technologies offered by AWS to experiment and innovate faster. By gaining an AWS certification, you can demonstrate your ability to take up a cloud role and handle the responsibilities associated with it efficiently. Moreover, a certificate reflects a deep understanding of the AWS platform and offers a degree of knowledge that helps in speeding up and saving time for cloud-related projects.
So if you take your cloud computing career seriously, better to become AWS certified professional soon. Think of it as an investment for your future and reap the certification benefits later on.