Please help - No clear GCP certifications path?

[prl07]

Hi Team - I could not find a clear GCP certification path.

In the exam guide FAQ for Cloud Architect certification, it is mentioned that it is not necessary to have an associate cloud certification but it can be helpful (this is a confusing statement).

And then out of nowhere, there is this very basic cloud digital leader certification (again confusion).

For AWS certifications there is this clear learning path. All the learning path starts with 'AWS certified cloud practitioner'. There is no confusion here as in GCP.

Team, please set a clear certification path for GCP as well. This is no clear direction here.

I think irrespective of the experience level the recommended GCP certification path should be:

1. Cloud Digital Leader (helps build basic cloud concepts)

2. Associate Cloud Engineer (helps build basic GCP concepts)

3. Professional Cloud Architect (helps build intermediate GCP concepts)

Other professional certifications (helps build advanced domain-specific GCP concepts).

[zeddkhan03]

GCP Certifications:

• Foundational: Google Cloud Digital Leader (Cloud Digital Leader builds a general understanding of cloud concepts, not specific to GCP)
• Associate: Google Cloud Certified Associate Cloud Engineer (This is the recommended starting point for GCP technical skills)
• Professional: Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect (Specializes in designing and managing GCP solutions)
• Professional: Other specialty certifications (Focus on specific GCP domains like Data Engineer or Security Engineer)

Recommended Path:

• Associate Cloud Engineer: This is the best starting point for technical GCP knowledge.
• Professional Cloud Architect (Optional): If your goal is designing and managing GCP solutions, this is a valuable next step.
• Professional Specialty Certifications (Optional): Deepen your expertise in specific areas like Data Engineering or Security.

Addressing your confusion:

• The exam guide is correct for Cloud Architect. Prior associate certification isn't mandatory, but helpful.
• Cloud Digital Leader is foundational but general cloud knowledge, not specific to GCP. It can be a good starting point for understanding cloud basics before diving into GCP specifics.

[kc3]

Here is my personal take on this:

Cloud Digital Leader: big picture of concepts and services plus also ML, no technical details or labs at all. 

Associate Cloud Engineer:  some technical details & labs for core services like compute engine, IAM, cloud storage. No design knowledge.

Cloud Architect: Deep knowledge and design tasks

[Hridhi-kumari]

Totally agree with your point of view.