From Salesforce online certification to AWS certifications, the world is putting much more weight on digital skills in 2021, and this trend will continue to expand in the future, growing in ways that are out of our imagination.
It is no longer enough that we know how to work basic software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, etcetera, but employees are expected to have extensive knowledge in certain processes and platforms if they want to succeed in landing job positions, especially in the competitive landscape of e-commerce, marketing, business development and management.
Amazon has come a long way from selling books
The platform once only listed books and some merchandise, but it has grown to gargantuan proportions and is now in various industries all over the world, and what started as an unambitious foray into cloud-computing services, has grown into one of the most dominant SaaS available.
The introduction of AWS and its certifications
Today, being AWS-certified can open doors for employees looking to work in the tech industry. Amazon offers three stages of AWS certification: foundational, associatal, and professional. For those who are looking to have basic industry knowledge, they can opt for AWS’s foundation certification. After one year of using AWS professionally, you will be awarded the associate certificate which can be branched off into: Solutions Architect, SysOps Administrator, and Developer, depending on which niche your experience falls into. At the top tier, we have professionals who have been at it for more than two years.
For those who want to be further recognized for their skills, they can take the exams that offer them the opportunity to receive specialized certifications which are industry-recognized credentials.
All of these certifications require you to take a test in order to be awarded an AWS certificate. You can conduct independent study and take practice exams directly on their website, or you can participate in specialized AWS classes to help you comprehend your subject matter much more coherently. The best way to prepare for these exams is to get real life experience, because it’s one thing to be book-smart, and quite another to have the experience in order to apply your knowledge.
Will acquiring digital skills take over traditional modes of education?
While traditional modes of education will most likely never go out of style, we can expect that education will be less frigid and students will have more room to explore and have higher flexibility in terms of pace, interest, and skills. One day in the future, we should be able to have highly personalized education systems that cater to each and every individual’s needs, or there would be open-ended pathways for those who aren’t invested in going down the conventional paths of middle school and tertiary education.
Thirty years ago, we would never have thought that certificates showing how well you know how to use computer softwares would be so high in demand, but there we have it. Who knows what another thirty years could bring?
