Top AWS Learning Plans 2023: AWS Solutions Architect Learning Plan

Here’s what you should know about the Solutions Architect Learning Plan from AWS Training and Certification Program.

At the time of writing, Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers six role-based learning plans. These learning plans are a part and parcel of the AWS Training and Certification Program. Read on to learn all you need to know about the AWS Solutions Architect Learning Plan.

What is an AWS Learning Plan?

You can choose to learn by role or solution (domain) and build cloud and technical skills to tackle real-world problems and advance your career. Currently, AWS offers six role-based and nine solution-based learning plans.

AWS Learning Plans eliminate the need for guesswork—a clear path is carved for beginners to learn and a set of digital courses are recommended.

AWS Solutions Architect Learning Plan Overview

The AWS Solutions Architect Learning Plan is a guided curriculum built by AWS experts that you can partake in at your leisure. You can choose to complete the entire plan or select courses that best meet your requirements.

These on-demand courses will help grow your technical skills for developing cost-optimized, secure, high-performing and resilient architectures on AWS. Upon completing this learning plan, you will have gained the required skills to enter careers in Engineering, Cloud Architecting and Solutions Architecting.

You will also have a greater understanding of AWS services such as Amazon Virtual Private Cloud, AWS X-Ray and AWS Lambda.

Additionally, and most importantly, the learning plan comes with digital-learning courses designed to help you prepare for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect—Professional and AWS Certified Solutions Architect—Associate AWS certifications.

AWS Solutions Architect Learning Plan Deep-Dive

For starters, you can sample free digital training resources before opting for a full learning plan. Additionally, you can customize your learning curve by opting for courses that best suit your expertise.

The AWS Solutions Architect Learning Plan, as mentioned before, is designed to help Solutions Architects and Cloud Architects develop solutions on AWS using best practices.

It should be noted that you can enroll in the AWS Solutions Architect Learning Plan for free—the learning plan is free of cost. You will be charged a fee for taking a certification examination (we will explore this later).

Currently, there are 41 digital courses in the learning plan structure, including one each for AWS Certified Solutions Architect—Professional and AWS Certified Solutions Architect—Associate AWS certification preparation. The learning plan will take a total of 62 hours and 48 minutes to complete.

These digital courses are available in multiple languages, so feel free to select the language you are most proficient in. Three of the most popular pieces of training for this learning plan include AWS Well-Architected, Getting Started with AWS Systems Manager, and Architecting Serverless Solutions.

Once you have completed the Exam Readiness: AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional and Exam Prep: AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (SAA-C03) training modules, you can proceed to sit for a certification examination.

AWS Solutions Architect Certification

At this stage, you are ready to enroll in and clear the Professional and Associate AWS Solutions Architect certification examinations. The first step is clearing the Professional level examination, followed by the Associate level examination.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect—Professional

Image source: Michael Gerard Galon (AlexaChamp)

Professionals with two or more years of experience developing and deploying cloud architecture on AWS Cloud should take the AWS Certified Solutions Architect—Professional certification examination. Once you have completed the AWS Solutions Architect Learning Plan, you should be prepared for the certification exam.

We also recommend taking advantage of free sample and practice questions and whitepapers and paid exam preparation resources, such as AWS Classroom Training and subscription-based material.

Exam Overview

• 180 minutes
• 75 multi-choice/response questions
• Online proctored examination or Pearson VUE testing
• 9 available languages, including English, French (France), German, Italian, Spanish (Latin America), Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Portuguese (Brazil).
• Cost: $300
• Potential Jobs: AWS Architect, Cloud Engineer, Enterprise Solutions Architect, Systems Development Engineer, Technical Trainer, and Technology Architecture—Consultant.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect—Associate

Image source: Arun Venmalassery (WebMagic Informatica)

Once you have cleared the AWS Certified Solutions Architect—Professional examination and revised the Exam Prep: AWS Certified Solutions Architect—Associate (SAA-C03) training module, go ahead and enroll for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect—Associate certification course.

This certification’s focus is on the design of performance and cost-optimized solutions, showcasing a sound understanding of the AWS Well-Architected Framework. Several additional free preparation resources are available, such as an exam guide, sample and practice questions, a webinar, and a whitepaper. You can turn to paid resources too.

Exam Overview

• 130 minutes
• 65 multiple-choice/response questions
• Online proctored examination or Pearson VUE testing
• 11 available languages, including English, German, French (France), Italian, Spanish (Spain), Spanish (Latin America), Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Portuguese (Brazil).
• Cost: $150
• Potential Jobs: AWS Solutions Architect, Cloud Solutions Architect, Solutions Architect, Senior AWS Solutions Architect, System Administrator, Cloud Administrator, and Cloud Engineer.

AWS Ramp-Up Guide—Solutions Architect

The AWS Solutions Architect Ramp-Up Guide is a deep dive into a wider spectrum of learning materials available on architecting, such as whitepapers, blogs, digital courses, etc. The downloadable guide will help you traverse the broad set of content and resources to help develop your skills in architecting—all in a single place.

This guide will help you better understand all available learning options and determine those that are best suited to your skill level and knowledge.

Live Training with AWS Experts

Live training options with an AWS expert are available as well. This will give you the opportunity to interact with an expert, ask questions in real time, and receive quality feedback.

With AWS Classroom Training, you can schedule interactive, immersive classes for yourself, a group, a business, or a team, and take advantage of guided assistance, both in-person and virtually. Live training options will help you find solutions to real-world problems and further your learning curve.