As we navigate through the digital age, the importance of understanding and utilizing advanced technologies has never been more critical. One such technology that stands at the forefront is Amazon Web Services (AWS). AWS has emerged as the cornerstone of modern cloud computing and plays an instrumental role in the digital transformation of countless industries. As we usher in 2024, the significance of AWS continues to rise, influencing businesses, governments, and individuals alike. The AWS cloud platform, with its array of services and capabilities, offers a groundbreaking approach to computing, data storage, and application development, ultimately transforming the way we operate in the digital realm.
Amazon offers AWS, a feature-rich and dynamic cloud computing platform. It provides a combination of platform as a service (PaaS, packaged software as a service (SaaS), and infrastructure as a service (IaaS) capabilities. AWS offers a wide range of cloud services, including networking, databases, processing power, and storage alternatives, that can assist companies in expanding and growing. In today’s interconnected world, AWS has become synonymous with the infrastructure of the internet. It powers vast amounts of the web, from streaming your favorite shows to hosting your most-visited websites. As such, proficiency in AWS is not just a desirable skill, it’s going to become an essential one.
You would be doing yourself a favor by educating yourself in AWS as this is investing in your own future. With the increasing demand for cloud services and the dominance of AWS in the market, having AWS knowledge can open doors to numerous opportunities in various sectors. Whether you’re an IT professional looking to expand your skill set or a business owner aiming to scale operations, understanding AWS can give you a significant edge. Coursera offers top-of-the-line courses that will help you better understand AWS, and how much of an advantage it is to be fluent in this tool if you are a business professional. We will be taking a look at the top 5 courses that will improve your skills in AWS.
Table of Contents
- AWS Fundamentals Specialization
- AWS Cloud Solutions Architect
- DevOps on AWS Specialization
- AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials
- Starting Your Career with AWS Cloud Specialization
- Conclusion
AWS Fundamentals Specialization
This 3-course specialization gives current or aspiring IT professionals an overview of the features, benefits, and capabilities of Amazon Web Services (AWS). With an outstanding 4.6 out of 5 stars, this course is highly regarded from its previous takers. It is a beginner level, with an estimated duration of 1 month at 10 hours a week. But it is a flexible working schedule where you can work at your own pace which is nice. You will have four instructors for this course all from Amazon Web Services including: Alex G., Morgan Willis, Seph Robinson, and Rafael Lopes
The three courses involved with this specialization include: “AWS Cloud Technical Essentials”, “Migrating to the AWS Cloud”, and “Architecting Solutions on AWS”. After completing each milestone throughout these courses, you will gain a more vivid understanding of core AWS services, key AWS security concepts, strategies for migrating from on-premises to AWS, and the basics of building serverless applications with AWS. You will also be able to put your newly acquired knowledge into practice by working through labs and activities created by AWS technical educators.
Some skills to take away from completing this course are:
- Learn from industry professionals about in-demand talents.
- Learn AWS or tools through real-world hands-on assignments.
- Gain a thorough knowledge of the essential ideas behind the principles of AWS.
- A career certificate from Amazon Web Services that you can apply on Linkedin.
All in all, upon completion, you’ll be equipped with essential skills, from AWS core foundational services to security concepts and serverless application development. Furthermore, the guidance of industry professionals ensures you learn in-demand talents through hands-on assignments, giving you real-world experience. With your career certificate from Amazon Web Services in hand, you embark on a path filled with possibilities.
AWS Cloud Solutions Architect
In this course, you will be gaining the skills to become an AWS Solutions Architect. You will learn to design architectural solutions on AWS that will prepare you for your AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate exam. The course was graded a near-perfect 4.8 out of 5 from over 700 of its previous takers. However, this course is recommended for more experienced users than the previous one as it is an Intermediate recommended experience level. The timetable for this course is looking at about 2 months at 10 hours a week, with a flexible work schedule where you work at your own pace. This 4-course series includes: “AWS Cloud Technical Essential”, “Architecting Solutions on AWS”, “Introduction to Designing Data Lakes on AWS” and “Exam Prep: AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate”. Your instructors for this course are all from Amazon Web Services including Morgan Willis, Seph Robinson, Rafael Lopes, and Julie Elkins.
The process for this course takes you on a journey starting with learning key AWS Services for computing, storage, database, networking, monitoring, and security, then going into detail on how to build and manage a data lake, design architectural solutions, then you will be prepared for the certification test. The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate credential highlights expertise in a variety of AWS services and technology. The certification concentrates on showcasing a thorough understanding of the AWS Well-Architected Framework and designing solutions that maximize efficiency for both cost and performance. Also, per the SkillSoft IT Skills and Salary report, this AWS Certification is one of the top-paying IT certifications in the world.
There is also an applied learning project offered throughout the completion of this course. This is a great opportunity to do real-world influenced labs where you’ll use the AWS Management Console to apply skills you learned.
Skills you will add to your repertoire include:
- AWS Certification Preparation
- Cloud Architecture
- Architecting on AWS
- Data Lakes
- AWS Management Console
When it’s all said and done, your journey towards becoming an AWS Solutions Architect will be one step closer to complete. This course not only equips you with the skills needed for this role but also serves as a vital stepping stone toward your AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate exam. Earning a stellar 4.8 out of 5 rating from over 700 previous learners, this course stands as a testament to its excellence.
DevOps on AWS Specialization
In this course specialization you will become an expert in DevOps methodologies and AWS services to deliver faster to provide your clients with updates more quickly with greater reliability. With over 1,000 happy reviews this course has a grade of 4.7 out of 5 stars, and again is another intermediate-level course. The timetable of completion for this course is also estimated again to be around 1 month at 10 hours a week, with a flexible schedule that lets users learn at their own pace. This 4-course series includes courses centered around: “AWS Cloud Technical Essentials”, “DevOps on AWS: Code, Build, and Test”, “DevOps on AWS: Release and Deploy” and “DevOps on AWS: Operate and Monitor”. Your instructors for this course are all from Amazon Web Services including Morgan Willis, Seph Robinson, Rafael Lopes, and Russell Sayers.
The DevOps on AWS specialty educates students on creating, launching, and managing AWS Cloud applications using a blend of DevOps principles, methods, and technologies. Adopting DevOps has several advantages, such as increased cooperation, security, scalability, dependability, and quick delivery. Each sub-course has its specialization and meaning that you can check out on the Courseras page if you are interested in finding out the components of each topic you will be working through. There is also an applied learning project provided in this course where you will work through real-world problems to better prepare you for using DevOps on AWS.
The skills you will master after completion include:
- How to Implement DevOps culture and practices in the AWS Cloud
- Explore deployment strategies for serverless applications.
- Microservices
- Continuous Integration
- DevOps
- Monitoring and Logging
To sum things up, after completing this comprehensive DevOps specialization course, you’re on the right path to becoming a true expert in DevOps methodologies and using AWS services. The main goal is to make it possible for you to provide clients with updates more quickly and reliably. This intermediate-level course has received over 1,000 positive reviews and an amazing 4.7 out of 5 stars, which attests to its effectiveness and quality. With a course completion time estimate of about one month and a weekly commitment of ten hours, the flexible scheduling option lets you learn at your own speed.
AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials
In this course, you will gain a greater understanding of the foundation AWS Cloud concepts to help you grasp enough confidence to contribute to your organization’s cloud initiatives. This course is also the starting point to prepare for the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification. With over 1,400 reviews this course has an exceptional 4.8 out of 5 stars grade and is a beginner-level course meaning anyone should be able to learn from this. The timetable of completion for this course is 18 hours to complete or 6 hours for 3 weeks, with a flexible schedule that lets users learn at their own pace. This course includes 7 modules to work on before completion to receive your certificate. Your instructors for this course are all from Amazon Web Services including Morgan Willis, Blaine Sundrud, and Rudy Chetty.
When you finish the course, you’ll comprehend the fundamentals of AWS Cloud’s worldwide infrastructure as well as its advantages. You will be able to list the fundamental AWS services—compute, network, databases, and storage—and give an example of each. For those with an interest in finance, you will be able to explain the AWS Cloud’s financial advantages, outline the fundamental pricing and billing methods, and discover how to use price tools to select AWS services that are both affordable and worthwhile.
Skills to take away from this course include:
- A fundamental understanding of the working definition of the AWS Cloud
- The ability to differentiate between on-premises, hybrid-cloud, and all-in-cloud
- The capacity to explain the AWS Cloud’s fundamental global infrastructure.
- Cloud Computing Security
- Cloud networking
- AWS cloud
- Cloud Computing
This course will equip you with the knowledge to confidently contribute to your organization’s cloud initiatives and serve as a great starting point for preparing for the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification.
Starting Your Career with AWS Cloud Specialization
In this course specialization you learn about the most in-demand cloud careers. You will be educated by experts about foundational AWS services and the skills needed to be a successful cloud builder. This course sits at a spectacular 4.8 out of 5 star grade and is a beginner-level course meaning that it is meant for anyone it doesn’t require any special background knowledge about the subject matter. The timetable of completion for this course is also estimated again to be around 1 month at 10 hours a week, with a flexible schedule that lets users learn at their own pace. This is a 3-course specialization with the courses included being: “Introduction to AWS Cloud Careers”, “AWS Services Overview for IT Professionals”, and “Hands-on with AWS for IT Professionals”. Your instructors for this course are all from Amazon Web Services including Oksana Hoeckele, Alex G, and Rafael Lopes.
An overview of cloud principles, an explanation of IT and cloud computing, an introduction to cloud computing jobs, and assistance in identifying and evaluating the abilities required to carry out activities in cloud computing positions are all covered in this three-course specialization. Additionally, students will have the chance to get their hands dirty by carrying out tasks that are typical of cloud computing experts. This is the place to start if you’ve thought about learning more about a career in cloud computing, which is in high demand.
What you will gain out of this course is:
- A foundational understanding of which cloud computing roles are in demand.
- A shareable certificate added to your LinkedIn profile.
- The ability to identify and assess the skills necessary to complete tasks in cloud computing roles.
- Cloud Operations
- Solution Architecture
- Developing on AWS
- AWS cloud
Conclusion
As 2024 approaches, Amazon Web Services will maintain its position as the industry leader in cloud computing, powering an increasing amount of the internet and revolutionizing businesses all over the world. Owing to the increasing need for cloud expertise across several industries, acquiring AWS skills can lead to a plethora of job prospects. Coursera offers extensive introductory courses and role-specific training, such as DevOps and Solutions Architect, making it one of the best places to advance your AWS skills. Coursera provides excellent industry-relevant coursework and practical experience in their AWS programs, which are ideal for those who are just starting out or want to hone their abilities before getting certified.
With flexible pacing and expert guidance, anyone can gain AWS fluency to thrive in the cloud-centric future. Mastering AWS fundamentals or pursuing advanced certifications equips you with in-demand skills. As AWS shapes technology’s trajectory, these courses empower you to ride this wave of innovation.
