“Get certified and be industry ready” is a unanimously accepted word in the current competitive job market. As only university degrees are not adequate to land your dream jobs. Freshers and professionals alike are upskilling by earning certifications. Moreover, Professionals with Cloud Certifications are having promising careers than their counterparts. Research says- The average salary of AWS certified IT professionals is 30% higher than the average annual salary of a non-certified professional. “Get AWS certification,” is the mantra resonating in the tech world and CloudThat says “Get trained from Authorized Training Partner and earn AWS certification.”  This post is an ultimate guide deciphering 35 AWS Certification Training courses you can choose from to groom yourself as a competent Cloud Professional. 
 

Is it Worth Doing AWS Certification?

The journey in pursuit of Cloud certification fetches your knowledge and skills to leverage one of the hottest technologies in the global business market. Through certifications, you will be nurturing your foundational knowledge in one of the niche technologies whose usage is going to multiply in the coming years. Concisely either as an experienced professional or as a fresh graduate, you stand in a better position by acquiring Cloud certification among your competitors. As AWS is continuing to dominate the cloud space equipping yourself with an AWS certification is the right career move. 

AWS Certification Levels: A Complete Picture

AWS Foundational-Level Certifications 

Course Name: AWS Cloud Practitioner 

Prerequisites: None 

Level: Fundamental 

Learning Outcome: 

• Gain knowledge of AWS architectural foundations 
• Basics of Key AWS services 
• Understanding of AWS security and compliance

AWS Associate-Level Certifications 

Course Name(s):  

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate 
• AWS Certified Developer – Associate 
• AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate 

Prerequisites: 1 Year Experience working on AWS cloud space 

Level: Fundamental 

Learning Outcome: 

• The working mechanism of AWS-based applications work 
• Ability to build secure applications on AWS platform 
• Skills to deploy hybrid AWS systems 
• Hands-on AWS application design 
• Understanding of AWS application development  

AWS Professional-Level Certifications 

Course Name(s):  

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional 
• AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional 

Prerequisites: 2 Years of Comprehensive Experience working on AWS cloud space 

Level: Advanced 

Learning Outcome: 

• Deploy complex AWS migration  
• Learn cost-optimization strategies 
• Implement CD strategies 
• Monitor and log AWS systems 
• Implement scalable systems on AWS

How Long Does it Take to Become AWS Certified?

Your journey to AWS certification path can follow this path:  

1. Foundational Level Certification AWS Cloud Practitioner requires 6 Months of work experience on AWS platforms. But you have no prerequisites to take up the foundational exams. 
2. AWS Associate-Level Certifications exams can be taken if you have 1 Year of work experience on AWS cloud solving problems and implementing solutions. 
3. AWS Professional-Level Certifications exams demand a minimum of 2 years of in-depth experience designing, operating, and troubleshooting solutions in the AWS environment.
4. AWS Specialty Certifications exams expect you to have comprehensive skills and 2to 5 years of hands-on experience in the chosen domain namely Advanced Networking, Database, Data Analytics, Security, or Machine Learning.   

Is AWS Certification Hard to Prepare?

AWS certification exams must be taken with a meticulous study plan and training. As mentioned, AWS certifications are available at 4 Levels. Foundational, Associate, Professional, and Specialty. 

• The foundational level AWS certification exams are the easiest to clear provided you have experience working on at least free tier cloud technologies. But if you are brand new to cloud technologies, put in the time to learn the minutest details of AWS cloud before taking up the exams. 
• Associate-level exams are the most popular AWS exams. So, a lot of study material like videos, whitepapers, practice tests are available readily. But having said this it is not an easy nut to crack. The scenario-based questions test your application ability as you are expected to choose the best solution from the pool of all correct answers. Hands-on practice in AWS consoles is mandatory to succeed here. 
• The Professional level courses are harder as it is not about knowing AWS tools but possessing skills to apply them. This exam tests your competency on how effectively you use AWS tools. Moreover, all the options for a given question are technically correct. Choosing the right one from a pool of all correct answers is a tough ask. 
• The specialty exams are the highest-level AWS certification exams. It must be taken only after you have real-world experience of 4-6 years in a particular specialty.   

How to Get the Best AWS Certification Training?

An accomplished teacher always guides you to the right career path. CloudThat is a pioneer in Cloud training services for a 9+ years and has the reputation of having trained more than 400K+ professionals in Cloud and other niche technologies.  

CloudThat being an authorized AWS training partner stands out in the crowd. The training methodology offers to meet the needs of individual professionals and corporates with: 

• Focused training designed at source by AWS experts 
•  Exclusive access to AWS curriculum, course content, and delivery strategies  
• Industry-aligned training from AWS certified Trainers  

The AWS-CloudThat training programs disseminate skills and knowledge, helping professionals at all strata of the corporate ladder (entry position to top-level management) get trained through our AWS certified trainers with staunch experience in delivering consultancy solutions and training on emerging technologies. Importantly, our AWS certified instructors-led immersive, hands-on classes help your team to equip with competency and deliver results for your organization’s growth.         

Simple Steps to Taking up AWS certification Exams

1. First and foremost, enroll for an AWS Training course preferably with an Authorized AWS Training Partner. This gives access to the official AWS curriculum and best industry practices and case studies. 
2.  Review from Exam or Study Guides that are available.  
3. Read as many whitepapers as possible to get deeper into technology. 
4. Practice and hard work have no substitute so prepare rigorously. 
5. A practice of 80 to 120 hours is essential to prepare for the exams. 
6. Yes, Take up the exam confidently.  

A Ready Reckoner: AWS Certifications List

WRITTEN BY Ravichandra M

Ravichandra M is a Passionate Blogger & Trainer with a wide array of experience in teaching and writing. Currently he is working as Technical Content Writer at CloudThat. He has acquired Smart Blogger Content Marketing Certification and HubSpot SEO Certifications. He also writes articles to newspapers on career guidance topics.