Amazon is a well-known American multinational technology company that focuses on various sectors of the IT field. These sectors include e-commerce, artificial intelligence, Cloud computing, and digital streaming. As for Amazon Web Services, also known as AWS, this is the world’s most comprehensive Cloud platform, which is broadly adopted by different organizations. This is the primary profit driver for Amazon that provides remote computing, email, storage, networking, mobile development, security, and servers. To help all the candidates interested in these services use them professionally and effectively, the company offers the certification program that can be taken by the individuals with different levels of expertise.
Certification Program
With the help of the Amazon certification program, the IT specialists can validate their Cloud expertise and highlight their in-demand skills. Having the professionals with the certificates of this vendor, the organizations are able to build effective and innovative teams for Cloud initiatives and use AWS efficiently. The program is intended for the experts in the Architect, Cloud Practitioner, Developer, Operations, and other roles who want to meet their unique goals.
All in all, the program consists of several levels, each including certain certification paths. Thus, the Amazon portfolio includes the following:
1. Foundational
This is the very first level that you can start your journey with. It is recommended that you have at least 6 months of fundamental AWS Cloud knowledge and basic industry expertise. It contains only one certificate, which is known as the following:
- Amazon AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner: Obtaining this certification means that you have already gained critical knowledge that helps you implement Cloud initiatives. To get certified, a potential candidate needs to pass the CLF-C01 exam.
2. Associate
This level of program helps the interested individuals solidify their knowledge and be ready for the entry-level Developer, Architect, or Operations positions. The vendor recommends that they have a year of experience in solving problems and implementing solutions with AWS Cloud. There are three available options:
- Amazon AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate: This certification validates that you have the skills in designing and implementing distributed systems on AWS. You should know how to use the AWS Command Line Interface and AWS Management Console. Amazon SAA-C02 is a prerequisite test you need to clear;
- Amazon AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate: This certification shows that you have some experience with the deployment, management, and operating tasks required for the workloads on AWS. To earn it, you need to take the SOA-C02 exam;
- Amazon AWS Certified Developer – Associate: As for this certification, it proves that you are able to write the Cloud-based applications and deploy them efficiently. The qualification exam of this path is DVA-C01.
3. Professional
This is the advanced track, which requires that you have 2 or more years of comprehensive experience. You must know how to design, operate, and troubleshoot the solutions that are using AWS Cloud. There are only two paths:
- Amazon AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional: Those specialists who hold this certification are able to design and deploy the apps on AWS within diverse and complex requirements as well as evaluate the apps when needed. If you meet the requirements, you can proceed with the SAP-C01 test and get certified;
- Amazon AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional: If you have this certification, this means that you have the skills in automating the testing and deployment of AWS applications and infrastructure. Dealing with the DOP-C01 exam successfully grants you this certificate.
4. Specialty
This is a separate option of the program, which validates your technical AWS Cloud experience in the Specialty domain you choose. It contains the following paths that you can take:
- Amazon AWS Certified Security – Specialty;
- Amazon AWS Certified Database – Specialty;
- Amazon AWS Certified Data Analytics – Specialty;
- Amazon AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty;
- Amazon AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty.
Career Prospects
The certifications offered by Amazon are industry recognized, which is why they are popular among the IT specialists all over the world. They provide the successfully certified individuals with a great amount of benefits that can help them enhance their careers and find higher paying job roles. Besides obtaining discounts for recertification or other exams and getting access to the AWS Certified community on LinkedIn, you will also earn a set of valuable skills depending on which path you choose. Thus, you will have an understanding of the core AWS services and AWS Cloud concepts, know about best practices for building the well-architected solutions on AWS, and understand the modern methodologies as well as development and operations processes. Any Amazon certificate can also prove that you possess the skills in designing database solutions for compliance, scalability, and performance, which increases your chances to get hired.
