Each of the cloud platforms - AWS, Azure and Google Cloud included - offer 10+ certifications. Over the last few years, I’ve been teaching AWS, Azure and Google Cloud certifications to more than 250,000 learners around the world.
What did I learn during this Journey?
Let’s find out!
- 1: Certifications are great for beginners
- 2: SKIP beginner certifications if you have experience with cloud
- 3: Cloud certifications will NOT get you a job
- 4: Value of certifications will go down over the next 5 YEARS.
- 5: Do NOT Go Multi Cloud too soon
- 6: Cloud certifications are good at …
- BONUS - 7: Cloud is here to stay
1: Certifications are great for beginners
Each cloud platform has more than 200+ services.
How does a beginner to cloud platform know where to start?
Even to decide a career path to choose, you need to have a basic understanding of the cloud platform.
That’s where the beginner cloud certifications have a great role to play!
If you are a beginner to cloud with no cloud experience, these certifications are a great place to start
- Google Cloud Digital Leader Certification
- Azure Fundamental AZ-900 Certification
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Certification
Preparing for these certifications help you understand:
- Cloud Fundamentals - What? , Why?, IaaS vs PaaS vs SaaS, ..
- An overview of different types of services offered by the cloud platforms
- Understand technology evolution: Serverless, Containers, Container Orchestration, DevOps, Big Data, Data Lakes, Data warehouses, Machine Learning, ..
2: SKIP beginner certifications if you have experience with cloud
Beginner certifications are great for beginners. But, for experienced cloud professionals, they are (mostly) a waste of time!
If you have spent more than an year working with a cloud platform, skip beginner level certifications. Directly jump into role specific certifications - Developer, Architect, Data Engineer, ML, Security, Networking. Pick a certification based on your role. Shoot for it.
REMEMBER: Cloud certifications are NOT a Shortcut to a new role. You will NOT get an Architects role by just doing an Architect certification. You need to have the experience of an Architect as well. (Lesson: There is no value in doing Architect certifications if you are just getting started with technology)
3: Cloud certifications will NOT get you a job
Cloud certifications are a step in the learning process.
To get a job:
- Get a certification
- Go hands-on
- Build a profile of projects
- Build a great GitHub profile
Certifications are great on your resume. But, remember, they are just an icing on top of the actual cake - which is your skills.
TIP: Get a mentor. Remember - your course instructor is NOT a mentor. A mentor is somebody who understands YOU and understands the technology you want to master.
4: Value of certifications will go down over the next 5 YEARS.
Right now, there is a severe shortage of cloud skills. Hence, certifications are given a lot of value.
As we have more expertise and skills available on the cloud, the value of certs will go down with time.
5: Do NOT Go Multi Cloud too soon
Switching between cloud too often can result in a lot of confusion, especially if you are new to the cloud.
Give a cloud platform a year or two. And then go multi cloud.
PS: Multi cloud is inevitable. In my view, in a few years, you might playing with multiple cloud platforms during the same work day. But, don’t go there too soon.
RECOMMENDATION: Have a couple of years of experience with your first cloud before you venture into your second one
6: Cloud certifications are good at …
Cloud certifications are good at:
- A framework to anchor your learning
- Act as milestones in your learning roadmap
- Understand big picture
- Providing Role specific paths
BONUS - 7: Cloud is here to stay
Usually, it is difficult to predict the future.
Will Python or Java or Go or JavaScript be as popular 10 years down the line?
I don’t know.
But what I am sure about is that Cloud will be more popular in 10 years than it is today.
Every unicorn is on the cloud. Almost every enterprise is making use of the cloud. Getting skills in the cloud would help you stand out for years to come.