IT professionals looking to advance their careers have more options than ever before. With myriad online courses and certificate programs, it can be difficult to decide what is worth pursuing and what is not. In this post, we take a look at one of the most respected certifications for cloud specialists: the AWS certification.
Is AWS Certification Worth It For You? What does it include and how do you start? Let’s take a closer look.
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What is AWS Certification?
The AWS certification stands for the certification “Amazon Web Services”. This is a professional IT qualification that shows cloud expertise with these specific tools.
IT professionals can obtain one of several certifications offered by Amazon by taking the appropriate exam. The exams take place in test centers around the world.
AWS is the most widely used cloud platform on the internet and one of the most comprehensive. It provides over 175 services to startups, large corporations, and government agencies. These services relate to storage, database management, IoT, security and more. The full list of services can be found here.
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With such a wide range of services on offer and a large number of high-profile customers, AWS is a sought-after qualification for multiple IT roles and one of the best options for those working on-site.
The details
If you choose to become an AWS certification, you need to select the specific certificate for which you want to apply. There are different certifications, which are divided into four different “paths”. These paths are:
- Cloud practitioner
- architect
- developer
- Operations
The “Cloud Practitioner Path” is aimed at those who want to develop a thorough understanding of cloud technologies and the AWS cloud. This is useful for managers and others who want a broad perspective. The Cloud Practitioner certification is fundamental and can serve as a prerequisite for some other exams.
The “Architects Path” is aimed at solution architects and application developers. The “developer path” is of course aimed at software developers. The “Operations Path”, however, is for system administrators. These exams offer both associate-level certificates (one year of experience) and professional-level certificates (two years).
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There are also several additional specialty certifications that don’t fall into these categories.
Exam format
The exams are a combination of multiple choice, multiple response, and sample direction questions. They last between 80-170 minutes.
The AWS certification is valid for two years. Recertification is possible after this point in time. Those who have no direct experience with Amazon Web Services can expect to study more than 90 hours.
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Cloud Practitioner exams are $ 100, associate-level exams are $ 150, and specialty exams are $ 300. This means that you pay anywhere from $ 50 to $ 150 a year to stay certified.
Is AWS Certification Worth It?
The big question is, is AWS certification worth it for you?
AWS certificates are highly regarded and recognized worldwide. If you have a large number of organizations that rely on these services (AWS Services have roughly a 3approx This is a coveted qualification for many employers.
However, this is also a professional qualification specifically aimed at organizations that rely on these services. Even then, AWS certification alone is unlikely to seal the deal. It’s more of a differentiating factor. Knowing that the company you are interviewing for is looking for it gives one additional reason to consider this certification. Otherwise, it can be useful evidence of your commitment to the industry and knowledge of the technologies on which it is based.
In short, AWS Certification is a great “add-on” that will make you a little bit more competitive. However, it should complement your previous experience and qualifications.
But what do you think Is AWS Certification Useful For You? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check out our guide to the Best Online Certificate Programs to Improve Your Career.