AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Study Course – Pass the Exam With This Free 13-Hour Course

The field of cloud computing is booming. As more companies adopt cloud platforms like Amazon Web Services (AWS), the demand for IT professionals with cloud skills continues to rise.

In fact, a 2020 report from LinkedIn found that cloud computing was the number one hard skill companies need most. And in the US, there were over 400,000 job postings requiring cloud skills in 2020 – a 40% jump from 2017.

AWS is by far the market leader in cloud platforms with 32% market share. So it‘s no surprise that IT professionals with AWS skills are in high demand. Glassdoor shows over 212,000 open jobs that mention AWS as of November 2021.

And these jobs pay well. According to Glassdoor salary data, AWS Solutions Architects in the US earn an average of $141,500 per year. Even entry-level Cloud Support Associates pull in around an $80,000 average salary.

So how can you break into this fast-growing, lucrative field? One of the best ways is to earn an AWS Certification. And the entry-level AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner is the perfect place to start.

What is the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner?

The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CCP) is a foundational certification that validates your overall understanding of the AWS platform. It demonstrates you have the knowledge and skills to:

• Define key AWS services and use cases
• Understand AWS Cloud architectural principles
• Navigate the AWS Management Console and interact with core services
• Understand compliance, security, and billing practices

Basically, it says you know what AWS is, what it offers, and when to use it. You don‘t need to be technical or have hands-on AWS experience. It‘s all about conceptual knowledge.

The CCP is designed for non-technical roles that work with AWS like sales, marketing, finance, legal, project management, and more. But it‘s also ideal for those new to cloud looking to kickstart a technical career path.

Earning the CCP proves you have the foundation needed to dive deeper into AWS. It opens doors to entry-level cloud jobs and more advanced certifications like AWS Certified Solutions Architect or Developer.

Over 560,000 people have earned an AWS certification, and the CCP consistently ranks as one of the top paying IT certifications. Employers recognize AWS certs as the industry standard for validating cloud expertise.

What Does the Exam Cover?

The AWS CCP tests you on four core domains:

1. Cloud Concepts (26%)
2. Security and Compliance (25%)
3. Technology (33%)
4. Billing and Pricing (16%)

You‘ll be expected to demonstrate knowledge in areas like:

• Benefits of cloud computing
• Differences between on-premise, hybrid, and all-in cloud
• Core AWS services and common use cases
• AWS Cloud architectural principles
• AWS shared responsibility model
• AWS Cloud security best practices
• Compliance and governance on AWS
• AWS pricing, billing, and account management
• And more

The exam has 65 multiple-choice or multiple-response questions. You have 90 minutes to complete it and need a minimum score of 700 out of 1000 to pass.

Question formats include multiple choice, multiple response, and scenario based. Some questions include graphics like architectural diagrams.

It‘s a challenging exam, but very doable with proper preparation. AWS recommends having at least six months of exposure to AWS Cloud in any role (technical, sales, managerial, finance, etc). A technical background is not required.

How This Free Course Prepares You to Pass

Studying for the AWS CCP from scratch can feel overwhelming. There‘s a lot of material to cover. Figuring out what and how to study is half the battle.

That‘s where freeCodeCamp‘s AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Video Course comes to the rescue. It includes 13 hours of high-quality video training from AWS expert instructor Andrew Brown.

The course content aligns perfectly with the CCP exam topics. It‘s organized into 24 sections that comprehensively cover everything you need to know:

1. Introduction and History of AWS
2. Cloud Concepts and Models
3. AWS Global Infrastructure
4. IAM and Security Fundamentals
5. Amazon VPC and Subnets
6. Compute Services
7. Storage Services
8. Databases on AWS
9. AWS Network Security
10. Application Services
11. Management Services
12. Analytics Services
13. Containers and Serverless
14. Developer Tools and CI/CD
15. AWS Architecture
16. Shared Responsibility and Compliance
17. Disaster Recovery Strategies
18. Application Migration to AWS
19. The Well-Architected Framework
20. AWS Pricing Models
21. Support Resources
22. Next Steps for CCP – Associate Level Certs
23. Exam Preparation Tips
24. Practice Exam and Wrap Up

Each section features in-depth video lectures explaining key concepts and best practices. Andrew breaks down complex topics in an approachable way. You‘ll find helpful diagrams, examples, and analogies throughout.

Andrew told me:

"My goal with this course is to help students truly understand the material, not just memorize facts. I want them to know why things work the way they do on AWS so they can apply that knowledge to any scenario. That‘s why I focus on the fundamentals and provide relatable examples."

But the course goes beyond just conceptual training. It also includes guided hands-on labs so you can practice working with core AWS services. You‘ll get to:

• Create an AWS account and explore the console
• Launch an EC2 instance
• Create an S3 bucket and upload objects
• Configure a VPC with public/private subnets
• Set up a RDS database
• Deploy a serverless application with Lambda
• And more

These labs are a major highlight of the course. They let you see abstract concepts in action and prove you can use AWS – two things employers love. Plus, getting hands-on builds confidence and makes everything click.

Another standout feature of this course is the wealth of supplemental resources. You get access to:

• Collections of AWS whitepapers organized by CCP topic
• Links to re:Invent videos that dive deeper into course concepts
• Downloadable study guides and cheat sheets
• A full-length CCP practice exam to test your retention

Having all these resources in one place is like having an AWS expert curate your study plan. No more wasting time scrounging the internet for materials. It‘s all here.

As Andrew puts it:

"I wanted this course to be a one-stop shop for CCP exam prep. Yes, the video training is the core, but I know people learn in different ways. The additional resources let you go as deep as you want in any topic and study how you learn best."

By the end of this course, you‘ll have a rock-solid handle on all the core AWS services, security practices, and pricing models. Even if you‘re totally new to cloud, you‘ll be well-equipped to ace the CCP exam.

Tips for Making the Most of Your Study Time

While this course gives you everything you need to prepare, you‘ll still need to put in the time and effort to learn the material. Here are some tips for maximizing your study time:

1. Make a study schedule and stick to it. Treat your exam prep like a class. Block off time each day or week to watch videos and review. Consistency beats cramming.

2. Take notes as you watch the lectures. Write key terms, concepts, and service facts in your own words. The act of note-taking boosts retention.

3. Do the hands-on labs multiple times. They‘re not just to check boxes. Repetition builds muscle memory. Get comfortable navigating the console and using services.

4. Make and use flashcards for key terms and concepts. Drill yourself regularly. Retrieval practice is one of the best ways to cement new knowledge.

5. Use memory aids like mnemonics and visualization. For example, visualize "Elastic Beanstalk" as an actual beanstalk that grows/shrinks based on demand. Make mental connections to help facts stick.

6. Draw concept maps and architecture diagrams. Map out how different services relate to each other. This helps you understand the big picture and how pieces fit together.

7. Read the whitepapers and watch the re:Invent videos. Go deeper in areas you‘re less confident about. The course points you to the best ones for each topic. Use them!

8. Take practice quizzes and exams. The ones in this course are great. Do them in test-like conditions, timed and in one sitting. Review answer explanations, even for questions you get right.

9. Participate in online AWS communities and study groups. Talk through concepts with others. Explaining things helps identify gaps in your knowledge. Plus, you‘ll pick up valuable tips from others.

10. Build your own AWS projects outside the course. Nothing cements learning like real-world application. Solve a problem with the services you‘ve learned. Doing is the best way to learn.

Remember, everyone starts somewhere. You don‘t need to be an AWS expert to pass this exam. Focus on progress over perfection. Trust the process and keep showing up. You‘ve got this!

Your AWS learning journey is just beginning

Congratulations on taking your first steps toward AWS certification. Passing the Cloud Practitioner exam is a major accomplishment that will open many doors – but it‘s just the beginning.

Once you have the CCP, keep the momentum going. Dive deeper with an Associate-level AWS cert like Solutions Architect, Developer, or SysOps Administrator. These build on CCP concepts and prove you have more specialized, hands-on AWS skills.

Start doing AWS projects at work or for fun. Refactor a project to run on Lambda. Migrate an app to run on EC2. Set up CI/CD pipelines with CodeDeploy. Solve real problems with the AWS skills you‘ve gained.

Join local AWS meetups or online communities like the AWS subreddit. Meet others on the certification path. Learn from and contribute to technical discussions. This is a great way to stay inspired and grow your professional network.

Follow AWS on social media, the AWS Blog, and Jeff Barr‘s blog. Stay on top of new feature releases, best practices, and customer case studies. The cloud moves fast. Keep your skills sharp by learning continuously.

Consider working toward the AWS Partner accreditation for your company. This opens up major opportunities and lends serious credibility to your organization. Your newfound AWS skills can help lead this charge.

Above all, don‘t let your AWS learning stop with this one course or exam. Embrace the cloud mindset of constant experimentation and iteration. AWS releases over 1,000 new features every year. Regularly push yourself to learn something new.

The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner is your launching pad to an exciting and lucrative career in the cloud. You‘re now armed with a powerful certification, valuable skills, and most importantly – a lifelong learning mentality.

So celebrate this milestone, but stay hungry. The best is yet to come as you keep developing your AWS superpowers. The cloud community can‘t wait to see what you‘ll build!