Which AWS Certification Should You Choose and Why?

Nowadays, AWS is helping many organizations to shift their workloads to the cloud. AWS owns a major share of around 33% of the cloud infrastructure market and is a great platform to work with. If you want to start a career in AWS, then AWS certification online can be a great way to show employers that have some of the most in-demand skills that are validated by one of the most recognized entities in cloud computing. 

AWS currently offers 12 certifications. But which one should you choose? Which AWS certification is right for you? Let’s find out!

Types of AWS Certifications 

AWS offers 12 certifications, each of them categorizes into four levels:

1. Foundational Certification:

This is the basic and entry-level certification meant for those who are new to Cloud Computing. To achieve this certification, you need to understand the cloud fundamentals and have an understanding of how AWS services work. However, you will not be required to implement any hands-on at this level.

Prerequisites: It requires 6 months of fundamental AWS Cloud knowledge and industry experience.

2. Associate Certification:

If you have hands-on working experience with AWS services, then an Associate certification can help you to move forward in your cloud career journey. The associate-level certifications cover a broad scope of AWS services. 

Prerequisites: It requires one year of experience in implementing solutions using the AWS Cloud. 

There are three associate-level AWS certifications online:  

1. AWS Certified Solutions Architect 
2. AWS Certified SysOps Administrator 
3. AWS Certified Developer 

Learn about AWS Solutions Architect career path in our detailed blog on How to Become an AWS Solutions Architect

3. Professional Certification: 

The AWS Professional certifications require a high degree of technical skill and experience and are aimed at the Solutions Architect and DevOps Engineer job roles.

Prerequisites: It requires two years of experience in designing, operating, and troubleshooting solutions using the AWS Cloud. 

There are two Professional-level AWS certifications online: 

1. AWS Certified Solutions Architect 
2. AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional

Read our blog Top AWS Architect Interview Questions and Answers to boost your interview preparation.

4. Specialty Certification:

These certifications are intended for people looking to specialize in certain skills. These certifications require technical AWS Cloud experience and focus on a much narrower scope of AWS services. You need to be an expert in your chosen specialty before taking Specialty-level certification exams.

Prerequisites: It requires technical AWS Cloud experience in the Specialty domain.

There are six Specialty-level AWS certifications offered: 

1. AWS Certified Advanced Networking 
2. AWS Certified Security 
3. AWS Certified Machine Learning 
4. AWS Certified Alexa Skill Builder 
5. AWS Certified Data Analytics 
6. AWS Certified Database

Which AWS Certification online should I choose?

Which AWS certification online is right for you depends on your existing role, experience, career goals, and skill set. 

1. Completely New to the Cloud

If you are a beginner and want to begin your career in cloud computing, then you can start with the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Certification. It will give you a good understanding of what is AWS cloud, its benefits, architectural patterns, and core AWS services. 

2. Have basic AWS Experience or Technical IT background

If you have working experience with AWS cloud services or you have a strong technical IT background, then you can opt for the Associate-level Certifications. 

1. Take the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Certification – Associate first. It will give you a strong understanding of core AWS services.
2. You can take the AWS Certified Developer – Associate Certification if you already are a developer and want to learn about services like AWS Lambda and Amazon DynamoDB. You will also learn about optimizing your code for performance and security.
3. You can take the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate Certification if you are a SysOps Engineer and willing to learn about how to optimize infrastructure to run on AWS. 

3. Have over two years of AWS Experience

If you have over two years of comprehensive working experience with the cloud, then Certified Solutions Architect Professional Certification will be a good option. It covers a wide range of skills and does not focus on a single platform or domain or area of expertise.

If you have multiple years of experience with AWS but have not taken any AWS certifications yet, then you might want to start with the professional level or specialty certifications. However, it is recommended that you start with the Associate-level certifications to get familiar with the basics.

4. Have experience using AWS technology and performing complex Big Data analysis

If you have at least two years of experience in specific areas like Big Data, Machine Learning, Security, and Networking, then you should go for the AWS Specialty certifications. 

For instance, if you want to gain Machine learning skills, then you can take AWS Certified Machine Learning Specialty certification. For this, you will need to have detailed knowledge about Machine Learning and how AWS Machine Learning services work.

Top AWS Courses Online

If you want to learn about different Amazon services in-depth or if you have finally made a decision and are preparing for an AWS certification exam, then you can take up an AWS course online to kickstart your journey in the field of AWS.

• AWS Fundamentals: Building Serverless Applications by Coursera
• AWS Developer: Building on AWS by edX
• Getting Started with AWS Machine Learning by Coursera
• AWS Fundamentals: Going Cloud Native by Coursera
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate by Udemy
• AWS Serverless Design for IoT by Udemy

Conclusion

Taking AWS certifications does not only help you gain knowledge and skills but also strengthens your resume. An AWS certification online can benefit you in multiple ways, like increasing your earning potential and helping you advance in your career. If you have finally decided which AWS certification online to take, you can pursue an AWS course online to start preparing for your AWS exam. So, what are you waiting for? Enroll in an AWS course online today!

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