Top cloud certifications which IT contractors’ clients are looking for right now

‘The cloud’ is part of almost everything that everyone who uses the internet does in their day-to-day life, be it personal or professional.

The same is true for organisations. In fact, it would now be rare for a company to have not migrated most (if not all) of their operations to the cloud.

Migration + certification = recruitment

To enable that migration, over the last decade, the demand for certified professionals in cloud computing has surged, with clients now requiring certification when recruiting contractors.

But, asks Charlie Kelly of First Point Group, which are the best or top cloud certifications which IT contractors’ clients are looking for right now?

Well, the most desired cloud certifications that contractors’ clients are looking for are from Amazon Webs Services (AWS); Microsoft Azure (MA), and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). All of these have different levels of certification.

Oh, and cloud certifications have been around for over a decade. In particular, AWS pioneered their AWS Certification Program for cloud computing professionals back in 2013.

Top cloud certifications which IT contractors’ clients are looking for -- drill-down:

AWS Certifications

1. AWS Certified Developer Associate. This certification validates a developer's capability to develop and maintain applications on AWS.

2. AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate. This certification affirms a professional’s expertise in enterprise architecture and building distributed systems on AWS.

3. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner. This certification demonstrates a foundational understanding of cloud infrastructure, architectural concepts, and AWS services.

Google Cloud Certifications

1. Google Associate Cloud Engineer. This certification validates engineers' and developers' competencies in deploying, monitoring, and managing operations of cloud-based web apps.

2. Google Professional Cloud Architect. This certifies professionals in designing and planning cloud service architectures while working efficiently with Google tools such as Big Table and Big Query.

Microsoft Azure Certifications

1. Azure Fundamentals. An introductory exam that validates a professional's grasp of Azure services, workloads, security, privacy, pricing, and principles.

2. Azure Developer, Administrator, and Data Engineers Associate. This certification displays the ability to deploy, monitor, and manage Azure services involving significant compute, storage, network, and security.

3. Azure Solutions Architect Expert. Programmers and engineers with this certification exhibit the expertise to collaborate effectively with cloud administrators, database administrators, and customers.

What’s the value of cloud certifications?

There are four big reasons why cloud certifications are valuable to organisations.

• Demonstration of skills

Cloud certifications, like all those listed above (which are in no particular order of demand), are a tangible way to validate one's abilities in cloud computing.

Certifications signal to employers that the holder possesses a baseline of knowledge and has been tested on their understanding and application of critical concepts.

• Standardisation 

For organisations, its vital that their engineering and IT personnel have the technical knowledge necessary to build and maintain solutions to a recognised standard.

• Creation of best-practices

Platforms like AWS, GCP and MA introduced industry standards, thus being certified ensures one’s knowledge and skills are reliable.

• Professional growth

For cloud professionals, certifications provide a pathway to develop and highlight their expertise which enhance career prospects and remuneration.

Cloud certifications as a contractor; why bother?

With cloud platforms continuing to dominate the technology landscape, certifications are a testament to a contractor's dedication, knowledge, and skills in cloud computing. For organisations, they're an assurance of quality and competence. This symbiotic relationship between professionals and organisations is what drives the ever-increasing demand for cloud certifications.