What Are Amazon Web Services And How Can You Use Them In Your Career?

Cloud computing has seen huge growth in the past few years, particularly with the pandemic causing many workforces to go online, so much so that spending globally using cloud computing is expected to reach over $482 billion in 2022. 

This incredible growth demonstrates that in the current digital climate, knowing about cloud computing is essential and can help greatly increase your career opportunities. Not only that, but it can help you enjoy a smoother and easier online experience, using cloud computing tools to make your everyday life just that bit easier. Now, if you think this all sounds good and want to know more, then you are probably just wondering one thing. Where does Amazon come into all this?

Most people know Amazon as a super-easy way to shop for everything you need and watch great TV and movies on Prime. However, there is more to this global icon than a great shopping experience and prime entertainment. Amazon Web Services offer cloud computing services that can help manage online data, communications, applications, and everything in between for every type of modern business as well as any tech-savvy individual.

They have over 200 cloud computing services for individuals and businesses to manage every aspect of their online essentials, including analytics tools, financial management, business applications, machine learning, developer tools, game hosting, serverless online databases, and much more. When you learn how to make the most out of these high-tech AWS cloud services, you are in a fantastic position to work with the most up-to-date companies and actively progress your career through your understanding of AWS.

The estimated increase in spending on cloud computing is all too clear when you realise that a huge 61% of businesses moved their work onto the cloud in 2020. Not only that, but Amazon Web Services had a huge 76% share in the number of businesses that moved onto the cloud! Knowing about Amazon Web Services can therefore help you get ahead of the game when it comes to finding a new job or progressing in your career. 

AWS is still not widely known by those who are not a part of the businesses that use them, so by learning about AWS yourself, you can hugely increase your career prospects as you are already in the know about the cloud services they use every single day. By knowing how to use these services, why they are important, and how they can help businesses, you can add value to the company, keep down training costs for them and also demonstrate that you keep up to date with the latest technological advancements. It’s a great skill to have on your LinkedIn and will help you stand out to employers of all sizes, from big companies to fresh startups.

Although AWS is ideal for those already in or looking to move into IT roles, it is also highly useful for other job roles too. The main reason for this is that the vast majority of businesses, no matter which field they are in, use IT to some degree and greatly benefit from cloud services offered by Amazon Web Services. Whether you work in retail, hospitality, media, or automotive engineering, businesses in all of these sectors have used AWS to take their business to the next level and improve their customer experience.

For example, AWS has been used by a diverse range of companies, including Coca-Cola, Expedia, and Netflix, as well as a range of agricultural, financial, healthcare, and non-profit organisations to help improve the way they manage their business. For nonprofit environmental group SkyTruth, AWS has been key in helping track oil spills in the world’s oceans and get real-time data to see how our environment is changing. 

In your role, although it may not be IT-related, you could be using AWS to create app-friendly products, track important data, streamline finances or personalise the customer experience. Even if it doesn’t directly relate to your role, your AWS expertise will help you become a more well-rounded employee with knowledge of the way the business is managed through the cloud, thus helping you take on more duties and advance your career.

Now that you are aware of how important AWS is to businesses around the globe and how it can improve your career prospects, you’re probably wondering how you can become an expert in all things AWS. Well, Amazon have you covered here, too, as they offer a variety of courses to help you get well equipped with what cloud computing is all about. 

Amazon Web Services courses, AWS training, and tutorials are available online, so you can study in your own time and work around your current commitments. These courses can be specific and teach you how to use cloud services relevant to you, or more broadly, teach you how to become a cloud computing expert in several areas of AWS. These courses can provide between 10 hours and 3+ months of educational material, and some courses also include exams to test your knowledge. Once complete, you then have the option of studying further cloud computing courses, in order to develop your knowledge once again.

Following these online AWS training courses, you could advance into a career in cloud computing, such as becoming a cloud architect, cloud practitioner, cloud developer, AWS developer, DevOps engineer, solutions architect, or AWS engineer, or use your knowledge to progress in your current career. AWS professionals can often be higher paid than those without knowledge of AWS. Therefore if you want a more financially rewarding career path, then AWS is worth looking into. 

Understanding principles around cloud environments, cloud platforms, and cloud skills, even at a beginner’s level, will help you to stand out. Having AWS skills or an AWS certification also demonstrates a desire to learn and a proactive approach to your own learning, which in itself is a key quality that employers look for. Finally, having knowledge of AWS will make you invaluable to the company and able to take on new duties that you couldn’t previously.

It is no secret that Amazon Web Services is one of the leading cloud computing providers, offering the latest in cloud services to businesses all over the world. Keeping up to date with AWS demonstrates a self-motivated attitude to keep on top of the latest technology and can help advance your career financially as well as improve your chances of taking on more duties and being part of big decisions within your company. 

By studying an Amazon course and learning about how to use these services, you can increase your career prospects whether you want a career in cloud services and IT or an entirely different industry.