Five Pathways to AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
Published: 2022-01-10 12:11:51

The AWS certified cloud practitioner exam is the foundation of AWS certification. The certification appears to be the entry point into the cloud. If you are lost on how to get certified, you are not alone. This article is to expose you to some of the pathways of preparing for the exam. Let us get started.

1. AWS Re/start Program: AWS Re/start program is a full time, usually weekdays during work hour classroom-based skills development and training program. The program is free and it prepares you for a career in cloud. This program is usually competitive and it takes 12 weeks. At the end of the program you will be awarded with a certificate from AWS restart and you will be ready to take the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam. The class usually takes other software development skills such as python, git among others. You can check here for a link to AWS partners near you.

2. Online Self paced course: Learning in the 21st century has gone beyond physical contact. Most of the technology skills learned today are gotten through online self paced structured platforms. You can get a paid AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner course on Udemy, Udacity, Ustacky, Whizlab among others. These online structured courses are a great way to have a good knowledge of what is expected in the exam and comprehensive information about the exam.

If you feel paying for the courses, especially at the initial stage is too much, you can get started with youtube videos as there are many great channels like AWS Demos and “AWS Knowledge Center Videos” you can subscribe to and get a first hand experience of how you can navigate the world of AWS.

3. Online Training: If you are the kind of person that prefers communicating with the instructor, there are other training that are classroom based. There are several centers for online classes. The advantage of this remains that you can clarify issues with instructor as you learn. This kind of training is usually more expensive than the online self paced course. I will advise you to pick a trainer that uses the same time zone with your location, to avoid attending midnight classes.

4. AWS Resources: Another method of preparing for the exam is to use the resources provided by AWS. You will use the whitepapers and also some of AWS online resources. You can check out the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Essential course on AWS Skill Builder. When you use AWS resources strictly, you will have gotten information directly from source but the learning path is more tedious.

5. Local Groups: We have several AWS volunteers who are always excited to mentor others to become certified and grow in the cloud path. You can be lucky to find a mentor or a structured mentorship platform. In this pathway, you will be exposed to various materials, training and other information related to the cloud. If you find yourself in this path, your personal zeal is required to excel.

I have highlighted five different paths you can ride your way into the cloud. Remember, you need to make use of AWS free service for practice, these will improve your confidence. Towards your exam, you need to try your skill with practice questions, with this you will know your weakness.

The journey into the cloud is a rewarding one, when you get certified in AWS there are lots of opportunities that will open for you. Keep moving, keep going.
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