THE EXPERIENCE IN BECOMING AN AWS CERTIFIED CLOUD PRACTITIONER

I am finally writing this because I genuinely wanted to document my experience so I can always look at my growth and motivate myself.

I never expected that I would write the AWS Cloud Practitioner exam until I discussed my career choice in tech with Cynthia and figured venturing into the cloud was a great option.

She encouraged me to build my career in technical writing and cloud engineering, so I started. This all began in November 2021.

I started from reading Adora’s book on ‘Cloud Engineering for Beginners’ to browsing and reading different articles about the cloud and its usefulness in the digital world.

Later on, Cynthia plugged me into this ‘Digital Cloud Transformation’ program organized by WtechAfrica for women across Africa. I applied for it, got selected, attended the scheduled virtual meetings, and won a voucher to write the AWS Cloud Practitioner exam.

Amazon Web Services Cloud Practitioner is the new entry-level certification for the AWS cloud fresher. This AWS Certification is intended for individuals who have essential knowledge and understanding of AWS cloud. Essentially, if you want to start your journey in the cloud, this is most likely the first exam you might take. The pass mark is 70 percent.

Now the war began.

Did I know what I was doing? No. Was I sure I was making the right decision? No. Did I continue? Yes.

Had school exams (I am a nursing student) so it was very hard to balance reading and that is where time management came into play. I knew what time would work for me so I stuck strictly to my plans.

Amazon Web Services gave me amazing resources on the amazon skill builder, and I read according to my pace with other resources aside. Regardless, I didn’t understand many things, so I knew I needed a tutor — someone I could report to about my progress.

That was when I met Adedayo, a cloud engineer and a wonderful coach. He is that friend who can explain a whole syllabus one hour before an exam. He is exceptionally good and explained technical terms that seemed hard to comprehend, making my journey easier.

To be disciplined and stay focused was the watchword that kept me going. Ability to ask questions and not be shy really helped me as well because I know Dayo would have been frustrated if I was not interested in what I was doing. Overall, I prepared in just two weeks.

Afterwards on Saturday 29th January, 2022, I took the exam. I did the exam in the comfort of my room at night to avoid distractions and have a good network connection. Before entering the exam hall, there were different procedures such as checking your ID (I used my international passport), checking my exam environment, and making sure exam rules were strictly followed.

P.S: I had difficulty logging into the exam. My Verification ID was not clear, and network issues occurred. This is why I emphasize having a strong network connection and having two functioning phones in case of emergencies.

Exam time!!!

The exam was not easy because this was my first tech exam, so it was hard to adjust.

The exam lasted for 100 minutes with 65 questions — all open-ended.

I answered all exams, thoroughly checked for errors, filled my questionnaire afterward, and finally submitted it.

Result time!!

Heart pounding, head aching, hands shaking as my result was loading. I just sat there with my eyes closed for five minutes.

It opened, and I saw “PASS”!!

Wait!! Is that me?????? I passed???

A memory I can never forget.

I got my email and earned my badge.

There are some things I would like to highlight about the AWS Cloud Practitioner Exam:

1. Your determination is what will make you pass: Please do not doubt yourself.
2. Cultivate a reading habit: It is easy to forget technical terms if you stop reading.
3. Know your time: My time was to read at night; what is yours?
4. Read to learn, not cram. Your foundation has to be very strong. Make jottings if you need to.
5. Search for meanings of technical terms you do not understand. Be inquisitive.
6. Ask Questions. Do not be shy at all. (You can ask me anyways, I would be happy to respond)
7. Involve critical reasoning in answering questions. Go back and crosscheck for mistakes.
8. Practice past questions. It gives you an idea of what the exam is like.
9. Before the exam, check your exam environment and ensure it is safe, quiet, without distractions, and has a solid network connection.
10. Do not be scared as you enter the exam hall. Drink water if you must.

I will be documenting more of my cloud engineering journey here and explaining the terms under it. Follow me here to learn more.

I hope this is impactful to you.

With love,

Esther.