Tag Archive for: AWS Training

Top Reasons to Get Cloud Certified

In many companies today, the cloud is the backbone of modern business operations. What’s more, it’s growing increasingly prevalent —according to 451 Research, a staggering 90% of organisations have already embraced the cloud (in some form) for their operations.

As businesses increasingly migrate to the cloud, the demand for skilled professionals who can navigate these complex environments is skyrocketing.

That’s where cloud certifications step into their own. They offer a huge range of benefits —not just skills and knowledge — they can supercharge your career and open doors to exciting opportunities.

What is cloud certification?

Cloud certification is a formal recognition of a person’s expertise and proficiency in cloud computing. It is normally achieved after intensive study, and passing the relevant exam. These certifications are awarded by Cloud service providers such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Microsoft Azure. They validate your knowledge and skills in various areas of cloud computing —across areas including cloud architecture, deployment, security, management, and optimisation.

But why is certification important? Let’s unpack a few of the top reasons to consider getting certified:

1. Advance your Career

One of the most compelling reasons to pursue cloud certification is its undeniable impact on your career trajectory.

With cloud computing continuing to grow in both prevalence and importance, businesses are actively seeking professionals who can prove that they possess the skills and expertise to drive their cloud initiatives forward. University degrees are becoming less relevant, and organisations are focusing on candidates who can upskill quickly and show an agile approach to their learning. Certifications are the “golden ticket” that demonstrate your cloud know-how.

By obtaining a cloud certification, you not only enhance your resume but also significantly increase your chances of landing higher-paying roles.

2. Get Professional Validation

Getting cloud certified is more than just adding a badge to your LinkedIn profile; it’s a testament to your professionalism and expertise in the field. In an industry where knowledge is power, certification serves as a seal of approval from an objective third party —giving credence to your skills.

With a recognised certification, you distinguish yourself as a professional rather than an amateur. Whether you’re a seasoned IT professional looking to upskill or a newcomer to the industry, cloud certification offers a more tangible way to showcase your capabilities.

3. Own your personal development

Cloud certification also offers invaluable opportunities for professional growth and development —it’s fun to learn something new! Quality training programs should include hands-on experience through labs and practical exercises, allowing you to gain real-world experience in cloud environments, as well as covering all the theoretical aspects.

Whether you’re exploring the intricacies of AWS or delving into the world of Azure, cloud certification provides a structured path for continuous learning and skill enhancement —to keep your days interesting, and keep you feeling happy and fulfilled at work.

Choosing the right certification path

With a myriad of certification options available, choosing the right path can seem daunting. The good news? There is help available!

Whether you’re interested in AWS or Azure certifications, Bespoke can help you navigate the certification landscape and tailor a learning path that aligns with your goals and aspirations.

Don’t wait to elevate your career with cloud certification: get in touch today to explore your options and embark on a journey of professional growth and success.

How to create a long-term cloud training plan for your team

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If there’s one thing all organisations have in common, it’s the need to optimise productivity in their tech teams. IT leaders are constantly seeking ways to boost performance, bridge skills gaps and retain top talent.

One proven way to hit these goals is through cloud training. But, training can’t be approached with a ‘tick and flick’ mentality. To be effective, employee development needs to be informed by a comprehensive, strategic and long-term cloud training plan for your team. This equips IT employees with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in their roles, while giving organisations the ability to map out a pathway from current state, to future state.

In today’s competitive talent market, it’s essential for businesses to commit time and resources to upskilling their teams —or risk being left behind.

Let’s dive deeper into why training for your tech team is an essential investment, and unpack the tangible steps you can take to create a strategic training plan tailored to your organisation’s goals.

What is a cloud team training plan?

A cloud team training plan is a structured framework that outlines the learning outcomes, strategies, curriculum, and methods for training IT employees. Think of it like a roadmap for employee IT development: one which helps to align individual learning goals with long-term organisational objectives.

By clearly defining the training pathway and identifying the skills and competencies that IT employees need to acquire, a training plan sets the stage for effective learning and development —and also creates a template that can be easily scaled and replicated.

Why use a cloud training plan?

When you break it down, a cloud training plan helps organisations to get more from their teams.

When businesses are undertaking large-scale digital transformation projects, or establishing new cloud environments, it’s essential to feel confident that you’ve got the skills needed to make these transitions happen.

They can also help with things like:

Increased IT employee retention

Organisations that offer continuous training opportunities are more likely to retain their IT employees. 41% of people have reported quitting their jobs due to a lack of career development —by offering ongoing training, you’re more likely to hold onto the talent you’ve got. And in today’s competitive talent market, it’s harder to hire in new skills —which makes retention a strategic imperative for leaders.

More engaged IT employees

Investing in learning and development not only benefits IT employees but also leads to more engaged employees. 89% of employees have said that people enablement positively impacts the workplace, fostering a greater sense of engagement and commitment.

Enhanced Productivity and Growth

Investing in cloud training leads to improved performance, and increased productivity. Happier, engaged team members, and regular upskilling, enable organisations to achieve their big goals faster —and with more consistency.

How can you create a long-term cloud training plan?

  • Set your objectives: Define the specific goals and objectives you aim to achieve through the cloud training plan. Are you trying to set up new infrastructure or advance your cloud architecture? Identify the key business objectives for the next 12 months minimum —and start to reverse engineer the steps and skills needed to achieve these goals.
  • Conduct a Cloud Learning Needs Analysis: As part of reverse-engineering your objectives, you should conduct a cloud learning needs analysis. Take stock of what skillsets you’ve currently got, and identify the skill sets you need more of: are you focused on security, development or architecture? Identify the tech knowledge and skills gaps within your organisation through a thorough assessment of IT employee competencies and job requirements —and compare between your current state and ideal future state so you can see where extra focus is needed.
  • Seek input from your IT team: It’s essential to involve employees in the cloud training planning process. That way, you can align their goals with the organisation’s goals wherever possible. By taking onboard their suggestions and input, you’ll get greater buy-in, which leads to better training outcomes.
  • Find a cloud training partner: Creating, evaluating and executing a long term training plan takes time and dedicated resources to do it well. By partnering with an experienced training provider, they’ll help you to design and implement a tailored training program that addresses your organisation’s budget and unique requirements.

Investing in a long-term training plan for your team is not just a nice-to-have; it’s an investment in your organisation’s future success.

By prioritising employee development and fostering a culture of continuous learning, organisations can enhance productivity, drive innovation, and maintain a competitive edge.

Are you ready to build your tailored training strategy? Get in touch today to discuss your training needs and goals with our expert team and claim your free learning needs analysis.

Using blended learning to accelerate your training goals

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As organisations increase their focus on ongoing learning and development, the adoption of blended learning is on the rise. Blended learning seamlessly integrates the best aspects of virtual, instructor-led sessions with self-paced online learning, creating a comprehensive and flexible educational experience.

Let’s take a look at the benefits of blended learning —for both students and organisations— and see how you can harness this approach to hit your training goals this year.

What is blended learning?

Blended learning combines the benefits of live instruction with the flexibility and support of self-paced learning. This hybrid approach gives learners access to real-time guidance and support from instructors during live virtual sessions, while also offering the convenience of online modules for autonomous study.

This happy medium gives students the best of both worlds: an engaging and supportive learning environment with additional resources to promote a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

Especially in the tech space, gamified or game-based learning is also proving to be a helpful add-on to more traditional learning.

Why choose blended learning?

Blended learning offers numerous benefits over traditional in-person training or strictly digital self-paced learning approaches.

Research from Frontiers in Psychology, conducted in 2023 called “A meta-analysis of effects of blended learning on performance, attitude, achievement, and engagement across different countries” determined

‘that blended learning can lead to improved performance, attitude, and achievement in many countries’.

This is just one study, but there is a lot of research out there over the past 20 years that consistently shows that blended learning delivers better outcomes.

Let’s dive into a few of the top benefits:

It’s more interactive: Blended learning creates a dynamic and interactive learning environment, where participants actively engage with instructors and peers during virtual sessions. This real-time interaction helps to drive meaningful discussions, promotes collaborative problem-solving — leading to better overall learning outcomes.

It’s flexible and accessible: One of the key advantages of blended learning is its inherent flexibility, allowing learners to access course materials and participate in sessions from anywhere. This accessibility eliminates geographical barriers and accommodates diverse schedules, making education more inclusive and convenient for all participants.

Better learner engagement: Blended learning is delivered through multiple learning modalities: like live instruction, multimedia presentations, and interactive online activities. This means that the courses and sessions can easily cater to different learning styles and preferences, resulting in higher levels of participation.

Improved knowledge retention: A blended approach promotes deeper learning and knowledge retention by providing students with multiple opportunities to review and reinforce key concepts. Through a combination of live discussions, hands-on exercises, and self-paced study, participants can solidify their understanding of the material and apply it to real-world scenarios more effectively.

It’s scalable for teams of all sizes: Blended learning is highly scalable and adaptable to teams of all sizes. Whether training a small group or a large workforce, organisations can craft blended learning pathways to meet their own needs and objectives. This scalability ensures that training initiatives remain cost-effective and efficient, even as organisational needs evolve over time.

Getting Started with Blended Learning:

The best part about choosing a blended approach to your training? There are tons of resources at your disposal to make it simple and straightforward to create a learning path to suit your needs. At Bespoke, we offer a wide range of expert-led live virtual courses that fit perfectly with self-paced study options as well.

AWS Blended Learning

For AWS students, we recommend starting with the Ramp-Up guide that matches the learning journey you want to take. You can filter the Ramp-Up guide by role, solution or industry. Once you select a guide, you will see that the learning journey encompasses a combination of digital training, self-paced labs, game-based learning, reading resources, and of course, instructor-led training for when you are ready to get certified.

This is why we always recommend pairing your live, instructor-led course with the AWS Skill Builder platform. Individuals can sign up on the AWS website and choose a free or premium paid account, and managers looking for a subscription for 5 or more learners can go directly through Bespoke and order their AWS Skill Builder team subscription.

Microsoft Azure Blended Learning

Azure students have Microsoft Learn, where you are able to filter by products, roles, levels, subjects and types. Once you filter based on your learning goal, you can mix and match learning paths to suit the outcome you wish to achieve. Having that combination of self-paced learning and instructor-led Microsoft Azure courses ensures you are best positioned to achieve certification when you are ready.

With both AWS and Microsoft Azure, it is clear that choosing a comprehensive blended learning approach is needed to excel in today’s digital landscape.

Are you ready to get started with your blended learning journey? Get in touch with our team today to explore pathways and find the best option for you and your team.

Boost your cloud development efficiency with AWS SDKs

Harnessing the capabilities of AWS SDKs (Software Development Kits) is a game-changer that can enhance productivity and innovation in your team. Let’s unpack how using AWS SDKs can boost development efficiency and give your team a competitive edge in their cloud development projects.

What are AWS SDKs?

AWS SDKs are ready-made tools and libraries provided by AWS to help integrate AWS services into applications. The SDKs are designed to cater to various programming languages, making it accessible for developers across a wide variety of tech stacks. Within AWS SDKs, you’ll find an array of resources and functionalities that empower developers to leverage AWS services in their development more effectively. This might include things like:

  • API clients
  • Code samples
  • De-buggers
  • Profilers
  • Deployment tools
  • And more

Teams use SDKs to enhance development across all types of projects, like mobile apps, web development, cloud environments, game development and IoT programming. As developers learn to leverage these tools effectively, they can unlock a new level of efficiency in their work, and take their projects to the next level.

Why use AWS SDKs?

SDKs act as the building blocks that empower developers to harness the full potential of the AWS platform. By embracing SDKs in your team’s development projects, you can increase consistency across applications, reduce costs and speed up production. Let’s take a closer look at some of these benefits:

SDKs are adaptable to your project

AWS offers a range of SDKs across most of the popular programming languages such as Java, Python, .NET, and more. This means that your developers can easily integrate AWS services into projects, irrespective of the programming language they’re using. This adaptability across a range of languages is a game-changer, allowing teams to pivot effortlessly between projects and leverage the strengths of different programming languages based on project requirements.

They streamline development

AWS SDKs act as force multipliers, streamlining development workflows and reducing redundant tasks. Developers can work more efficiently, leading to faster feature delivery and reduced development cycles. This efficiency ensures that teams can focus on crafting innovative solutions rather than grappling with intricate service integrations.

Tap into speedy deployment

AWS SDKs empower teams to prototype and iterate quickly. With a rich set of tools at their disposal, developers can rapidly build, test, and refine cloud applications. This agility is particularly crucial in dynamic environments where the ability to pivot swiftly in response to changing requirements can make all the difference.

Optimal resource utilisation

Using SDKs, teams can optimise resource utilisation in the cloud. AWS SDKs provide the tools to align resources with application requirements, allowing teams to easily scale resources based on demand. This optimisation directly translates into cost savings, a critical factor for any innovation-focused team.

AWS SDKs helps to future-proof your team

Mastering AWS SDKs helps to future-proof your team’s skillset. As AWS continues as a leader in the cloud computing industry, developers proficient in AWS SDKs are well-positioned to adapt to new projects, applications and features seamlessly. The ability to evolve with the AWS ecosystem ensures that individuals remain valuable assets, capable of tackling emerging challenges and embracing cutting-edge technologies.

Upskilling in AWS for development excellence

Learning the ins and outs of AWS SDKs is a crucial aspect of any AWS developer’s training journey. If you’re seeking avenues to upskill your team and deepen their AWS expertise, we have tailored training programs designed for learners at every stage.

For beginners, Bespoke’s AWS Technical Essentials course is the ideal starting point. This course lays the groundwork for a solid understanding of AWS, preparing your team to embark on a journey of cloud development mastery.

From here, those eager to continue building their skills can explore Bespoke’s Developing on AWS course. Here, team members will expand on their AWS knowledge and learn how to use AWS SDKs for efficient cloud development.

For the more advanced developers seeking to elevate their expertise, Bespoke’s Advanced Developing on AWS course is tailored to deliver advanced development strategies. In this program, your team members will learn how to optimise AWS resources, streamline workflows, and dive deeper into the use of SDKs to supercharge development projects.

Final thoughts

Understanding AWS SDKs is not just about learning a new skill; it’s about unlocking efficiency and innovation in cloud development. By streamlining workflows, accelerating prototyping, and optimising resource utilisation, AWS SDKs are a core component of any effective developer’s toolkit.

Elevate your team’s practices, stay ahead of the curve, and embrace the future of cloud application development by upskilling your team in AWS.

Your future-ready team starts here. To get started with AWS SDKs and cloud development, explore our upcoming training courses or get in touch today for a customised cloud training plan.

Learn the AWS Platform and Future Proof your Career

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Learn the AWS Platform to stay in-demand and safeguard your career.

Globally, there’s a huge difference between current levels of cloud integration and people with the skills to use it. According to research carried out by Global Knowledge, 70% IT decision makers report that their teams have a skills gap. This skills gap is costing them precious time and money.

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What is Live Virtual Cloud Training?

All of our AWS courses are now delivered through Live Virtual Cloud Training, which is also known at Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT).

This shift is in response to the current COVID-19 (Coronavirus) situation which has meant in-person classes are no longer an option.

The content in our VILT course is exactly the same as our classroom courses. The only difference is that it is delivered digitally.

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How to Advance your Career with AWS Skills

It should be no secret that having technical AWS skills leads to career advancement.

We are in the middle of a cloud skills shortage and good cloud skills are in short supply. According to research carried out by Global Knowledge, 70% of IT decision makers reported that their teams have skills gaps.

By investing in AWS training and certification you can position yourself as part of the solution and reap the rewards that come with it.

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Skills Enablement key focus at AWS Summit 2019 Sydney

The dust is starting to settle after AWS Summit 2019 Sydney. This year’s Summit was the largest AWS conference outside of AWS Re:Invent in Las Vegas, with an estimated 17,000 attendees.
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National Australia Bank on importance of AWS Training and Certification

Yuri Misnik, Executive General Manager, Business Enabling Technology, National Australia Bank did a keynote presentation at AWS re:Invent 2018 where he shares the importance of AWS training and certification.

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Case Study – Xero says there is real value in AWS certifications

How Amazon Web Services and Bespoke Training helped Xero go from a small startup in New Zealand to one of Australasia’s top listed technology companies with a global, million+ customer-base.

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