Google Cloud Certification & Learning Path

In today’s world, where cloud computing is super important for making new things and working efficiently, getting Google Cloud certifications is like having golden tickets for people who want better careers in tech.

In this blog, we’ll cover everything you need to know about Google Cloud certifications, whether you’re just starting in cloud technology or you’re already an experienced professional. With this comprehensive guide, you’ll gain insights into Google Cloud certifications and learn how to prepare for and succeed in your certification exams. 

Topics Covered in the blog:

1. Significance Of Google Cloud Certification
2. Google Cloud Certification Path 
3. Foundation certification
4. Associate Certification
5. Professional Certification
6. Preparation for Google Cloud Certifications
7. Tips for cracking Google Cloud Certifications
8. Salary after cracking Google Cloud Certifications
9. Conclusion

Significance Of Google Cloud Certifications

Get certified with Google Cloud—it’s not just a badge, it’s a career game-changer!
These certifications aren’t just fancy titles; they give you real industry skills in cloud computing. Having one is like holding a global pass to exciting projects and job opportunities. Plus, it makes you a hotshot in the job market!
With continuous learning and networking perks, Google Cloud certifications keep you ahead in the tech game. 

Google Cloud Certifications Path

There are three levels in the Google Cloud Certification Path: Foundational, Associate, and Professional. These levels are designed to accommodate varying degrees of experience and knowledge.

Foundational

The Cloud Digital Leader certification is ideal for beginners in GCP and cloud technology. It offers a broad understanding of the platform’s role in IT architecture. If you’re already familiar with Google Cloud, you can skip this and go straight to associate or professional certifications for deeper, specialized knowledge.

Associate

Associate-level certifications focus on assessing deeper knowledge and practical skills in specific GCP domains such as cloud architecture, data engineering, and machine learning. These certifications, like Google Cloud Certified-Data Engineer, are ideal for professionals seeking to demonstrate expertise in particular GCP specialties.

Professional

Professional certifications are for experienced individuals with a strong background in managing complex GCP solutions. Certifications like Professional Cloud Security Engineer and Professional Cloud Network Engineer validate advanced skills in areas like machine learning engineering, DevOps, and cloud security. Achieving a Professional certification showcases expertise in using the Google Cloud Platform for enterprise-level solutions.

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Google Cloud Hierarchy:

Experience with Google Cloud Certifications? Great news! You don’t need any prior experience with Google Cloud Certifications. There are no rigid guidelines; simply choose the certification that aligns with your skills and objectives.  Are you ready to take your skills to the next level?

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Foundational Certifications

Google Cloud certification validates your broad knowledge of core cloud concepts. No technical prerequisites are required. Successful completion grants eligibility as a digital cloud leader, with certification valid for three years.

Google Cloud Digital Leader

A Cloud Digital Leader can explain the features and advantages of Google Cloud’s core products and services for businesses. They can also explain typical business use cases and how cloud computing services benefit a company.

This certification is intended for those who want to show that they understand the fundamentals of cloud computing and how Google Cloud services and products may be leveraged to meet the objectives of an organization.

Exam Details:

• Duration: 90 mins
• Registration Cost: $99
• Languages: Japanese & English
• Structure: 50-60 questions (MCQs & multiple-select)
• Distribution: Remote proctored or onsite
• Requirements:  Anyone with a background in cloud computing or solid foundational skills in the field could rephrase this sentence.

Certification Renewal:

• Validity: 3 years
• Recertification: Retake the exam within the eligibility period
• Timing: Recertify 60 days before expiration.

Associate Certification

This goes beyond what’s commonly understood about cloud features. It confirms that the owner possesses the essential abilities needed to set up, run, oversee, and maintain projects on the Google Cloud platform.

An associate certification candidate should ideally have at least six months of experience developing on Google Cloud. The associate-certified staff member is eligible to work in any organization as a cloud engineer.

Google Cloud Engineer

Associate Cloud Engineers oversee enterprise solutions, monitor operations, and deploy apps. They undertake standard platform-based operations to maintain one or more deployed solutions that make use of Google-managed or self-managed services on Google Cloud using Google Cloud Console and the command-line interface.

Exam Details:

• Duration: 2 hours
• Registration Fee: $125 (+ tax if applicable)
• Languages: Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, English
• Structure: 50-60 questions (MCQs & multiple select)
• Distribution: Remote or onsite proctored exam
• Requirements: None, but 6 months of Google Cloud experience recommended

Certification Renewal:

• Validity:  Recertification is accomplished by retaking the exam during the recertification eligibility period and achieving a passing score. You may attempt recertification starting 60 days before your certification expiration date.
• Recertification: Retake the exam within the eligibility period
• Timing: Recertify 60 days before expiration.

Read More at Google Associate Cloud Engineer

Professional Certification

Professional certification evaluates specialized technical job functions. It requires three years of cloud computing expertise and one year of Google Cloud experience. Provides advanced abilities in designing, implementing, and managing Google Cloud products.

Google Cloud Architect

Organizations may make use of Google Cloud technology thanks to professional cloud architects. Their in-depth knowledge of Google Cloud and cloud architecture enables them to design, create, and oversee dependable, safe, scalable, highly available, and dynamic solutions that support organizational goals.

Google Cloud Database Engineer

A Professional Cloud Database Engineer is a specialist with five years of overall database and IT experience, including two years with Google Cloud. They manage Google Cloud databases for applications, handling design, creation, management, and troubleshooting. They excel at translating technical and business needs into scalable and cost-effective database solutions.

Exam Details:

• Duration: 2 hours
• Registration Fee: $200 (+ tax if applicable)
• Spoken Language: English
• Structure: 50-60 questions (MCQs & multiple select)
• Distribution: Remote online or onsite proctored exam
• Requirements: None, but 2 years of Google Cloud database experience is recommended.

Google Cloud Developer (beta open)

A Professional Cloud Developer utilizes Google’s recommended practices and tools to create scalable, secure, and highly available apps. Experienced with serverless platforms, next-gen databases, managed services, and more, they excel in cloud-native and containerized app development. Proficient in at least one programming language, they can instrument code for metrics, logs, and traces, ensuring robust performance.

Beta Certification Exam:

• Length: 3 hours
• Registration Fee: USD 120 (40% discount)
• Language: English
• Format: 70-75 MCQs & multiple select questions
• Delivery: Online-proctored or onsite-proctored
• Prerequisites: None
• Recommended Experience: 3+ years of industry experience, including 1+ year with Google Cloud
• Eligibility: Open to all, counts as recertification for current certificate holders

Current GA (General Availability) Certification Exam:

• Length: 2 hours
• Registration Fee: USD 200
• Languages: English and Japanese
• Format: 50-60 MCQs & multiple select questions
• Delivery: Online-proctored or onsite-proctored
• Prerequisites: None
• Recommended Experience: 3+ years of industry experience, including 1+ year with Google Cloud
• Recertification: Required every 2 years, achieved by retaking the exam.

Google Cloud Data Engineer

A professional data engineer gathers, transforms, and publishes data to make it valuable and usable for others. To comply with legal and corporate obligations, this person assesses and chooses goods and services. Robust data processing systems are designed and managed by Professional Data Engineers. Workloads involving data processing must be able to be designed, constructed, deployed, monitored, maintained, and secured.

Exam Details:

• Duration: 2 hours
• Registration Fee: $200 (+ tax if applicable)
• Languages: Japanese and English
• Structure: 50-60 questions (MCQs & multiple select)
• Distribution: Remote online or onsite proctored exam
• Requirements: None, but 3+ years of field experience recommended, including 1 year with Google Cloud solutions.

Certification Renewal:

• Validity: 2 years from the certification date
• Recertification: Retake the exam within the eligibility period
• Timing: Recertify 60 days before expiration.

Google Cloud DevOps Engineer

Professional Cloud DevOps Engineers implement processes throughout the systems development lifecycle using Google-recommended methodologies and tools. They build and deploy software and infrastructure delivery pipelines, optimize and maintain production systems and services, and balance service reliability with delivery speed.

Exam Details:

• Duration: 2 hours
• Registration Fee: $200 (+ tax if applicable)
• Languages: Japanese and English
• Structure: 50-60 questions (MCQs & multiple select)
• Distribution: Remote online or onsite proctored exam
• Requirements: None, but 3+ years of industry experience recommended, including 1 year with Google Cloud in production systems.

Certification Renewal:

• Validity: 2 years from the certification date
• Recertification: Retake the exam within the eligibility period
• Timing: Recertify 60 days before expiration.

Google Cloud Security Engineer

Cloud Security Engineers leverage Google Cloud technologies to design, develop, and manage secure solutions for enterprises, aligning with industry requirements and best practices. Their expertise spans identity management, security policies, data protection, network defenses, threat monitoring, security automation, AI security, software supply chain, and regulatory compliance.

Exam Details:

• Duration: 2 hours
• Registration Fee: $200 (+ tax if applicable)
• Languages: Japanese and English
• Structure: 50-60 questions (MCQs & multiple select)
• Distribution: Remote online or onsite proctored exam
• Requirements: None, but 3+ years of field experience recommended, including 1 year with Google Cloud solutions.

Certification Renewal:

• Validity: 2 years from the certification date
• Recertification: Retake the exam within the eligibility period
• Timing: Recertify 60 days before expiration.

Google Cloud Network Engineer

Professional Cloud Network Engineers in Google Cloud implement and manage network designs, collaborating with architects and cloud teams. They leverage expertise in network services, VPC implementation, security, and hybrid/multi-cloud connectivity. Proficient in the Google Cloud Console and command line interface, they ensure successful cloud implementations.

Google Cloud Workspace Administrator

Professional Google Workspace Administrators translate business goals into effective setups, policies, and security procedures. They ensure secure collaboration, communication, and data access within organizations by leveraging their understanding of Google Workspace architecture. With an engineering focus, they promote Workspace tools, automate processes, educate users, and enhance operational efficiency using programming languages and APIs.

Similar jobs include systems engineer, cloud solutions engineer, IT systems administrator, and collaboration engineer.

Google Cloud Machine Learning Engineer

ML Engineers develop reusable code for complex datasets, prioritizing fairness and responsible AI. They collaborate across job categories for ML product success, proficient in distributed data processing, data platforms, and programming. Skilled in data and ML pipelines, model design, and metric interpretation, they understand MLOps, application development, infrastructure management, data engineering, and data governance.

Exam Details:

• Duration: 2 hours
• Registration Fee: $200 (+ tax if applicable)
• Spoken Language: English
• Structure: 50-60 questions (MCQs & multiple select)
• Distribution: Remote online or onsite proctored exam
• Requirements: None, but 3+ years of field experience recommended, including 1 year with Google Cloud solutions.

Certification Renewal:

• Validity: 2 years from the certification date
• Recertification: Retake the exam within the eligibility period
• Timing: Recertify 60 days before expiration.

Preparation for Google Cloud Certifications

1. Assess Your Need:
   • Determine if Google Cloud certification aligns with your career goals and if it’s necessary for your desired job roles. Not every tech job requires this certification, so evaluate its relevance to your career path.
2. Gain Practical Experience:
   • While real-world experience isn’t mandatory, it’s highly beneficial. Utilize Google Cloud’s free tier to gain hands-on experience and deepen your understanding of the platform. Even if your current role doesn’t involve Google Cloud, independent learning can be valuable.
3. Choose Your Certification Level:
   • Consider your career progression and aspirations to decide on the appropriate certification level. Assess your existing skills and future ambitions to determine the level that suits you best.
4. Evaluate Your Readiness:
   • Review sample questions provided by Google and identify any areas of confusion. Strengthen your understanding of these concepts to ensure readiness for the exam.
5. Schedule the Exam:
   • Once you feel adequately prepared, schedule your exam either online or in person. Pay the certification fee, which varies depending on the certification level.
6. Take the Exam:
   • The exam duration varies, with foundational exams lasting 90 minutes and associate/professional exams lasting two hours. Answer multiple-choice questions within the allocated time. Results are provided immediately, and successful candidates receive certification badges for platforms like LinkedIn.

Tips for cracking Google Cloud Certifications

Here are some essential tips for preparing for Google Cloud certification exams:

1. Master Theory and Practice:
   • Understand the concepts of the Google Cloud platform and practice using its features. Utilize free resources such as hands-on labs, tutorial videos, and practice exams to reinforce your knowledge.
2. Know the Products:
   • Gain expertise in core areas relevant to your desired certification, whether it’s Google Cloud architect or machine learning. Study the exam guides to understand the specific topics you need to focus on.
3. Practice with Case Studies:
   • For certifications like the professional cloud architect, utilize Google’s sample case studies to enhance your skills. Create solutions for the scenarios presented in these case studies to gauge your readiness.
4. Use Sample Questions:
   • Practice extensively with Google’s sample questions to familiarize yourself with the exam format and types of questions. However, supplement this with your research to deepen your understanding.

Salary after cracking Google Cloud Certifications

Without a doubt, obtaining a Google Cloud certification can increase your earning potential. A technician with cloud certification is more valuable than one without, especially if the company offers its services on the Google Cloud platform or any other cloud platform.

• Associate Cloud Engineer: Responsible for managing cloud operations and deploying applications using Google Cloud Platform. Salaries range from $55,000 in the UK to $135,000 in Australia.
• Certified Cloud Architect: Leads in cloud architecture design, earning $156,399 in the US, £78,950 in the UK, and $145,143 to $155,739 in Australia.
• Certified Professional Cloud Developer: Proficient in Google Cloud-native apps and DevOps, earning $125,000 in the US, £55,000 in the UK, and $119,392 in Australia.
• Google-Certified Professional Data Engineer: Ensures secure data delivery, earning $100,950 in the US, £55,000 in the UK, and $120,000 in Australia.
• Google-Certified Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer: Manages development and operations teams, earning around $135,000 in the US, £60,000 in the UK, and $130,815 in Australia.
• Google-Certified Professional Cloud Security Engineer: Designs and protects security systems, earning approximately $135,507 in the US, £72,500 in the UK, and $164,745 in Australia.
• Google-Certified Professional Cloud Network Engineer: Oversees network design on Google Cloud, earning about $106,100 in the US, £64,767 in the UK, and $78,520 in Australia.
• Google-Certified Machine Learning Engineer: Develops and applies machine learning models, earning approximately $107,494 in the US, £55,643 in the UK, and $147,948 in Australia.

Conclusion

Google Cloud certifications provide a structured path for individuals to enhance their skills in cloud computing, from beginners to experienced professionals. These certifications validate expertise and credibility in utilizing Google Cloud technology, making certified professionals highly sought after by employers. With higher salaries and better career prospects, earning a Google Cloud certification demonstrates dedication to professional growth and positions individuals as valuable assets in the competitive tech industry. Whether aspiring for roles in cloud architecture, data engineering, or machine learning, Google Cloud certifications open doors to exciting career opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related References

• GCP Professional Cloud Architect: Everything You Need To Know
• Google Professional Cloud Architect: Step-By-Step Hands-On Guide
• Google Cloud Services & Tools for Beginners
• Google Cloud Deployment Manager: Overview & Hands-on Guide
• A Visual Tour Of Google Cloud Certifications
• About Google Cloud Certifications

Next Task For You

If you are also interested and want to know more about the Google Professional Cloud Architect certification then register for our Free Cass.