Training and certifications
Exploring training and certifications in the AWS universe
With a fast-evolving platform like AWS, best practices change and the expertise required to succeed also shifts. That’s made training and certification an essential part of everyday life for employees and employers alike.
From boosting your appeal to organizations as a jobseeker to upskilling your teams to stay ahead of the curve, training and certifications are vital to ensure your digital projects stay on track. No wonder learning and development is championed by those from every corner of the ecosystem, year in, year out.
Certifications don’t just help professionals stand out on the job market either—they play a key role in job satisfaction, soft skill development, and help bolster retention (and talent attraction). Obviously they require a serious investment in time and money—so do people think they’re getting full value from that?
Let’s look at the AWS certifications that professionals hold, as well as delving into the worth people place on them.
What percentage of candidates hold an AWS certification?
AWS certifications held by candidates
| AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate | 70% |
| AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner - Foundational | 47% |
| AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional | 28% |
| AWS Certified Developer - Associate | 27% |
| AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate | 23% |
| AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional | 18% |
| AWS Certified Security - Specialty | 14% |
| AWS Certified Machine Learning - Specialty | 6% |
| AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty | 5% |
| AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate | 2% |
| Retired AWS certifications | 9% |
Does holding an AWS certification make you a more valuable professional?
Maximizing value: How might certifications make candidates more valuable to employers?
Certification provides a level of assurance that candidates have a certain level of competency with AWS
“AWS certifications validate my expertise in cloud services and solutions, ensuring that I have the knowledge and skills required to design, deploy, and manage applications on AWS.”
“The professional certifications are genuinely difficult to attain and demonstrate a high degree of knowledge that cannot easily be demonstrated without them.”
They give you a competitive edge against uncertified candidates
“They separate me from people of equal skill and experience however, they are not substitutes for skill and experience.”
“I believe holding a cert makes you standout when multiple CVs are looked at by a hiring manager.”
Some businesses or clients often seek certified professionals
“Some clients/companies prefer certified individuals.”
“Many job adverts specifically ask for AWS certifications.”
AWS certifications are globally recognized qualifications
“AWS certifications are globally recognized and respected in the industry.”
Gaining a certification demonstrates a commitment to learning more about AWS
“Gaining a certification shows that I am willing to study and work hard to better understand the technology I work with.”
Certs coupled with experience is more valuable
“Achieving AWS Certification is very hard, but one should have experience along with knowledge.”
Summarizing the sceptics: Why don't respondents believe that certifications make candidates more valuable to employers?
- Hands-on experience with AWS is more valuable
- Earning a certification mainly demonstrates the ability to pass exams
What are the main benefits you can gain from undertaking a certification?
| A way to verify your skills with AWS products | |
| Better career progression opportunities | |
| Increased efficiency at my job | |
| Improved and increased industry knowledge | |
| Added skills and value to your organization | |
| Better marketability to employers/an enhanced professional profile | |
| Recognition from my employer that my skills adhere to a professional standard | |
| More trust from my employer | |
| More respect from co-workers | |
| Transferable industry skills |
How does gaining a certification impact on your salary?
Are employers contributing towards the cost of certifications?
In this study, 47% of respondents reported paying for their own certifications, compared to 34% in our previous survey. Several factors may explain this increase: professionals may be looking to differentiate themselves in a competitive job market, investing in their own career growth and skillset to enhance their value to current or future employers.
Additionally, certs may be seen as a way of securing positions in an evolving ecosystem, and for freelancers, they may help attract more clients and boost credibility.
Our data shows that finding new customers and the increased competition for clients are two of the biggest challenges contractors face.
What AWS certifications can boost your pay?
Once again, the Solutions Architect (Professional) certification tops our list of certifications most likely to increase a candidate’s earning potential, according to AWS professionals.
AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional
AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional
AWS Certified Security - Specialty
| AWS Certified Machine Learning - Specialty | |
| AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty | |
| AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate | |
| AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate | |
| AWS Certified Developer - Associate | |
| AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate | |
| AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner - Foundational | |
| Not sure |
What motivates an AWS professional to get certified?
We also asked professionals who are not currently certified or pursuing certification what would motivate them to do so. This time, two of the top incentives revolve around the financial or professional benefits of earning a certification. However, receiving paid time off from their employer fell from second place in our previous survey to fifth in respondents’ motivations this time. Employer funding dropped from first place this year, which aligns with more people paying for their own certifications. While it can be seen as a worrying trend that employer support is on the decline, it does underline the eagerness for AWS employees to stay up to date and continue to learn—food for thought for employers looking to stand out when hiring talent.
| The incentive of a pay increase after gaining certification | 38% |
| Employer funding for certifications | 36% |
| The incentive of a promotion or a new role after gaining certification | 32% |
| If it was required for my role | 30% |
| Paid time off to attend training or study | 21% |
| The incentive of learning new skills | 21% |
| Discounted certifications | 19% |
| None of the above | 9% |
| Other | 2% |
What are the barriers to achieving a certification?
What training and development would AWS professionals like?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning training
Leadership and management training
Cybersecurity training and certifications
| Training and certifications in project management methodologies like PRINCE2 or PMP, as well as Agile/Scrum methodologies | |
| Strategic planning and goal setting | |
| Data-driven decision making | |
| Training in communication and interpersonal skills, including public speaking | |
| Negotiation and conflict resolution techniquese | |
| Risk management and contingency planning | |
| Time management techniques | |
| Change management strategies and techniques | |
| Training to improve emotional intelligence | |
| Customer service skills | |
| Diversity, equity, and inclusion training | |
| Other |
Note for employers
Investing in your employees’ professional development is a strategic decision that benefits both individuals and organizations. With new technologies emerging all the time, making sure your employees stay ahead of the curve will enable you to access the skills you need on your team to deliver for your customers and stay competitive in your industry.
A strong learning and development strategy is crucial for attracting and retaining top talent. AWS professionals are motivated by continuous learning and growth, and providing opportunities for upskilling and certification demonstrates your commitment to their career development.
Note for job seekers
Conclusion
While there is a slight increase of 1% in the number of certified respondents compared to our previous study, fewer professionals are recertifying their skills, dropping from 48% to 44%. This is surprising, considering 79% of those with certifications believe they make candidates more valuable.
Additionally, there has also been a decline in certified candidates who received a salary boost (49%, down from 60%, and from 73% in the year prior), along with a decrease in the average pay rise post-certification.
In today’s challenging economic climate, it’s understandable that candidates are prioritizing financial incentives, with a pay increase (38%) coming out on top of the motivations encouraging candidates to get certified. This is especially true when certification often comes at the cost of their own time and, for 47% of respondents, their own money.
Organizations should take note of this and evaluate the impact this has on internal skills, job satisfaction, output, and profitability. If current market conditions mean you can’t supply sufficient financial incentives, look to support candidates in overcoming common certification barriers like a lack of time to study (67%) by reducing workloads and providing internal time and resources.
Meanwhile, candidates should consider the broader benefits of certifications. With 57% of our respondents telling us that certs are important for earning potential as a tech professional, then certification holds the potential to pay dividends if not immediately, then further down the line.
Why not explore even more of our content:
Careers and Hiring Guide
AWS Edition 2025
Key Findings
Our key findings report contains highlights from this year’s Careers and Hiring Guide, plus our salary tables to allow you to compare your compensation or benchmark your teams’ salaries or rates no matter their role in the AWS ecosystem.
