Learn AWS: The Best Courses and Resources

AWS training is a must-have for all tech professionals. It is one of the most completed cloud computing service providers in the market. It offers more than 175 featured services worldwide, so it’s popular for a reason.

You have many options to learn AWS and you can specialize in many of its features. Below is everything you need to know, from what AWS is, to the best courses and resources to become an expert.

What Is AWS?

AWS stands for Amazon Web Services. It is Amazon’s cloud service provider. They offer cloud platforms to build anything from web applications to machine learning software. It was born from the increasing need to access computing power at lower costs.

Before cloud computing, tech companies had to invest in hardware and software to build their own infrastructure. With cloud computing, now they can hire only the power they need. It makes their computer system scalable, affordable, and more agile. 

What Jobs Use AWS Skills?

With AWS skills, you can work in software engineering or development. AWS is the most popular cloud service provider, so there are lots of jobs out there. It had 32 percent of the market share in the last quarter of 2020, which puts it in the lead by 10 percent. 

Many companies have a demand for tech professionals with AWS training. Below are some of the job opportunities that will be open for you if you learn AWS.

• Solutions Architect: These professionals are experts on maintaining a company’s cloud architecture. Solutions architects know the basic principles to develop the right cloud architecture strategies. They can also supervise cloud migrations and guide business on any issues they have with cloud services. 
  
  
• DevOps Engineering: DevOps is a different method to develop software. IT staff and developers work closely together, often on the same team. They make small, incremental changes to a product until it produces the desired results. A DevOps engineer is an expert on testing, planning, coding, deployment, and building software. 
  
  
• Developer: Developers are experts on designing, deploying, and maintaining software, applications, and websites. If they have AWS training, it means they can do all that using Amazon’s cloud platform. Because Amazon Web Services offers so many features, you can specialize in a field like artificial intelligence or big data. 
  
  
• Cloud Software Engineering: These professionals are software engineers specializing in cloud development. They understand networking, cloud computing, scripting, automated testing, and system architecture. They can help a company to launch its Amazon EC2, or debug someone else’s code. 
  
  

Steps to Learn AWS

Amazon Web Services is so extensive that it can be hard to find where to start. You can get around 10 different certifications, and each one leads to different career paths. 

Before learning AWS, you should have some experience in programming and software development. Below are the steps to learn AWS to make the process easier.

1. Decide What to Learn

You can learn specific AWS skills depending on your desired path. If you want to build your skills for a specific career, you can learn AWS by role. You can choose architecture, cloud practitioner, developer, DevOps engineering, machine learning, or operations.

If you want to learn how to deliver specific solutions, AWS has training for that too. You can choose between advanced networking, data analytics, databases, game tech, machine learning, media services, security, and computer storage.

2. Learn the Essentials

The first step is to learn the essentials of AWS. After all, you can’t run before learning how to walk. You can go directly to Amazon to learn its cloud services basics. They offer a free learning platform with more than 100 hundred courses that will help you start your journey to learn cloud computing. 

Some examples are Introduction to Amazon EC2 and Introduction to Serverless Development. AWS also has courses about machine learning, certification exam readiness, networking, content delivery, and more.  

You can also look for other courses on platforms like Udemy, Coursera, or Udacity. Check out some reviews before making a decision. You’ve got nothing to lose with free AWS training. 

3. Gain Some Experience

Knowing core concepts and the theory doesn’t mean anything if you can’t apply it to real life. You should put what you learn to practice to develop your skills for the industry. AWS gives you limited access to its services, so you can develop practice projects. You only have to create an AWS account. 

Another thing you can do to prepare is to do as many practice exams as you can. Amazon offers its own practice exams for each of the certifications. You can also search on the internet for free practice exams that will help you refresh your skills. 

4. Get Certified

Amazon offers ten different certifications in four different levels. These certifications can help you prove to employers that you have the right skills for the job. If you’re serious about learning AWS, you should get as many certifications as you can.

The first certification level is the Foundational level called Cloud Practitioner. The second is the Associate level, which includes Solutions Architect, SysOps Administrator, and Developer certifications. The third level is Professional, and it includes Solutions architect and DevOps engineer. The last level is Specialty for Advance Networking, Big Data, Security, and Machine Learning certifications. These can be particularly helpful if you are a data scientist. 

Depending on your previous experience, you will need to choose where to start. You should probably enter with the Cloud Practitioner so you can make sure you have the basics.

5. Find a Job

Getting certified is the first step to building up your AWS skills. You can apply to jobs where you will have the chance to work with real-life AWS projects. This way, you can continue to learn AWS cloud and, with time, get the more advanced certifications. 

The Best Courses to Learn AWS

Learning AWS requires a mix of technical and practical classes. Not many courses can deliver this balance. You can achieve different levels of expertise learning AWS, and there is a course for each of them. 

You should understand what you want exactly to learn when you look for courses. Here are some platforms that offer different courses to learn AWS skills. These will help you in your journey to becoming a cloud expert. 

Amazon Web Services Training

On the AWS training official site, you have free access to hundreds of videos that will introduce the platform. It is an excellent choice if you have zero knowledge of Amazon Web Services and all it has to offer. 

You can learn the essentials and understand what you need to learn next. The only downside is that it doesn’t offer more advanced courses if you want to continue learning and specialize. 

Udemy – AWS Certified Solutions Architect

Udemy is an excellent learning platform. It offers thousands of courses on many topics. Their AWS Certified Solutions Architect course will teach you everything you need to sit for the certification.

This course has a 4.6-star rating and over six thousand reviews, and it costs $49.99. Udemy also offers many more skill-specific courses, like AWS CloudFormation Master Class. 

Linkedin Learning – AWS Essential Training for Architects

Jeff Winesett, CEO and partner at SeeSaw Labs, teaches this Linkedin course. The course teaches you three different approaches to AWS: automated, manual, and serverless. The curriculum covers nine parts, which include cloud practices, security, designing for failure, and more. 

The course was published in 2019, so you have to make sure it updates with AWS cloud changes every year. It costs $39.99, which is a little cheaper than the Udemy course. 

Best AWS Resources

Besides learning with free or paid courses, there are many ways you can improve your skills. You can check out books, YouTube videos, exercises, and more. You can find skill-specific resources for each AWS feature. Below are some free resources you can find to learn AWS cloud. 

The Open Guide to Amazon Web Services

This is an open-source project on GitHub designed to serve as a guide for engineers by engineers. It includes tips, best practices, and links from real engineers with real AWS experience. The guide offers information about the AWS core services or, in other words, the most popular like EC2, load balancers, S3, and EBS. 

Amazon Web Services in Plain English 

This guide can help you understand Amazon Web Services. They offer a table with AWS features and an explanation in layman’s terms, which is perfect for beginners. They simplify everything so that you can learn effectively, even if you’re starting from the bottom. 

AWS Free Tier

AWS free tier is a free year-long trial that you can access when you create your AWS account. You will have limited access, but there’s still lots of useful information that you can take advantage of.

For example, you will have 750 hours per month on Amazon EC2 and 5GB of S3 for free. This is an excellent resource you can use to practice your skills. You can also do some personal work or projects for friends while gaining AWS experience. 

Why Learn AWS?

You should learn AWS because it’s the most popular cloud computing platform in 2023. Spending on cloud computing is expected to grow 18.4 percent in 2021, so the demand will only increase. It’s a no brainer why you should learn this skill. 

Another reason why you should learn AWS is that many companies haven’t yet transitioned to the cloud. Cloud providers don’t offer migration services, so companies have to hire cloud specialists to oversee the process. There are more job opportunities for professionals with AWS skills, even outside of Amazon. 

The learning process is simple. There are thousands of courses and resources that you can use to learn at your own pace. The best part is that you can find most of these things for free, and the certifications are quite affordable. You’ll end up with a lucrative job with almost no cost upfront.