How To Become AWS Certified? Full AWS Certification List

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How To Become AWS Certified

How To Become AWS Certified? Do you wish to boost your cloud computing career by acquiring AWS certifications? Follow these tips to become AWS certified. Click here for more.

Right behind cybersecurity, cloud computing is faced with the widest skills gap across all IT spheres. The industry lacks talented professionals that possess the skills to develop and manage platforms and meet the increasing customer demand.

If you’re looking to make a lucrative place in the world of cloud computing, you can’t ignore Amazon Web Services (AWS) certifications.

AWS Certifications is the most widely done certifications which in turn validates the expertise of an individual in Cloud Computing. Let’s have a look at the topics covered here:

  • Why AWS Certification?
  • The various AWS certification options you have.
  • Some valuable tips to become AWS certified.
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Why AWS Certification?

It’s always a good time to become AWS certified. But why would anyone choose to obtain the certification? Let’s find out:

To Boost Your Earnings

For many tech professionals, money remains the biggest driver to achieve career advancement. If you’re off the view that AWS certifications can help you earn more or advance your career, you’re right.

According to Global Knowledge, IT professionals that obtain new certifications and/or skills enjoy a pay raise of $12,000-$13,000, on average.

There’s a reason why cloud engineers earn a base salary of $118,253 (as of October 20, 2021). They use certifications to validate their credentials.

Employers Require AWS Certifications

Many IT firms lack an effective way to test the competence of candidates. While they won’t merely rely on certifications, they’ll still make it a requirement for acceptance. Many recruitment managers filter the applications based on certifications.

On top of that, cloud vendors at many of these firms require a minimum number of certifications to become a partner or enjoy additional benefits. Based on these partnership requirements, organizations tend to prefer certified candidates when hiring professionals.

Everything Is Moving to the Cloud

For IT experts stepping into 2023 and beyond, cloud computing expertise has become a must. Technologies that need huge data processing like ML and AI are the key reason that clients are opting for the cloud.

Customers are all inclined to move to the cloud. By 2028, the global cloud computing market size is projected to reach $791.48 billion, representing a CAGR of 17.9%, according to the Globe Newswire. This level of migration requires a dire need for customized cloud solutions.

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For organizations across the board, in-depth know-how and expertise, particularly in AWS, is recognized as valuable asset, which is why you should consider obtaining an AWS certification as soon as possible.

Builds Credibility

When it comes to offering value to employers and potential clients, trust, expertise, and credibility are crucial factors. They help AWS practitioners build long-lasting relationships and stand out from others in the fiercely competitive job market.

Certifications serve as proof that you possess skills in a particular area. They convey to employers and clients that you’ve undergone rigorous training and have the capacity to implement tasks.

With AWS certifications that align well with your career path, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t land your dream job.

Now that you understand why should you become AWS certified, it’s time to determine what AWS certification options you have:

What AWS Certification Options Do You Have?

Currently, you have eleven AWS certifications to choose from. In order of importance, they include:

  • AWS Certified Data Analytics– Specialty
  • AWS Certified Machine Learning– Specialty
  • AWS Certified Solutions Architect– Professional
  • AWS Certified Big Data– Specialty
  • AWS Certified DevOps Engineer– Professional
  • AWS Certified Advanced Networking– Specialty
  • AWS Certified Security– Specialty
  • AWS Certified SysOps Administrator– Associate
  • AWS Certified Solutions Architect– Associate
  • AWS Certified Developer– Associate
  • AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

If you’re only getting started, you’ll want to consider the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification, which is the certification for beginners. Assessing your familiarity with cloud computing and IT will validate your overall understanding of the AWS cloud.

While this certification is not a prerequisite for any associate-level or even specialty certification exam, don’t skip it if you haven’t used AWS in production in the past six months.

The certification costs are as follows, For more details check out –AWS Certification Cost.

  • Cloud Practitioner exam: $100
  • Associate-Level exams: $150
  • Professional-Level and Specialty Exams: $300

How To Become AWS Certified Tips

1. Create a Roadmap

Becoming AWS-certified hardly means you’ll sign up today and obtain the certification tomorrow. It’s rather a journey requiring you to plan for success.

You need to develop a roadmap, outlining your starting point as well as defining where you’re heading to. This should help you maintain focus on your objectives and goals.

In your strategy, add details about the certifications you’ll be working on, including the timeframe for each. To land your dream job, one AWS certification won’t likely be enough. To make an impression plan to obtain at least two certifications.

Besides, add at least one higher-level programming language and some non-AWS skills like configuration management tools, Docker, and Linux. These work perfectly with AWS expertise.

2. Enroll in Top AWS Courses

With a myriad of AWS training and certification courses online, choosing the right one can be a daunting process. When assessing a course, the first thing to examine is the depth and scope of the course.

In terms of the scope of services they cover, some AWS certifications are broad, while others are narrower yet in-depth. To determine whether a particular course covers the exam topics well, you’ll need to feedback given by past learners in course reviews.

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Also, given the nature of the field, AWS changes pretty fast. Based on student feedback, it is regularly updated. So, AWS certification exams evolve accordingly. Hence, make sure that the training course you choose is adequately current to prepare you for the updated exam.

The format/style of the course is also important when choosing an AWS training and certification course. Some programs are more slide-based, while others tend to be hands-on. Pick a course that matches your style. The best programs will not only teach you using slides and diagrams but also use practical exercises.

Once you’ve chosen a course, dedicate some time to learning and adhere to it.

Regardless of the AWS certification, you’re preparing for, undergoing training with the end exam in mind will prove highly effective. To familiarize yourself with the AWS exam, consider taking practice tests every week.

3. Pre-Test Yourself

These mock exams are created by real-life experts who personally appeared for and passed the AWS certification exams, so they know exactly what the exam demands and its various elements. By taking a practice test every week, you’ll know what to expect and learn accordingly.

Weekly practice tests will also help you approach the real AWS exam with confidence. AWS does provide its own practice tests, but you won’t get detailed explanations for answers. Again, signing up for a practice test course is a great alternative.

Make sure your chosen practice test course uses the same difficulty and style as the real AWS exam. The best courses will also provide detailed explanations for both right and wrong answers, helping you understand your errors.

Some solutions come with different testing modes, allowing you to test your specific knowledge areas, check correct answers as you go through the exam, or simulate the AWS exam experience.

Having said all that, there are numerous substandard and outdated practice test courses on the market that don’t accurately represent the real AWS exams. Therefore, you’ll need to choose a course wisely and check reviews shared by past learners before signing up.

4. Ace the AWS Exam

When you’re ready to take the AWS exam, visit aws.training and simply register. Here are some expert tips for the exam day:

Schedule Your Exam Wisely: Ask yourself what time suits you the best. If you feel exhausted after 1 pm, it might be harder to stay focused in the second half. Perhaps it’s best to book your exam first thing in the morning.

Limit your Liquid Consumption: If you drink coffee or too much water prior to the AWS certification exam, you may need to take multiple washroom breaks, during which the timer won’t stop. Save your time by limiting your liquid consumption.

Pick-Up Speed: Many test-takers fail their AWS exam because of running out of time. With a little more than two minutes for each question, you really need to practice pacing yourself when taking practice tests. When addressing very long questions, pay attention to keywords to avoid spending too much time on them.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: How Do I Become AWS Certified?

The answer to this question is covered in detail in the above blog. Please follow the aforementioned tips to become AWS certified.

Q2: What Is AWS Certification Salary?

In the US and Canada, those holding the associate-level certification of AWS certified Solutions Architect have an average certification salary of $153,142. In other words, AWS certifications are undoubtedly among the highest-paying certifications out there.

Q3: How Hard Is It To Get AWS Certified?

While cloud practitioner certification is easy to acquire, the associate-level AWS certification exams cover a lot of ground, which makes them pretty tough. Those who fail the first time report an entirely different set of questions on their next attempt.

Q4: How much time To Become AWS Certified?

If you can commit to one month of intense study, you should be able to pass the exam. Yet, AWS recommends possessing at least one year of hands-on experience in cloud computing before considering taking an exam.

Conclusion

Cloud computing technologies is a rapidly growing industry and it’s fast-changing the way customers are planning their infrastructure, which in turn is impacting the IT industry.

According to technology experts, all programs and services will soon be hosted on the cloud. Given the security, scalability, user-friendliness, and network latency they offer, more and more organizations are adopting cloud-based architecture.

In an IT landscape such as this, it’s no wonder that tech professionals from around the world aspire to become AWS certified. If you have similar goals, follow the aforementioned tips to boost your career.

We truly hope that with this article you have cleared on How To Become AWS Certified? and you end up acquiring the right AWS certifications on your first attempt. To gain more knowledge on AWS certification, keep following Steps to Cloud

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