Skills for Working as an AWS Cloud Consultant from Coursera

Being a successful cloud consultant is finding the balance of soft skills and hard skills when investigating and solving customer problems. This course is designed to improve students’ understanding of key soft skills necessary to become successful cloud consultants.

The course's first week provides foundational knowledge of what cloud consulting is and then dives into important skills for solving customers’ business problems. During the second week, students learn how to work with customers (gather requirements, propose a solution, plan and build out the project, monitor progress, and conclude final tasks) and how different soft skills can help them throughout all stages of the process. The third week of the course focuses on helping students develop and maintain strong business relationships. The main emphasis of this week is on developing soft skills that are necessary to build relationships, earn trust, manage changes, establish a brand, and build a good reputation. Finally, in week 4, students receive different recommendations and techniques on how to design a plan to improve their soft skills and grow as a leader.

What's inside

Syllabus

Thinking as a Cloud Consultant

Module one starts by answering a couple of fundamental questions: What is a cloud consultant, and what do they do? You explore the basic functions of this role to help you decide if being a cloud consultant is a job you’d like to pursue. In addition, you learn about critical thinking and analytical skills, which are important to the business world and for cloud consultants. You explore what they are, how to develop them, and some strategies that you can employ on your next business project.

Designing Solutions and Managing Projects

In module two, you take on the role of a cloud consultant who is working with a customer. You start the module by walking through a common project for a cloud consultant: migrating a workload from an on-premises data center to AWS. During this process, you learn about the types of meetings that you might experience, and the different types of job functions that you might perform in the organization. By the end of the module, you should have a solid understanding of the different tasks and activities that a cloud consultant might do in their workday.

Managing Relationships

Module three focuses on building and maintaining business relationships. In business, who you know can be as important as what you know. In this module, you focus on building and maintaining a network of professional connections. In addition to networking, it’s important for you to develop your own professional brand. To that end, you also explore how you can establish your brand and maintain a positive image in the business world.

Building your Career

In module four, you explore how you can continuously improve your skill set. Because business is always changing, you should also consider how you can keep evolving your skills. You learn how to create a plan to develop your skills and work on addressing your weaknesses. As you develop new skills, it’s important to manage your time and make the most out of what you have. At the end of the module, you learn the principles behind designing effective resumes, and then you go hands-on to review and update your own resume.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Explores the basics of cloud consulting and key soft skills necessary for success in the field

Taught by Oksana Hoeckele and Alex G., who are both experienced practitioners in the field of cloud computing

Provides a comprehensive overview of the cloud consulting process, from gathering requirements to monitoring progress

Covers important business relationship skills, such as building trust and developing a brand

Offers practical tips and techniques for improving soft skills and growing as a leader in cloud consulting

May be suitable for those with some prior knowledge of cloud computing and consulting

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Skills for Working as an AWS Cloud Consultant with these activities:

Read "Cloud Computing: Principles and Paradigms"

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Gain a comprehensive understanding of cloud computing fundamentals by reading and reviewing the foundational book "Cloud Computing: Principles and Paradigms".

View Machine Learning for Cloud Management on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of the book
Read and take notes on each chapter
Summarize key concepts and ideas

Review prerequisites

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Refresh your understanding of IT fundamentals as a way to prepare for the course

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Review basic computer hardware and software concepts
Brush up on networking and security principles
Revise your knowledge of cloud computing concepts

Review cloud computing models

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Solidify your understanding of cloud computing models, such as IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS, by completing guided tutorials on the topic.

Browse courses on Cloud Computing Models

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Explore AWS official tutorials on cloud computing models
Find additional tutorials on YouTube or Udemy
Take notes and create diagrams to summarize your learning

13 other activities

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Attend industry events and meetups focused on cloud computing

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Expand your network and gain insights by attending industry events and meetups that bring together professionals in the field of cloud computing.

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Identify relevant events and meetups in your area
Register and attend the events
Connect with other attendees and exchange knowledge

Organize course resources

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Gather and organize materials for easy access

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Download and review course materials
Organize materials into folders and subfolders
Create a study schedule and stick to it

Seek guidance from experienced cloud consultants

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Accelerate your learning by connecting with experienced cloud consultants who can provide valuable mentorship and career advice.

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Identify potential mentors through industry events or online platforms
Reach out to your mentors and express your interest in their guidance
Schedule regular meetings or calls to discuss your progress and challenges

Participate in a peer study group for cloud security

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Engage in discussions and knowledge sharing with peers in a study group dedicated to cloud security, fostering a deeper understanding of the topic.

Browse courses on Cloud Security

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Find or create a peer study group
Set regular meeting times and topics
Share resources, insights, and experiences

Practice problem-solving exercises for cloud architecture

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Enhance your cloud architecture skills through regular problem-solving exercises, such as designing and optimizing cloud solutions.

Browse courses on Cloud Architecture

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Find practice problems online or in textbooks
Work through the problems and develop solutions
Review your solutions and identify areas for improvement

Engage in online discussions

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Exchange ideas and ask questions with peers in the course

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Join class forums and discussion boards
Participate in discussions and share insights
Seek help and provide support to other students

Explore case studies

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Analyze real-world cloud computing implementations

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Identify successful cloud-based projects
Review case studies and identify key takeaways
Apply lessons learned to your own cloud projects

Develop a case study on cloud migration

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Enhance your understanding of cloud migration by creating a case study that analyzes a real-world cloud migration scenario.

Browse courses on Case Studies

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Identify a specific cloud migration project
Research and gather data on the project's goals, challenges, and outcomes
Analyze the data and identify key takeaways
Write a report or presentation summarizing your findings

Participate in industry events

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Network with professionals and learn about current trends

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Identify relevant industry events and conferences
Attend events and participate in discussions
Connect with professionals and exchange ideas

Share your knowledge and mentor junior cloud professionals

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Enhance your retention of course material while fostering the growth of others by mentoring junior professionals in the field of cloud computing.

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Identify opportunities to mentor through organizations or online platforms
Prepare materials and develop a mentorship plan
Meet regularly with your mentees and provide guidance and support

Write a blog or article

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Solidify your understanding by creating your own content

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Choose a topic related to cloud consulting
Research and gather information
Write a well-structured blog or article
Share your content with others

Become a peer mentor

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Reinforce your knowledge by helping others

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Offer to assist fellow students or junior professionals
Provide guidance and support on course topics
Share your experiences and insights

Contribute to open-source projects related to cloud computing

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Deepen your understanding of cloud computing and gain practical experience by actively contributing to open-source projects in the field.

Browse courses on Open Source

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Identify open-source projects that align with your interests
Read the project documentation and codebase
Identify ways to contribute and reach out to the project maintainers
Make code contributions, write documentation, or participate in discussions

Career center

Learners who complete Skills for Working as an AWS Cloud Consultant will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Cloud Consultant

As a Cloud Consultant, you help clients adopt and use cloud computing technologies. You work with clients to assess their needs, develop solutions, and implement those solutions. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including critical thinking, analytical skills, communication skills, and project management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Consultant

Cloud Engineer

As a Cloud Engineer, you design, build, and manage cloud computing infrastructure. You work with clients to understand their business needs and develop solutions that meet those needs. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including critical thinking, analytical skills, and project management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Engineer

Cloud Architect

As a Cloud Architect, you design, build, and manage cloud computing solutions. You work with clients to understand their business needs and develop solutions that meet those needs. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including critical thinking, analytical skills, and project management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Architect

Project Manager

As a Project Manager, you plan and manage projects. You work with clients to understand their business needs and develop solutions that meet those needs. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including critical thinking, analytical skills, and project management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Solutions Architect

As a Solutions Architect, you design and build solutions for clients. You work with clients to understand their business needs and develop solutions that meet those needs. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including critical thinking, analytical skills, and project management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Solutions Architect

DevOps Engineer

As a DevOps Engineer, you work with developers and operations teams to build and manage software systems. You work with clients to understand their business needs and develop solutions that meet those needs. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including critical thinking, analytical skills, and project management.

See salaries and explore the career path for DevOps Engineer

Security Engineer

As a Security Engineer, you design and manage security systems. You work with clients to understand their business needs and develop solutions that meet those needs. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including critical thinking, analytical skills, and project management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Engineer

Software Architect

As a Software Architect, you design and build software systems. You work with clients to understand their business needs and develop solutions that meet those needs. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including critical thinking, analytical skills, and project management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Architect

Network Engineer

As a Network Engineer, you design and manage computer networks. You work with clients to understand their business needs and develop solutions that meet those needs. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including critical thinking, analytical skills, and project management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Network Engineer

Software Developer

As a Software Developer, you write and maintain code. You work with clients to understand their business needs and develop solutions that meet those needs. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including critical thinking, analytical skills, and project management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Developer

Systems Administrator

As a Systems Administrator, you manage computer systems. You work with clients to understand their business needs and develop solutions that meet those needs. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including critical thinking, analytical skills, and project management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Administrator

Data Engineer

As a Data Engineer, you build and manage data pipelines. You work with clients to understand their business needs and develop solutions that meet those needs. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including critical thinking, analytical skills, and project management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Engineer

IT Manager

As an IT Manager, you are responsible for managing the IT infrastructure of an organization. You work with clients to understand their business needs and develop solutions that meet those needs. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including critical thinking, analytical skills, and project management.

See salaries and explore the career path for IT Manager

Data Architect

As a Data Architect, you design and manage data systems. You work with clients to understand their business needs and develop solutions that meet those needs. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including critical thinking, analytical skills, and project management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Architect

Technical Support Specialist

As a Technical Support Specialist, you provide technical support to clients. You work with clients to understand their business needs and develop solutions that meet those needs. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including critical thinking, analytical skills, and project management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Support Specialist