Azure certifications are among the most demanded Microsoft certifications currently due to the gradual shift of organizations towards the cloud platform. The need for Azure professionals is growing exponentially as the demand for cloud professionals currently outweighs the supply.
Therefore, Azure certified professionals can expect more opportunities and growth in the sector because the certification helps them get the much-needed validation of their skills. Also, the companies can easily identify individuals with more profound knowledge in the field.
How To Find The Right Certification Path?
The best way to find the correct certification path for yourself is by determining the field or profession you want to opt for or are currently working in. The Azure Microsoft certification courses are primarily based on skill-sets.
Others are more relevant for IT professionals, some for developers and data analysts. There are even comprehensive courses for AI and ML professionals. To break down things easier for you, we have categorized the Azure certifications into four classes:
- System Administrators
- Developers
- Data Analysts and AI Experts
- Cross-field Professionals
- Fundamental Certifications
Certification Path For System Administrators (IT Professionals)
Specific Microsoft certifications are suited for IT professionals who want to validate their skills in creating, engaging and managing in-house, hybrid, or cloud network infrastructure solutions.
If you are a working cloud professional or you aspire to manage the Azure environment, then the Azure Administrator Associate certification is a suitable training of Microsoft certification for you.
Furthermore, suppose you are more interested in diving into security controls and firewall, managing accesses, and protecting data, applications, and networks against potential threats. In that case, you can consider the Azure Security Engineer Associate certification training.
There’s something for architects and engineers closely associated with the SAP platforms. If you wish to build a long-term path in developing SAP solutions then you can consider the Azure for SAP Workloads Speciality.
Similarly, if you are interested in going full-fledged into the cloud agility and in-house cloud security infrastructure, you can consider the latest Azure Stack Hub Operator Associate certification.
Certification Path For Developers
Application developers are an integral part of the IT world as they serve as the backbone of innovation. To become a top-notch developer, it is necessary to possess certain skills required for designing, building, testing, and maintaining cloud computing applications and services.
You can check out the Azure Developer Associate certification to validate your skills in the area. A lot of developments are happening in the IoT area too, and if you are interested in developing cloud and edge components, then you can try the Azure IoT Developer Specialty from the Microsoft online courses.
Certification Path For Data And AI Experts
Data analytics enthusiasts have many options to opt from. There are multiple certification courses that validate your skills in support applications and their infrastructure. Suppose you are more into implementing the management, supervision, and security of data solutions using the complete Azure data services.
In that case, you can go ahead and get Azure Data Engineer Associate certification. Otherwise, you can also opt for Azure Database Administrator Associate, which validates your RDBMS and cloud skills.
Alternatively, if you are more interested in validating your data analytics and visualization skills, then you can opt for a Data Analyst Associate certification, and the machine learning enthusiasts can get Azure Data Scientist Associate certification.
Certification Path For Cross Field Professionals
These certifications aren’t exclusive to the IT domain. They are suitable for Machine Learning professionals, System Administrators, Microsoft Artificial Intelligence professionals, and developers. Some of the standard certifications are Azure AI Engineer Associate, DevOps Engineer Expert, Azure Solutions Architect Expert, among others.
Fundamental Certification Path
If you wish to begin fresh and gather more knowledge and validate them regarding the Microsoft technologies, you can opt for the Fundamental certifications first. Once you have successfully aced them, you can soar ahead towards the more advanced certifications.
Conclusion
Becoming a Microsoft Certified Professional is a milestone in every IT professional’s career, and the journey begins with learning the modern technologies and getting them validated.
To start your journey, select your suited certification path and start preparing for the certification of your choice. This decade belongs to technology, and you surely can be a part of it by equipping yourself with relevant skills.
