My navigation into AWS: A Personal Journey

In January 2023, I embarked on a professional journey into the world of cloud computing and Amazon Web Services (AWS) with a clear goal in mind: to pass the AWS Cloud Practitioner Exam.

How did I study? Udemy and Youtube.

I went through the official exam guide first, and understood nothing as the technical jargon was overwhelming. I recognised the importance of building a strong foundation - a mental picture of the cloud architecture.

I turned to the treasure troves of Youtube leveraging videos like "Top 50+ AWS Services explained in 10 minutes" or "AWS in 15 minutes", while continuing to hum the song from "168 AWS Services in 2 minutes".

This is not essential, but one cannot truly learn a language without learning the alphabet first, correct?

I enrolled in Stephane Maarek's course, "Cloud Practitioner CLF-C01" on Udemy. Initially, I took a passive approach, letting the videos play in the background during the weekends. I listened and absorbed the content without making physical notes, allowing myself to become familiar with the key concepts.

The playlist was repeated twice, and on the second time, I adopted a more active approach by compiling a list of AWS services covered in the course. The third time, I even doodled the logos of the services and added single-word descriptions.

Practice Makes Perfect

I then enrolled for Stephen Maarek's six practice tests on Udemy as well. Given my positive experience with his course, it made sense to continue with his tests. I made it a routine every alternate day where I took those tests in a controlled environment at work.

This made all the difference.

Furthermore, I discovered the added benefit of working in a software development company with a pre-existing expertise in AWS services. During my preparation, a senior programmer guided me through the process, from creating an AWS account to understanding the various roles, exploring the marketplace, and even setting up EC2 instances or S3 buckets. I gained practical insights into account management, role configurations, and infrastructure setup, as I watched the developers work with cloud computing platforms.

In conclusion, my holistic approach to learning and preparation was instrumental in my success in passing the AWS Cloud Practitioner Exam.

If you've made it to this section of the article, I trust that I've been able to provide some valuable insights to support your journey towards AWS certification success.

Best of luck on your path!