Guide to AWS Certifications: Choosing the Right Path for Your Role

As cloud computing continues to grow, AWS certification is one of the important step for IT/Non-IT professionals who want to advance their careers. AWS provides a range of certifications designed for various roles.

In this blog, we’ll explore the AWS certification paths for several key positions, helping you decide which certifications to pursue based on your career goals.

1. If you are from Non-IT background, working in sales and marketing then it is always good to Start with AWS Cloud Practitioner Certification. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner that validates foundational knowledge of AWS Cloud and terminology.
2. If you are from IT background, having 1–3 years of IT/STEM experience. I would suggest to skip AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner and start with Solution Architect Associate or Developer Associate certification. In below diagrams, I have denoted Cloud Practitioner as an optional with dotted border.

Below I have list down the Role and corresponding certification path.

1. Solutions Architect

As a solutions architect you need to design, develop, and manage cloud infrastructure and resources. Collaborate with DevOps to migrate applications to the cloud.

2. Application Architect

As an Application architect, you need to make cloud native application scalable, reliable, and manageable across the entire enterprise.

3. Cloud Data Engineer

As a Cloud Data Engineer, you need to use Cloud native services to automate the collection and processing of structured and semi-structured data, and monitor the performance of data pipelines.

4. Software development engineer

As a Software dev engineer, you develop, build, and maintain software across various platforms and devices. You need understand about serverless development options.

5. Systems Administrator

As role suggest, as an admin you install, upgrade, and maintain computer components and software on Cloud VMs, integrate automation processes. Understand what are the various option on cloud to automate these process.

6. Cloud engineer

As a Cloud engineer, you need implement and operate an organization’s networked computing infrastructure. Set up security systems to ensure data safety.

7. Cloud DevSecOps engineer

As a DevOps engineer you need to design, deploy, and operate large-scale global hybrid cloud environments. Advocate for end-to-end automated CI/CD DevOps pipelines. If you add security part in it , it will DevSecOp Engineer.

8. Cloud Security Engineer

As a cloud sec engineer, you design computer security architecture and create detailed cybersecurity plans. Develop, implement, and monitor security measures to protect information. You need to understand shared responsibility model in Cloud. What are the services related to data protection, IDS/IPS.

9. Cloud Security Architect

Design and implement enterprise cloud solutions. Apply governance to identify, communicate, and minimize business and technical risks. Similar to engineer, you should be aware security services.

10. Network Engineer

Design and implement computer and information networks, including local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), intranets, and extranets.

11. Machine Learning Engineer

As ML engineer, you design machine learning systems, models, and frameworks. Build artificial intelligence (AI) systems to automate predictive models.

I hope this blogs guides you deciding which certification path to choose to get desired role.