Where Do I Start with the Cloud? Part 3 - Google Cloud Platform

Certifications  · 

If you are looking to gain focus on cloud technologies, the first step and question that you must ask yourself if “Where do I Start?”

There are different avenues that you can take to become

  1. Generalist: with the foundational understanding in multiple clouds

  2. Fundamentals/Practitioners: where you get the base level certification available for the cloud providers

  3. Associate: the first level technical certification.

  4. Expert/Professional: the highest level technical certification

  5. Specialty: take a path specific to the technology area that you are generally focused

This article will provide some thoughts around each of these areas for each of the cloud providers. This insight will hopefully assist you in carving your own path and focus on growth in the cloud. In later posts, I will provide my thoughts around certifications, the “what’s in it for me” and “do organizations value them”.

For now, we will focus on each of the providers options for gaining knowledge and certifications. Previous articles have provided a roadmap for Azure and AWS. This post will focus on Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

Google Cloud Platform

GCP Generalist: Google has a Sales and Technical Sales path for the generalist level. These have an online learning and knowledge test that is free and available when you are registered as a partner. The technical sales path is very G-Suite oriented, with not much on the Google Cloud Platform. The Sales path is focused on the value proposition and sales approach to GCP.

GCP Fundamentals: Google does not have what would be considered a Fundamentals certification on Google Cloud Platform. If you plan to go beyond the Sales or Technical Sales paths, you would move directly into the Associate certification levels.

GCP Associate: Google provides on Associate certification path which is Cloud Engineer. Preparing for this exam can be accomplished by using third party training resources from QwikLabs, Skylines Academy, WhizLabs, A Cloud Guru/Linux Academy, Udemy, and many others.

GCP Professional: There are multiple GCP Professional paths. These are Cloud Architect, Cloud Developer, Data Engineer, Cloud DevOps Engineer, Cloud Security Engineer, Cloud Network Engineer, and Collaboration Engineer. Google’s partner requirements start at this professional level, unlike Microsoft and Amazon. So, getting these certifications would be valued by any organization that is working on GCP.

GCP Specialty</strong>: Many of the Professional paths can be viewed as specialized, but Google also has one additional level that could be categorized here. This is the User certification of G-Suite.

Third party training resources help to provide a guided learning path for these exams. Some of the recommended ones (as mentioned previously) are: Skylines Academy, QwikLabs, A Cloud Guru/Linux Academy, WhizLabs, Udemy, and many others.

This completes the series on Where to Start with Azure, AWS, and GCP certifications. Good luck on your cloud certification journey.