Amazon Web Services or AWS is one of the biggest revenue generators for Amazon, the e-commerce giant. AWS started back in 2006 and had a clean run of 4-5 years before its rivals Azure and others joined the bandwagon. AWS set the benchmark in the cloud computing industry for others to catch up. So, today we are going to talk about the actual scope of AWS training and certification. We will start with the basics and then move to the crux of the topic. So, here is a run-down on the segments of the article:
- What is AWS?
- What is AWS certification?
- Why is this certification so popular? And is there a demand for AWS-certified professionals?
- What is the scope of AWS-certified professionals?
What is AWS?
AWS or Amazon Web Services is a cloud service providing company from Amazon. It offered serverless computing, data storage facility, analytics services, networking, etc., to its customers who can use it to start or migrate their business without worrying about the infrastructure or back-end set up. AWS offers you managed and fully managed services with which you can better focus on your company and its services rather than pondering over infrastructure headaches of procuring physical servers, maintenance cost, matching demands, etc. All cloud service providers offer their services in a pay-as-you-go model, making the package more enticing and easy to use within just a few clicks.
What is AWS certification?
All cloud service providers offer certification exams to help validate candidates with a good level of experience in working on their platforms for various roles to take care of the proper implementation of the cloud for their clients. Likewise, AWS offers AWS certifications to test and validate one’s level of experience and conceptual clarity in solving domain problems using AWS cloud. These certifications are classified into four groups of Fundamental, Associate, Expert, and Specialty level. The Fundamental-level is for beginners, Associate-level is the most popular, followed by Expert and Specialty level. There is no pre-requisite for any superior level to have a certification from the lower level. Become a qualified AWS Solutions Architect-Associate by taking an AWS certification course.
AWS Certification: Demand and Popularity
As we have already discussed, AWS is the giant in the cloud space. And there is a lot to catch up on if Azure or GCP (AWS’s immediate rivals) aim to take that top spot. And meanwhile, AWS is considered the innovation engine in the market, pumping in money and resources to build the next new service that is transforming and enhancing the entire business structure. Many enterprises are migrating, and startups are choosing AWS as their platform to start their business.
According to a survey, AWS has more than 33% of the cloud market. That means there’s a higher chance of one in every three websites you open might be hosted on AWS. Now imagine, if so many companies are already using AWS services, then there will be an enormous demand for qualified professionals who are skillful in working with AWS. And many companies like Netflix, LinkedIn, Apple, Facebook, Twitch, BBC, etc., chose AWS as their platform, and that means if you are AWS certified, there is a higher possibility down the road that you may get the chance to work in one of these dream companies. And that makes this is ever more desiring.
What is the scope of AWS-certified professionals?
Within just a few years of its inception, AWS has become a profitable company. And its certifications have become one the most valued and highest ranked in IT certifications that offer better opportunities and salary. With more and more industry surveys confirming that the trend of adopting cloud technology will only go upwards. So, we can expect AWS to maintain its position in the coming years. Let’s discuss some of the famous roles in AWS certifications and their salaries (all salaries are quoted from PayScale.com):
- Cloud Developer
- Cloud DevOps Engineer
- Cloud Solutions Architect
- Cloud Software Engineer
- SysOps Admin
Cloud Developer develops solutions and software for the companies that are using a cloud platform. Now whichever cloud or cloud strategy that the company or the enterprise is using. The Cloud Developer has to have working experience in that platform. To become an AWS-certified Cloud Developer, you need to crack the AWS Certified Developer-Associate certification. The average salary for Cloud Developer or Cloud Solutions Engineer is upwards of INR 7 LPA. And if you have AWS as a skill, then it is upwards of 8.5 LPA.
Cloud DevOps Engineer is a professional who has the right mix of development operations with the reliability of service and speed of delivery. You can earn upwards of INR 6.5 LPA and a little more if you are AWS Certified DevOps Engineer-Professional.
Cloud Solutions Architect is the most desired designation out of all cloud certifications. Solutions Architect is a profession in which you need to have expertise in working with the cloud platform to design cloud architecture, transform client requirements, and implement solutions, to deploy cost-effective methods in extracting the maximum out of the cloud strategy. If you are staying in India, you will earn more than INR 9 LPA. And if you are an AWS Certified Solutions Architect-Associate, your salary will go beyond INR 10 LPA.
Cloud Software Engineer is an expert in working with cloud computing systems. They are responsible for developing systems and maintaining them to ensure that they remain updated and upgraded. If you aim to become a Cloud Software Engineer, you can expect a salary of INR 6.5 LPA. And you can increase that amount if you have AWS skills under your sleeves.
SysOps Admin or Systems Operations Administrator. A SysOps Admin’s role is to deploy, operate, and manage a cloud platform. If you are a Systems Administrator, your salary will be somewhere around INR 4 LPA. But if you have experience in working with AWS for operations, deployment, and management and have AWS Certified SysOps Administrator-Associate, then your salary becomes close to INR 10 LPA.
Conclusion
Thus you can see the enormous scope of AWS certifications in today’s scenario. All AWS certifications give you better opportunities and increased salary. If you are planning for an AWS certification, then this is the right time to acquire one.