What to expect & how to prepare Google Cloud Certifications?
More and more companies are using GCP for their cloud requirements and this is opening the whole paradise of opportunity for people who are skilled in cloud computing. There is a massive demand for Google Cloud Platform certification training. Google has eight different certification exams. The IT professionals and teams can pass them if they want to validate their Google Cloud Platform skills.
GCP Certifications offered by Google
Following are the 8 certifications that google is currently offering in cloud computing:
- Google Associate Cloud Engineer Exam Preparation
- Cloud Architect – Professional Certification Preparation for Google
- Google Data Engineer Exam – Professional Certification Preparation
- Google Professional Cloud Network Engineer Exam Preparation
- Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer Exam Preparation
- Google Professional Cloud Developer Exam Preparation
- Google Professional Machine Learning Engineer
- Google Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer
Preparing for a Google Cloud certification exam
Google Cloud Certification exams are comparatively difficult to prepare. They involve thorough knowledge and expect that the candidate is well-prepared and possesses a deep knowledge of the course material. We would advise you not to underestimate this exam. Full preparation and proper knowledge are the keys to success in these exams. You cannot rely on general understanding.
Google never shows the score at the end of the exam. It only tells whether the candidate has passed or failed the exam which is quite interesting and a bit confusing at the same time. So, you have to invest some extra time and focus on preparation for this exam.
Tips for Google Cloud Certification Exams:
This section is a mixture of a sneak-peak and some beneficial tips on the Google Cloud Certification exams. Here are the tips that would help you in your exams for Google Cloud Certifications:
- You need to prepare for your Google Cloud Certification exam through some institute. In the era of the internet, everything is available online. Do a little research and try to join some academies that would provide you a proper learning path. It will keep you on track and you’ll get an ultimate guideline for the exam. They also provide mock exams, leading to the reduction of exam pressure.
- Try to get some hands-on practice on GCP. You can go for hands-on Labs and Lab Challenges to practice your skills. This is a very quick and efficient way to gain practical experience. It never deploys your infrastructure and provides you with a real cloud environment, ultimately assisting you in your exams.
- Never ignore the exam guide. Exam guides are an excellent yet underrated means of guideline. You can fill your knowledge gaps using these guides. They’ll help you to develop proper know-how about the exam that you are going to take and are very important.
- Some of the Google Cloud Certification exams include detailed case studies. Such as in the Data Engineer and Cloud Architect exam, a very long case study is involved. Exam guides can be used to find information about these exams. Again, make sure to read them properly and carefully before taking your exam. You might fail your exam if you ignore the guidelines.
- Try to write Google’s practice exam. Practice exams such as Cloud Architect practice exams are available over the internet. Every exam you take has a duration of two hours. You can take them through OLP, which is an online proctored exam. Another option is to take the Google Cloud Certification exam at a Kryterion testing center. It has more than 1000 testing centers across the globe, covering almost 120 countries. You can easily find one in your area as well.
After the exam
As mentioned earlier, no score is displayed at the end of the exam. You are just told about passing or failure. If you want to retake your exam, you can attempt again after 14 days. But if you fail in this one too, you have to wait for 60 days before the third attempt.
If you pass the exam, you’ll receive an e-certificate, a digital badge, and a Certified logo in your Google Cloud Certification account. This whole process would be done within 5 days after passing your exam. You can use this digital badge to update your portfolio. It can also be used to show your skills on various social media platforms such as Facebook, Linked In, and freelancing applications. The fun part is, you are going to get a google cloud certification hoodie as well. It is the most exciting part, right?
Cost of Google Cloud Certifications
Google Cloud Certification varies in price at different levels. Following are the current prices for Google Cloud Certifications:
- Associate exam:
- Professional exam:
- Google Cloud Certified, Professional Data Engineer: $200
- Google Cloud Certified, Professional Cloud Architect: $200
- Google Cloud Certified, Professional Cloud Security Engineer: $200
- Google Cloud Certified, Professional Cloud Developer: $200
- Google Cloud Certified, Professional Cloud Network Engineer: $200
Google Cloud Certification Exam FAQs
- When is the result displayed?
You can see your result right after taking the exam. As mentioned earlier, no score is displayed at the end of the exam. You are just told about passing or failure. - What happens if I fail the certification exam?
If you want to retake your exam, you can attempt again after 14 days. But if you fail in this one too, you have to wait for 60 days before the third attempt. You’ll have to pay the exam fee for every single retake. - For how long is the certification valid?
The certification is valid for two years. - What happens if I somehow miss my exam?
If you miss your exam and do not appear, you won’t get a refund. - What is the age requirement?
The test taker must be 13 years of age or older. - Can I take this exam in the form of a group?
No, it is mandatory to take this exam individually. - What happens when a candidate violates the exam’s terms and conditions?
If you violate the exam’s terms and conditions, your certification will be revoked.