Find answers to the most frequently asked questions around AWS Certification, AWS training and career opportunities in the Cloud.
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For those considering moving into cloud, there are lots of questions that need answered to help you embark on the right AWS certification path
Here are some of our favorite ways to vary your learning and ensure your training for AWS certification remains a fun and exciting experience:
There are no shortcuts to learning AWS properly, and by using all of these different options, you make sure that with time, you’ll master the AWS cloud.
Which AWS certification is right for you depends on a number of factors, like previous job experience and which specific field you would like to work in.
There are no prerequisites for taking any AWS certification exam.
For those who are new to cloud computing, it is recommended to get started with the AWS Cloud Practitioner which is sitting at the foundational level and will help you understand the basics. It’s very broad in scope and covers a broad range of core AWS services.
For those with a basic knowledge of cloud computing, it is possible to go straight to the AWS Solutions Architect Associate which is the most popular AWS certification.
For more in-depth information on getting AWS certified, visit the AWS learning path section or check out our AWS certification path article.
Learning AWS can be successfully achieved through self-study with little to no guidance – though it requires a high level of commitment and self-organization. With self-paced learning, students can study our on-demand AWS courses at a pace and time that suits them best.
While some students are perfectly fine with self-paced learning, others may find that learning AWS on your own can be a challenging endeavor. It really depends on your personality type and whether you achieve better results with additional guidance and structure.
For those who prefer learning in a classroom environment where they are held accountable for their progress and performance, we offer a Cloud Mastery Bootcamp (virtual classroom with live session).
The great news is that education is cheaper than ever – especially when it comes to on-demand training online.
Prices for AWS training can range anywhere from completely free of charge to thousands of dollars – depending on location, quality, scope and the form of delivery (on-demand vs live online training vs in person classroom training). Always practice caution and do your due diligence before choosing your learning materials.
Keep in mind that “free training” can turn into a very expensive exercise if you fail your exam due to low-quality training resources that don’t adequately prepare you for your exam.
At Digital Cloud Training, you get high-quality video training and practice exams at unbelievably low costs. Check out our current pricing of our on-demand AWS training and certification courses.
Be aware that the costs for AWS training does not account for the exam fees you need to pay to sit the exam and obtain your AWS certification.
The fee you pay to take the exam and get AWS certified depends on the AWS certification you’re after.
At the foundational level, the exam fee for the AWS certification is $100. At the Associate level, the costs are $150. For the professional level as well as Specialty level, you’ll pay $300 to sit the exam.
When training on AWS, it can take varying amounts of time to start building the skills for cloud computing. As a general rule, we recommend at least 3 months of daily training if you have zero experience in AWS training in order to pass the AWS Cloud Practitioner certification. If you have more experience, it should take less time to get results from training on AWS.
As you build your experience you should find your Amazon Web Services training will take less time to complete – especially if you have many years of experience in IT. The key is to not rush and ensure you are fully prepared before sitting your AWS certification exam.
This answer is not straight forward, and in all likelihood, training on AWS certifications alone will not be enough for landing a job.
Whilst training on AWS is a great starting point for building your knowledge base on cloud computing – be aware that AWS certifications are a prerequisite for most job roles. We also recommend going above and beyond to ensure you are in the best possible position in the eyes of recruiters and hiring managers.
Our AWS Bootcamps are the best way to build deep knowledge and experience on AWS and gain access to highly experienced instructors. These virtual classrooms feature complex AWS hands-on labs in live instructor-led sessions where you get to build real-world skills with other learners. We also teach you how to raise your personal profile so you get noticed by employers.
We also have some free tutorials for building applications on AWS that you can use to impress employers:
Our AWS Bootcamps are the best way to build deep knowledge and experience on AWS and gain access to highly experienced instructors. These virtual classrooms feature complex AWS hands-on labs in live instructor-led sessions where you get to build real-world skills with other learners. We also teach you how to raise your personal profile so you get noticed by employers.
If you prefer to study on your own, our Challenge labs provide you with the perfect opportunity to develop and assess skills across multiple technologies without ever needing to create your own cloud account. Ranging from fully guided to advanced hands-on exercises, Challenge Labs cater for all skill levels.
Free AWS Tutorials
We also have some free AWS tutorials for building applications on AWS that you can use to impress employers:
Learn all about AWS certifications, how they can advance your cloud career and find out what it takes to earn them
There are currently 10 AWS Certifications: 1 foundational certification, 4 associate-level certifications, 2 professional-level certifications, and 3 specialty certifications.
AWS Foundational Certification
AWS Associate Level Certifications
AWS Professional Level Certifications
AWS Specialty Level Certifications
Getting AWS certified is a journey like any other – every step you take counts. This is why you need to lay out your roadmap right from the start.
When designing your roadmap, it’s critical to define where you are heading so that you can stay focused on your goals and objectives.
For absolute beginners to cloud computing, we’ve created a non-certification course “Introduction to Cloud Computing on AWS for Beginners” that helps you create a foundational knowledge of cloud computing before starting your certification journey.
Once you’re ready to earn your first AWS certification, starting with the entry-level AWS Cloud Practitioner certification is recommended for those without strong IT backgrounds or any cloud experience.
If you’re already working in the cloud industry, you can skip the foundational level and move straight to the Associate level.
At the Associate level, we highly recommend earning the AWS Solutions Architect Associate certification. It’s the most popular of all AWS certifications – and widely regarded as one of the most valuable certifications in IT!
This certification provides you with a solid understanding of AWS services and can not only help you advance your cloud career, but also provides you stepping-stones toward additional AWS certifications. You’ll find that there are significant overlaps with other AWS certifications – especially at the Associate level.
If you’re aiming to get all 6 core AWS certifications, we recommend sticking to the following order to benefit from a strong learning curve:
Many of our students ask which AWS Certification to get first, and we have some advice.
While there are no prerequisites for taking any AWS exam, there is a certain logic that one should follow when taking AWS exams.
We would highly recommend getting started with the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification.
Regardless of your prior knowledge on IT, Cloud or any other prior job experience, the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification gives you a broad introduction to the key AWS services and helps you understand how the AWS Cloud works.
Even for those who already have some experience with AWS, the AWS Cloud Practitioner certification is a great addition to your CV and helps you become familiar with the AWS exam. It’s an easy win – and a great stepping stone towards the next level certification which will most likely be the AWS Solutions Architect Associate.
If you’re just getting started with cloud computing, you may want to take our “Introduction to Cloud Computing on AWS for Beginners” course first. This will help you build a foundational knowledge of cloud computing before earning your first AWS certification.
There are two main ways in which you can choose your learning path:
Following a role-based learning path
Learning by roles means to follow a particular career path through AWS certifications and learning on AWS. Some example roles are:
Following a solutions-based learning path
A solutions-based learning path follows a particular set of technologies or use cases and training up in them to work towards solving a particular problem. Some examples include:
Awarded with the ‘Global Excellence Awards’ as the ‘Best AWS Training and Certification Services Provider’, we pride ourselves in getting our students ready for their next-level cloud job
There are currently more than 750,000 Students enrolled in our AWS Certification Training Courses
Our AWS courses have an average of 4.7 (out of 5) star rating from over 100,000 reviews
The majority of our learners pass the AWS exam first time with many scoring over 90%
At Digital Cloud Training we offer the highest-quality AWS certification training at affordable prices.
Throughout our many AWS courses, we teach you the basics, through to expert level concepts to help you land a job in cloud computing.
Whether you learn best through visualization, reading, or practice – we have you covered. All of our courses are delivered with a focus on each of these learning modalities so we can ensure you build solid knowledge and practical capabilities.
There are several different types of course we offer:
We offer video courses for the most popular AWS certifications, which take you through everything you need to know for the exam. With a mixture of practical and theoretical teaching, you’ll have all necessary resources to learn the AWS Cloud.
High quality practice test courses are a great way to both pick up extra knowledge and assess your exam readiness. When you’re regularly succeeding in our practice tests you can be sure to ace the real AWS exam!
For those who want to take their studies offline – we offer several types of ebook including exam-specific cheat sheets and offline practice tests.
Challenge Labs are scenario-based hands-on exercises that run in a secure sandbox environment. Learn by doing and gain practical, real-world cloud skills. You can hone your skills across the most in-demand technologies, practice role-based cloud skills, and get the hands-on experience you need for your next certification exam.
Live expert instruction with real-world hands-on projects – fully preparing you for your next IT certification exam and getting you job ready! We also provide ample career development guidance which help you land your next cloud job.
Neal Davis – founder and lead instructor – has been working in the tech industry for over 20 years and has been teaching AWS since 2018. With a wealth of experience across our expert instructors combining decades of AWS experience, we have the skills and capacity to deliver the best quality training in the industry.
At Digital Cloud Training, we are proud to have over 750,000 happy students from over 190 countries, along with a 4.7 star rating from over 100,000 reviews.
Our students have very high pass rates with most students achieving over 90% in their AWS exams.
We cover the breadth and depth of AWS services and certifications – from foundational through to advanced certifications. The range of courses and certifications we offer are as follows:
Here is an overview of our non-certification training courses targeted at beginners with no cloud computing experience:
These non-certification training courses are suitable for those who want to deep dive into a specific topic:
When you sign up for our monthly or yearly plans, you get access to our entire library of AWS training courses – including video courses, practice exam courses and training notes (PDF) for offline study.
Our monthly plans come with no lock-in or minimum terms and can be cancelled at any time.
Depending on your personal learning style, you get to choose between self-paced learning (study on your own) and team learning in a virtual classroom
Our on-demand training courses are ideal for those who are looking for self-paced training that fits into their busy schedule.
We offer cloud mastery bootcamps that are suitable for those who look for more guidance and a well-structured approach. Set in a virtual classroom, bootcamp students get direct access to experienced AWS instructors to ask questions.
With Challenge Labs, you get to learn, build, test and fail forward in a lab environment. Challenge Labs provide safe practice opportunities – and eliminate the risk of running up any surprise bills.
Get the practical experience you need for your AWS certification exams and cloud job – with scenario-based exercises that run in a secure hosted cloud environment
Depending on your level of experience, there are a different AWS training courses that are most suitable to get started with. Click on the level of experience to view the recommended training.
Students with zero IT or Cloud experience who are starting from little to no prior knowledge of AWS will need some extra resources to get their AWS certifications.
The following training courses are most suitable for beginners to the AWS Cloud:
Students who have passed the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification and understand most of the key concepts of the AWS Cloud will now be looking to further their experience and deepen their understanding in order to land their first job in the cloud industry.
Depending on the career path and prior experience, we recommend the following training:
Students with multiple years of experience in a cloud computing role, will be looking to either further deepening their knowledge, or branch out into a new domain of the AWS cloud.
At this level, we recommend the following training:
Following this recommended learning path will help you prepare for your AWS certification exam and maximize your chances of succeeding in your cloud career
Learn the theory and familiarize yourself with the AWS platform
Assess your exam readiness and identify your strengths & weaknesses
Deep dive into specific knowledge areas and get straight to the facts
Learn by doing and gain practical, real-world cloud skills
Pass your AWS certification exam the first time with confidence
