Which AWS certifications will boost your career the most?

Scrumtuous Inc.

If you want to excel in the world of IT, and you want job security as a software consultant, you need to thoroughly understand cloud computing and various ways it can be used to accelerate development and ramp up time to market. AWS certifications are a proven way to demonstrate these skills to employers and clients.

They show that you can work effectively with one of the most widely adopted cloud platforms in the world and that you are ready to take on complex challenges in modern IT environments.

5 best AWS certifications

If you are thinking of acquiring credentials that attest to your skills and knowledge, here are the top five AWS certifications to get:

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

This entry-level certification provides a broad overview of AWS and cloud fundamentals. It introduces core concepts like global infrastructure, pricing, billing, and security. It is well suited for people just starting out with cloud computing and is often the first step on a longer certification journey.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate

This is one of the most widely recognized AWS certifications. It focuses on designing secure, scalable, and cost-optimized solutions on AWS. It touches on all of the major services, from compute and storage to networking and databases, and is highly valued by employers looking for cloud professionals who can design and implement systems with confidence.

AWS Certified Developer – Associate

This certification emphasizes building and deploying applications on AWS. It covers the use of SDKs, serverless technologies, and data integration services, while also testing knowledge of performance optimization and troubleshooting. It is especially useful for developers and engineers working directly with application code in the cloud.

AWS Certified CloudOps Administrator – Associate

This certification focuses on running and supporting systems within AWS environments. It examines monitoring, automation, deployments, and troubleshooting, with an emphasis on tools such as CloudWatch and CloudFormation. It is particularly relevant for those managing day-to-day cloud operations.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional

This advanced certification demonstrates the ability to design complex enterprise solutions. It goes beyond the associate level with topics such as hybrid architectures, multi-account strategies, and large-scale migrations. It is a demanding credential that signals deep expertise and is often associated with senior-level cloud roles. Alternatively, if you already possess the Solution Architect Associate designation, a better compliment might bet the AWS DevOps Professional certification.

Special Mentions: New AI and ML Certifications

AWS Certified AI Practitioner

This new certification validates your understanding of AI concepts and the ability to work with AWS services that support artificial intelligence. It is aimed at candidates who want to build a foundation in AI while also demonstrating their cloud knowledge.

AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate

The AWS Machine Learning Engineer certification focuses on applying machine learning on AWS. It covers building, training, and deploying models with services such as SageMaker. It is designed for those who want to show their expertise in data science and machine learning in addition to cloud computing skills.

The Cloud Practitioner remains the best place to start for beginners, with the Solutions Architect Associate often being the most valuable certification for landing a first cloud role.

Developer and SysOps certifications allow you to specialize depending on your interests, while the Solutions Architect Professional sets you apart at the senior level.

For those interested in artificial intelligence, the AI Practitioner and Machine Learning Engineer certifications are important new additions that align with one of the fastest growing areas of technology.

Darcy DeClute is a Certified Cloud Practitioner and author of the Scrum Master Certification Guide. Popular both on Udemy and social media, Darcy’s @Scrumtuous account has well over 250K followers on Twitter/X.