Cloud certifications are a great way to showcase your skills to potential employers and if you're an entry level engineer this can be an advantage over others.

Which Cloud Certification Is for Me?

Which certification you do will typically depend on your experience and existing level of knowledge. If you're an entry level engineer the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner is a good place to start. This certification shows that you have a basic understanding of Cloud services and key terms. It's a great starting point for aspiring engineers who are building their Cloud skills especially if you're shifting to a cloud-focused career or if you're a business professional wanting to learn the basics of cloud technology.

Check out the AWS exam certification paths here for more information.

How Do I Prepare for My Exam?

Online Learning

There are a lot of helpful videos available on YouTube for free. You can also purchase a course on Udemy to follow. Check out this course for AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02.

If your organisation provides access to A Cloud Guru this is a great resource to use as their courses are very comprehensive and cover all of the domains needed for the exam.

Hands-on Labs

Its really important that you practice by following along with any labs to really reinforce what you learn. A Cloud Guru provides sandbox environments for you to practice or you can create a free tier account (don't forget to set up budget alerts!)

Practice Exam Papers

When you feel you've learned all you can make sure to take some practice exams to highlight any gaps in your knowledge.

The following sites are helpful in preparing for any certification:

• Whizlabs

• SkillCertPro

• Exam Topics (I have found the answers aren't always completely accurate but still a good free resource)

Taking the Exam

Once you're ready to take the exam make sure to book through the official websites. You can take the exam either at home or at a test centre.

Good luck on your certification journey and remember a certification is just the beginning! Learning should be a continuous process so make sure to regularly schedule in time for upskilling.

I'm currently preparing for the AWS DevOps Professional exam! You can follow my progress here.