5 Cloud Certifications to Start Your Cloud Career in 2025

Cloud computing—using the internet to store data and services instead of a computer hard drive—is growing. Increased internet access, the reduced cost of using the cloud, new technology, and a pandemic-driven digitisation of many services have each accelerated the adoption of cloud technology. Business advisory firm, Gartner, predicts that cloud will make up 14 per cent of all global enterprise IT spending in 2024, up from 9 per cent in 2020 [1].

In response to rapid digitalisation, the UK government launched Transforming for a Digital Future, the 2022 to 2025 Roadmap for Digital and Data. It aims to attract top digital talent, transform public sectors, and utilise new technologies for advancement [2]. Part of this initiative includes the Cloud First policy, which is part of a larger initiative to encourage at least 90 per cent of digital professionals to take a training course at least once per year [3]. 

If you are in the digital or technology sector, or you hope to enter it, getting a cloud certification is a great way to demonstrate your knowledge and position yourself well within an increasingly digital workforce.

Should you get a cloud certification?

Like many information technology (IT) professions, hands-on experience and demonstrated skills can often speak louder than a certification by itself in cloud computing. That said, a certification can be useful in indicating your abilities to hiring managers and help you expand your experience. 

Cloud computing is an in-demand skill. The average salary for a cloud engineer in the United Kingdom is £52,725 per year, according to Glassdoor[4]. That's higher than the reported average for the overall IT industry, which is £39,847 as of 2024 [5]. If you have some experience in IT or computer programming and want to gain experience in cloud computing—or want to integrate the cloud into your career—a certification can certainly be beneficial. If you're just starting to explore the IT space, consider an entry-level IT certification.

Cloud certifications

The following certifications are often recommended for those trying to position themselves for entry-level cloud-related jobs. Prices listed are as of July 2024.

1. Amazon Web Services (AWS) Solutions Architect—Associate

The AWS Solutions Architect—Associate certification involves a multiple-choice exam. It tests your ability to deploy, manage, and use various services in AWS, the leading platform in the cloud market. This certification takes 130 minutes and includes 65 questions. Passing the exam shows your proficiency in the basic technical concepts of AWS cloud engineering which can position you to qualify for related jobs. AWS works in partnership with the UK government surrounding its cyber defence and national security, making it a great platform choice for building skills in cloud computing and digital solutions.

• Cost: 150 USD

• What’s being tested: Compute, networking, storage, and database AWS services; deployment and management; basic architectural principles of building in AWS; global AWS infrastructure; network technologies in relation to AWS; among other subjects 

Just starting out with AWS? The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification is designed for candidates with a few months of experience. It can be a way to build up experience for the AWS Solutions Architect—Associate certification.

2. Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals

With the second largest market share in the cloud space, Azure can be a useful cloud platform to learn. The foundational certification for Azure involves the AZ-900 exam and is designed for those with both technical and non-technical backgrounds. It’s a solid certification to get you up to speed with fundamental Azure knowledge. From there, you can go on to get the Azure Administrator Associate or Azure Developer Associate certifications, though it’s not a prerequisite.

• Cost: £69

• What’s being tested: The differences between cloud services like IaaS and PaaS; benefits of using cloud services; core Azure services like virtual machines (VMs), containers, Kubernetes, and database services; understanding of Azure core solutions and management tools; basic security, include network security; and other subjects.

This beginner exam is a great choice to begin your certification journey and lasts for 45 minutes. After completing this certifcation, you can continue to take associate and expert-level exams.

3. Google Associate Cloud Engineer

Getting certified as a Google Associate Cloud Engineer will mean showing competency in the basic aspects of working with Google Cloud. This includes setting up a cloud solution environment, managing storage and databases, and configuring access and security, among other things.

• Cost: 125 USD

• What’s being tested: Setting up cloud solutions by creating projects, managing users in Cloud Identity, and managing billing configuration; planning and configuring compute resources, data storage options, and network resources; deploying Google Kubernetes Engine, applications; managing a virtual machine (VM); and more.

You can choose to take this exam in a proctored test centre, or you can opt for online options if you aren’t near a physical location. While you don’t have to complete a formal pre-requisite, it’s recommended you have at least six months of Google Cloud experience before taking this two-hour, 50-to-60-question exam.

To get started, you can take a course in Google Cloud Product Fundamentals, which can be the first step in getting the Cloud Engineering with Google Cloud Professional Certificate. 

Want a more holistic introduction to IT work? Take a look at the Google IT Support Professional Certificate.

4. CompTIA Cloud+

If you have some experience in cloud engineering, the CompTIA Cloud+ global certificate is a great option to ensure you have the strong foundational knowledge and applied skills needed to manage, optimize, and deploy cloud solutions successfully. You might choose this option for its flexibility, as you can take part in several training options, such as asynchronous online, self-learning, or live sessions. 

• Cost: £218

• What’s being tested: Analysing different cloud models, designing business support solutions, deploying workload migrations; managing cloud operations; integrating automation and scaling; implementing security measures; source control; continuous integration and deployment; troubleshooting; and more.

It’s worth noting that a new CompTIA Cloud+ examination is launching in September 2024, covering modern cloud computing trends and solutions. 

5. Cloud Security Alliance: Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK)

The CCSK is issued by the Cloud Security Alliance, a vendor-neutral certification provider. This means that the things you learn from getting a certification can be applied to different cloud platforms. The CCSK focuses on the fundamentals of cloud security. Other advanced certifications complement the CCSK, such as the Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) qualification and Certificate of Cloud Auditing Knowledge (CCAK).

• Cost: 445 USD

• What’s being tested: Cloud computing concepts and architecture; governance and enterprise risk management; legal issues and contracts; data security; virtualization and containers; and more

This exam is 90 minutes long, open-book and online, and includes 60 multiple-choice questions. To pass, you must score at least 80 percent on the exam.

Which cloud certification should you get?

To help you decide which cloud certification to get, it’s a good idea to look at what cloud platform is often used in your geographical area and target industry. The UK government hosts cloud certification events covering information about AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform, among others.

As of July 2024, Amazon Web Services, or AWS, had the largest market share of cloud infrastructure providers, followed by Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and Alibaba Cloud [6]. 

Getting started on Coursera

Knowledge of the cloud is in demand, with the UK government recommending digital and technology professionals take at least one course per year to update their knowledge and learn new skills. You can complete exciting global certificates from industry giants such as Amazon, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud to boost your knowledge and expand your career prospects in this area.

Becoming a cloud professional in IT might mean working in an in-demand field that can lead to lucrative salaries. If you have a basic understanding of IT concepts, you can take a course in cloud basics like Infrastructure and Application Modernization with Google Cloud, IBM’s Introduction to Cloud Computing, or Starting Your Career with AWS Cloud Specialization. Upon completion, gain a shareable certificate to showcase in your CV or LinkedIn profile.