Obtaining an Amazon Web Services (AWS) certification is a great opportunity for career growth in the field of cloud computing. AWS certifications are highly valued and can open doors to rewarding job opportunities. As the demand for skilled cloud engineers continues to rise, it is important to develop proficiency in AWS to stay competitive in the job market. To determine the right AWS certification for you, it is recommended to have a comprehensive understanding of all available certifications.

Why are the Amazon Web Services (AWS) certifications important for us?

Obtaining an Amazon Web Services (AWS) certification is a valuable step towards career growth in the field of cloud computing. All the AWS certifications are not only a testament to your technical skills and cloud expertise but also open doors to exciting job opportunities. They validate your knowledge and proficiency in AWS services, making you stand out in a competitive job market.

AWS certifications provide a pathway for continuous learning and professional development. Once you become AWS Certified, you gain access to exclusive perks that allow you to showcase your achievements and stay updated with the latest advancements in AWS technology. These certifications are not just a one-time accomplishment but a commitment to ongoing growth and improvement in your cloud career.

Choose the Right Amazon Web Services (AWS) Certification

With a wide range of AWS certifications available, it's important to choose the certification that aligns with your career goals and interests. Currently, there are 13 AWS credentials in total under four certification levels:

• Foundational
• Associate
• Professional
• Specialty

AWS Foundational Certification

The AWS foundation certification is a knowledge-based certification that provides a foundational understanding of AWS Cloud. The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner is the only certification at the foundational level and is designed for individuals with no prior IT or cloud experience who are looking to switch to a career in the cloud or for line-of-business employees seeking foundational cloud literacy. The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) exam validates a high-level understanding of AWS Cloud, services, and terminology, making it an excellent starting point for the AWS Certification journey.

AWS Associate Certification

The AWS Associate certification is a role-based certification that demonstrates your expertise in AWS and establishes your credibility as an AWS Cloud professional. It is recommended to have prior experience in cloud computing or strong IT experience. There are four associate exams available:

1. AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (SAA-C03): It demonstrates proficiency in a wide range of AWS services and focuses on designing cost and performance optimized solutions. And also, it showcases knowledge and skills in AWS technology and is highly beneficial for career growth, increasing credibility, and boosting earnings. This certification enhances your career profile and instills confidence in stakeholder and customer interactions.
2. AWS Certified Developer - Associate (DVA-C02): It demonstrates expertise in core AWS services, their applications, and fundamental best practices in AWS architecture. It signifies proficiency in developing, deploying, and troubleshooting cloud-based applications using AWS. Attaining this certification not only boosts confidence and credibility but also assures organizations of having skilled professionals who can provide a competitive edge and ensure stakeholder and customer satisfaction.
3. AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate (SOA-C02): Obtaining AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate certification demonstrates your expertise in deploying, managing, and operating workloads on the AWS platform. This certification is valuable for organizations as it helps them identify and nurture individuals with essential skills for implementing cloud projects.
4. AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate (DEA-C01): It is currently a beta exam. It validates your skills and knowledge in AWS data-related services, and accesses your ability to implement data pipelines, monitor and troubleshoot issues, and optimize cost and performance according to best practices. If you are interested in leveraging AWS technology to transform data for analysis and actionable insights, taking this beta exam provides the chance to be among the early achievers of this new certification.

AWS Professional Certification

To pursue the AWS Professional-level certifications, it is strongly advised to have a minimum of 2 years of prior experience working with AWS Cloud. These certifications are role-based and validate advanced expertise and knowledge necessary for designing secure, optimized, and modern applications, as well as automating processes on the AWS platform. There are two professional credentials available:

1. AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional (SAP-C02): This certification allows organizations to identify and nurture individuals with essential skills for implementing cloud projects. It enables certified individuals to demonstrate advanced expertise in solving complex problems, optimizing security, cost, and performance, and automating manual processes.
2. AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional (DOP-C02): This certification demonstrates your advanced technical skills in provisioning, operating, and managing distributed application systems on the AWS platform. It enhances your reputation and credibility among colleagues, stakeholders, and customers. With professionals holding this certification, organizations can ensure the efficient and secure delivery of highly available and scalable systems.

Related Reading: https://www.questionstube.com/your-turn-to-pass-aws-certified-sysops-administrator-associate-soa-c02-exam/

AWS Specialty Certification

There are six AWS specialty certifications available that will allow you to delve deeper into specific strategic areas and position yourself as a trusted advisor to stakeholders and customers.

1. AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty (ANS-C01): This certification enables organizations to identify and nurture individuals with essential skills to implement cloud initiatives. Achieving this certification validates expertise in creating and managing network architecture across various AWS services.
2. AWS Certified Data Analytics – Specialty (DAS-C01): This certification is valuable for organizations as it enables them to identify and nurture individuals with essential skills for implementing cloud initiatives. It validates expertise in utilizing AWS data lakes and analytics services to extract insights from data.
3. AWS Certified Database – Specialty (DBS-C01): This credential enables organizations to identify and nurture individuals with essential skills for implementing cloud initiatives. It validates expertise in providing recommendations, designing, and maintaining optimal AWS database solutions.
4. AWS Certified Machine Learning - Specialty (MLS-C01): This certification enables organizations to identify and nurture individuals who have essential skills for implementing cloud initiatives. Achieving this certification validates expertise in utilizing AWS technology to build, train, optimize, and deploy machine learning (ML) models.
5. AWS Certified Security - Specialty (SCS-C02): This certification confirms your proficiency in developing and deploying security solutions within the AWS Cloud. It also verifies your knowledge of specific data classifications and the corresponding AWS data protection measures, as well as your understanding of secure internet protocols and the AWS tools used to implement them.
6. AWS Certified SAP on AWS - Specialty (PAS-C01): This certification confirms proficiency in optimizing SAP workloads on AWS by designing, implementing, migrating, and operating them. It enables organizations to identify and cultivate individuals with the necessary knowledge and skills to maximize the performance of SAP workloads on the AWS platform.

There are a total of 13 AWS certifications available, covering various levels and areas of expertise. If you have a strong desire to obtain all of them, then go for it and good luck on your certification journey.