Certification

I sat the AWS Certified AI Practitioner (AIF-C01) and passed. This is the retrospective I wish I had read before starting - what the exam actually tests, the services and concepts to know well, and which prep resources earned their place. AIF-C01 covers more ground than the name suggests: classical ML, generative AI, foundation models, and responsible AI. I came in with a working knowledge of the AWS services landscape and had been building on Bedrock before sitting this - Domains 2 and 3 still took the most prep time, and the vocabulary is denser than it looks. Where your depth sits in that space will shape what needs the most attention. ...

I sat the AWS Certified Developer Associate (DVA-C02) recently and passed. This is the retrospective I wish I had read before starting - what the exam actually tests, the services you need to know well, the concepts that trip people up, and which resources earned their place. I came in comfortable across most of the exam’s services from day-to-day work, so for me this was more about confirming and formalising what I already knew than learning it fresh. Your starting point will shape where you spend time, so calibrate the advice accordingly. ...

I sat the Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA) and passed. KCNA is the entry-level CNCF certification - it covers Kubernetes fundamentals and the wider cloud native landscape at a conceptual level, and it is the natural first step before the hands-on CKA, CKAD, and CKS exams. It is a multiple-choice exam, so it rewards knowing what the pieces are and how they relate, not hands-on kubectl skill. If you already work with Kubernetes, a lot of this will be familiar, so calibrate the prep to what you already know. ...

I sat the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) back in 2024 and passed. CLF-C02 is AWS’s foundational certification - broad rather than deep, covering cloud concepts, security, core services, and billing at a level anyone working around AWS should recognise. It is the most accessible AWS exam, so if you already work with AWS day to day, a lot of this will be familiar. Treat it as a breadth check rather than a deep technical exam, and calibrate the prep to what you already know. ...