Cloud Certification Strategy

Hey, everyone, I'd love some input on certification strategy for my situation. I'm an IT Project Manager that put my PMP and Agile studies on hold to complete my MBA at WGU. Once all these degrees/certs are finished, I hope to further my cloud education. I plan on continuing with project management with the hope of landing more senior roles one day. What's the next best certification to learn about cloud and be able to deliver cloud infrastructure projects?

1) My company uses Azure so an education could prove useful
2) I'm not sure if this is the company that I will be in the long term and I know that AWS is big in cloud space, so I'm thinking about that.
3) I've been reading about CCSP and want to complete an ISC2 cert to validate my security knowledge and was not sure if this was the right path to take instead of preparing for CISSP in a few years.

What would you guys think is best?

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JoJoCal19

I'd definitely pick back up on PMP but especially Agile, then do CCSK>CCSP for cloud security knowledge. Then pick a stack (AWS, Azure, etc) and go down that path. Eventually I'd do both, but focus on one first. I'd almost recommend AWS first just because it's the top dog right now, there's a run on AWS certified folks, and I honestly think it's easier stuff to learn than Azure. Then I'd deep dive into Azure.

UncleB

I would strongly suggest you finish one of your courses and get the cert before jumping and doing another - you are part way though PMP/Agile, part way through your MBA and you are already thinking of more?

Look at it from a prospective employers point of view - you don't get things done. Sorry if this seems a bit harsh but if you told me this in an interview it would already be over.

Nail one (I suggest PMP as you can do it in a few weeks), nail the next (the MBA takes longer) THEN plan your next steps when you have a decent raft of certs under your belt. If there is scope to do some cloud stuff as part of the MBA then that is a bonus.

Keep the focus, finish tasks and it will reflect well in your ways of working.

Just my opinion of course.

mzx380

@uncleB
Thanks so far guys but there is a bit of confusion. I put the PMP/Agile on hold so I can finish school, once school is done I would resume those certifications first.

@jojocal19
I have not heard much about the CCSK, do I need that before I jump into CCSP?

JoJoCal19

You don't NEED the CCSK first, but most people use both documents that are for the CCSK in their CCSP studies, and the CCSK get's decent job hits for CloudSec jobs. Plus it's fairly easy and you can take the exam at home, so that's why I'd go for it first.

sillymcnasty

AWS. Azure does not have as strong of a foothold, and if you aren't set on where you are...

Although, which focus do you want to do? As hot as AWS is, most every job I see requires automation, linux, and scripting.

mzx380

sillymcnasty wrote: »

AWS. Azure does not have as strong of a foothold, and if you aren't set on where you are...

Although, which focus do you want to do? As hot as AWS is, most every job I see requires automation, linux, and scripting.

@sillymcnasty
I'm a project manager and would like to move on a track that would provide for a role as a senior manager one day. I'm looking to validate my technical knowledge in other areas so I would be able to converse with all parties when managing projects in other technical disciplines

mzx380

JoJoCal19 wrote: »

You don't NEED the CCSK first, but most people use both documents that are for the CCSK in their CCSP studies, and the CCSK get's decent job hits for CloudSec jobs. Plus it's fairly easy and you can take the exam at home, so that's why I'd go for it first.

Would the CCSP give me enough of a foundation of cloud in addition to security or would the AWS sys admin cert provide a decent enough foundation. Just trying to have my strategy mapped out.

Thanks

mzx380

Bumping this thread up if anyone would like to provide input

clarkincnet

UncleB wrote: »

I would strongly suggest you finish one of your courses and get the cert before jumping and doing another - you are part way though PMP/Agile, part way through your MBA and you are already thinking of more?
...

Keep the focus, finish tasks and it will reflect well in your ways of working.

Second this. It's impossible to truly multitask, so throw your focus on 2-3 things (including work and family) and do them well vs many things done halfway.

Just my 2-cents...

mzx380

Hey guys
Just to clarify, I'm already focusing on one thing at a time. This thread is more of a "what's my next move" kind of discussion
I have it mapped out as MBA --> PMP --> Agile --> cloud ???????

UncleB

mzx380 wrote: »

. This thread is more of a "what's my next move" kind of discussion
I have it mapped out as MBA --> PMP --> Agile --> cloud ???????

You haven't finished the first huge step on this ladder yet and the second step is also a big one, so by the time you are looking at the third, the fourth will already have changed, so you are better off waiting until you are starting on step 3 and then look at the market place to see what step 4 looks like then.

I've seen cloud certs change a lot in the last few years and I'm sure it will continue, hence the recommendation not to set your strategy so far ahead when it is still open to such rapid change.

Who knows, maybe the bone grinding tedium of herding cats (aka project management) will appeal so much you chose to forget the cloud certs and spend your days happily trying to get overworked minions to give you time to work on your project and achieve improbable deadlines with no incentive. Some people like the challenge.

Security is also evolving rapidly and it would probably look quite different in a few years time than it does now, so I think you are still better off focusing on what is in front of you, learn it well and pass the exams before looking many steps ahead.

Sorry if this isn't what you want to hear.

mzx380

UncleB wrote: »

You haven't finished the first huge step on this ladder yet and the second step is also a big one, so by the time you are looking at the third, the fourth will already have changed, so you are better off waiting until you are starting on step 3 and then look at the market place to see what step 4 looks like then.

I've seen cloud certs change a lot in the last few years and I'm sure it will continue, hence the recommendation not to set your strategy so far ahead when it is still open to such rapid change.

Who knows, maybe the bone grinding tedium of herding cats (aka project management) will appeal so much you chose to forget the cloud certs and spend your days happily trying to get overworked minions to give you time to work on your project and achieve improbable deadlines with no incentive. Some people like the challenge.

Security is also evolving rapidly and it would probably look quite different in a few years time than it does now, so I think you are still better off focusing on what is in front of you, learn it well and pass the exams before looking many steps ahead.

Sorry if this isn't what you want to hear.

Not sorry at all, that's the reason I'm asking

I try not to think too far ahead but my MBA is almost done and I'm looking to align my next steps. I know I have more hurdles to climb but since I've done the worst first I don't think these other ones will be as difficult to complete which is why I wanted some advice as to what to do next.

Any other thoughts would be more than welcome
Thanks

moyondizvo

It's been a while since I posted, but I am slowly getting back into it.

Let me start of with a few questions, when do you complete your MBA studies? When it comes to workload, how much time do you have to spare on top of your MBA studies? If you feel you have time, do both your MBA and PMP at the same time. However be aware that something somewhere is going to suffer when you take on more, your MBA, family life, social life, gym, maybe even work.

Your strategy seems fine MBA-> PMP-> Agile then assess the market, what's happening in the cloud space, I am really just echoing @UncleB.

mzx380

moyondizvo wrote: »

It's been a while since I posted, but I am slowly getting back into it.

Let me start of with a few questions, when do you complete your MBA studies? When it comes to workload, how much time do you have to spare on top of your MBA studies? If you feel you have time, do both your MBA and PMP at the same time. However be aware that something somewhere is going to suffer when you take on more, your MBA, family life, social life, gym, maybe even work.

Your strategy seems fine MBA-> PMP-> Agile then assess the market, what's happening in the cloud space, I am really just echoing @UncleB.

Hey Moyondizvo
I'm officially done with my MBA and I've resumed PMP study. I don't have the bandwidth to multitask so I'm doing one cert at a time so after this will be agile after which I'm not entirely sure. I'd love to have some form of validation for cloud knowledge and hope to begin sometime in Q1 2018 and don't want to waste my time studying for the wrong thing.

That's why I'm glad that people are chiming in. Any advice would be appreciated.

moyondizvo

mzx380 wrote: »

Hey Moyondizvo
I'm officially done with my MBA and I've resumed PMP study. I don't have the bandwidth to multitask so I'm doing one cert at a time so after this will be agile after which I'm not entirely sure. I'd love to have some form of validation for cloud knowledge and hope to begin sometime in Q1 2018 and don't want to waste my time studying for the wrong thing.

That's why I'm glad that people are chiming in. Any advice would be appreciated.

Seeing as though you are a PM, if you are only after some cloud knowledge, why don't you leverage the Azure expertise within your current organization? You may have some access to free training. I know you say you aren't sure of your long term prospects with them but the fundamentals of cloud computing are the same despite the vendor. However, if you are after some vendor agnostic training, CCSK or CCSP would be good to have, but these are more on the security side (as you already know).