Which AWS Training Format Is Right for Me?

AWS is a collection of Cloud computing services that let developers and organizations take advantage of Amazon’s wealth of hardware and computing infrastructure. Anyone looking to work on a large-scale computing project or build the important infrastructure of their business or institution will benefit from learning AWS. When comparing types of AWS training, there are many factors to consider. Everyone learns differently, and choosing the right kind of training is critical to your experience.

Keep reading to find out more about the different formats of AWS training, how they compare to each other, and how to determine which is best for you.

What is AWS?

Released to the public in 2002, Amazon Web Services is the most commonly used Cloud Computing Platform among individuals, corporations, and public-sector organizations. AWS encompasses a wide range of services. As of 2022, this includes more than two hundred distinct services, including cloud data storage, database management, data analytics, machine learning, and distributed computing services, and the number of services available is only set to continue growing as Amazon expands its computing capabilities. At the time of writing, Amazon Web Services is the leader in Cloud infrastructure services with a 33% market share, more than its two primary competitors (Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud) combined.

Amazon Web Services is an incredibly trusted Cloud computing service and counts among its clients NASA, Netflix, the Department of Defense, and Bloomberg. Amazon Web Services is such a trusted network in terms of reliability and security that the UK’s Ministry of Defense and the MI:5 and MI:6 intelligence agencies have contracted AWS to host classified information. This level of security and coverage means that learning AWS will also be a vital part of a cybersecurity curriculum, as many organizations and institutions use the service to store sensitive data and information. Regardless of what aspect of the world of computer science you work in, it is very likely that you will interact with AWS in a meaningful capacity.

Read more about what AWS is and why you should learn it. 

What Can You Do with AWS?

Given that AWS is a collection of over two hundred different cloud computing services, there are an almost endless number of different things you can do through AWS. On an enterprise level, AWS allows organizations and businesses to host and store huge amounts of data and utilize Amazon’s various data analysis tools to interpret, catalog, and use that data. AWS also allows groups to take advantage of Amazon’s computer infrastructure to train machine learning programs or assist in web development. AWS is also a common-hosting platform for web applications.

AWS is also used in a wide variety of different contexts outside of the world of business. It is such a versatile service that companies and organizations have found ways to tailor AWS services to their needs. The NFL uses AWS for advanced statistical analysis and data-driven sports science, and MI:6 uses the same platform to store classified information of vital national security interest. The versatility of the services offered by AWS lets the same users building machine learning algorithms host those tools for companies wanting to perform significant data analytics projects. As the AWS cloud computing platform grows, so does the scope of projects it can handle.

Training Formats for AWS

Students looking to learn AWS will have various options to choose from. Courses are offered at in-person classrooms or they can be taken in private, live online classrooms. Students looking for more flexibility in their training can look towards on-demand training options. While all students learn differently, each training method has affordances and limitations that you can learn about to make a more informed decision about your own AWS training.

In-Person AWS Training

Many people find the best way to learn a new skill is through live, in-person instruction. These classes place students into a dedicated learning environment and pair them with expert instructors who can guide them through the challenges of learning AWS. These courses give participants access to onsite tech labs and places them in a classroom with a cohort of like-minded peers, which can provide valuable networking opportunities. The drawback to these classes is that since they are taught at physical locations, students will only be able to enroll in courses they can attend in person. Anyone interested should consider utilizing Noble’s Classes Near Me tool to find out what in-person AWS courses are available in their area.

Noble Desktop offers a wide range of in-person AWS courses at their private training campus in Manhattan. Students who can commute to NYC can come to learn from expert instructors in a state-of-the-art computer lab. These classes are a great way to get guided, hands-on AWS training that will pay long-term dividends for your career prospects. Students who don’t live in the Manhattan area may want to look at the courses offered by other service providers such as SkillSpire in Seattle or Pragra in Toronto.

Live Online AWS Training

Students who want to learn AWS from experienced instructors but don’t like the options available for nearby in-person classes or who simply don’t want to travel may want to consider enrolling in a live online AWS training course. These classes provide students with the same level of expert instruction that they can expect from an in-person training course, and they will still be able to work directly with their instructors to ask questions and receive feedback on their work. Students may miss out on networking opportunities and they will need to provide their own software, which can become challenging when learning AWS since the cost of utilizing the platform varies from user to user.

Noble Desktop offers all of its in-person training courses through live online instruction. These classes are built as online classes, so students who learn online won’t compete with in-person students for their instructor’s attention. Students will receive all the benefits they can expect from Noble training courses, including free retakes within one year and any professionalization training benefits, such as one-on-one career mentorship. Students may also wish to consider the options available through other training providers such as Clarusway or Digicomp Academy

Free Online Courses & Tutorials

Students may need clarification on whether a full AWS training course is right for them, especially considering how many different routes that training can take. Students are encouraged to take advantage of free training resources before enrolling in a paid training program to see what kinds of services and tools they can learn. These resources won’t be a substitute for professional training, and almost all professional AWS users will need further training at some point. Still, these classes and resources are great places to familiarize yourself with the fundamentals of AWS to better understand the kinds of skills you’ll be learning in a professional training environment.

The best place to start exploring these training options is directly through Amazon. Amazon offers a wide variety of different training programs meant to help students become accustomed to their services. These include generalized training programs and focused training programs targeted at specific professional sectors, like the financial industry, or specific functions of AWS tools, like Machine Learning. These courses are designed to lead students into Amazon’s professional training options and prepare them to pass various AWS certification exams, but these tools are productive options regardless of how a student plans on expanding their AWS training.

Read about more free AWS videos and online tutorials.

Then find other non-Noble courses.

On-Demand Classes

Some students will need increased flexibility in their scheduling, since they may have work or family obligations that prevent them from attending a regularly scheduled training course. These students can enroll in on-demand training classes that let them work at their own pace, picking up and putting down their lessons on their schedule. This makes the courses ideal for students who need to spread out their training or who want to quickly learn a specific aspect of the AWS suite of applications. The drawback is that these classes lack live instructors, which can cause problems for students who run into challenges or roadblocks during their training. They are also the courses most likely to contain out-of-date information since the AWS platform updates so frequently.

Comparison of AWS Training Formats

Students looking to learn AWS will have plenty of different training options. They can enroll in live training courses or purchase asynchronous on-demand training material. Their live training courses can be taken either in-person or online. Each of these courses has its own advantages and disadvantages. While every student learns differently, understanding those strengths and weaknesses is an ideal way to make an informed decision about the best course for each student.

Many students find that live training sessions are the best way to learn new skills like AWS. These courses will put students into dedicated classroom spaces with instructors who are there to help guide students through the process of learning specific AWS functions and tools. These classes allow students to learn their skills through hands-on examples and real-world applications. These courses tend to be the most involved, but they are also the most expensive and have the most detailed scheduling requirements.

These courses are available both in-person and online, and while both courses offer expert instruction, the mode of delivery will differ. Students in live courses will have access to a dedicated classroom space and a group of students they can work with. Online students will be taught in private digital classrooms (through systems like Zoom). The disadvantage to an in-person course is that because they are taught on-site at a specialized campus, students will only be able to attend the classes they can physically travel to. Online classes eliminate this problem, but these courses will require students to supply their own hardware and software.

Students who cannot attend a live training course will want to enroll in an on-demand training course. These classes are ideal for students with family or work commitments preventing them from regularly attending a live course. These courses vary in how they are presented and what skills they teach. This makes them ideal for students who need to learn a few particular skills quickly or want to acquire a specific set of AWS skills slowly. The drawback to these classes is that students who lack a live instructor to guide them through difficult patches may find it too hard to overcome challenges that arise during their training. In addition, if you take an on-demand training course from anyone other than Amazon, you’ll need to ensure that the content is up-to-date, as AWS frequently updates its applications.

Is it Possible to Teach Yourself AWS?

Students interested in learning how to use AWS may be interested in the prospect of using free training material to self-teach the platform. For the most part, the answer to this question is that it depends on the specific aspect of AWS that a student hopes to learn. Students who want to make use of a few free-tier services or who want to host a website can slowly learn how to use the platform with only the help of free tutorials. Professional training will make the process faster, but it is still an option for students.

Students who want to learn more advanced features or functions with important prerequisites are unlikely to be able to self-teach the skills. These are complex functionalities, so even experienced programmers are unlikely to be able to trial-and-error their way to grasp the important skills fully. Plus, students using free material may find it incomplete or out-of-date, which will further complicate the process. Professional training will make things like AWS machine learning or cybersecurity much easier.

How to Decide the Best Way to Learn AWS

Students looking to learn how to use AWS professionally will have many different options available to learn how to use the platform. Given the many different ways to learn this tool, students should consider what they want to learn to use AWS for and how detailed they want their training. While every student will learn differently, as a general rule, students will want to consider whether or not they are aiming for career training or skills training.

Students who aren’t certain that AWS training is right for them but who still want to explore the platform will want to consider free training programs or on-demand training lessons. These courses, many of which are offered directly from Amazon, will give students a basic overview of the services provided by Amazon and their general functions. Students who opt to learn AWS for professional purposes will need additional training, but students will enter those courses with a fundamental understanding of AWS.

Students who know they want to learn how to use a feature or a set of features of AWS will want to consider enrolling in a focused bootcamp, such as Nobles’ Cloud Computing with AWS course. These classes will teach students with existing skills training how to utilize AWS to assist in their existing professional work. Each class will look at a different aspect of the two hundred-plus AWS applications, so students will want to explore their options to ensure they receive the required training.

Students who want to learn AWS as part of a new career path are more likely to learn AWS as part of their overall training in a career-focused training program. For example, anyone interested in learning cybersecurity skills is likely to learn AWS in a course like Noble’s Cybersecurity Bootcamp. Rather than learning a huge swath of AWS skills, students will instead learn career skills that include focused instruction on the AWS tools that are applicable to that career path. Some of the most common kinds of these courses include cybersecurity, machine learning, data analytics, and Computer programming courses.

Learn AWS with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Those interested in learning how to utilize AWS and the various computing processes available through the service may want to receive guidance on using these tools. Anyone looking for this guidance can find it through the professional training services offered by Noble Desktop. These classes are available in-person at Noble’s Manhattan campus or online in private digital classrooms. Regardless of how you take these classes, students will be taught by expert instructors who have years of experience working with AWS. Class sizes, even those online, are kept small so students won’t have to worry about competing with their classmates for their instructor’s attention. Plus, anyone enrolling in a Noble training course can retake the class any time within a calendar year for free. This will ensure that students have even more time to practice their AWS skills.

People who are interested in an overview of the tools offered by Amazon and their basic functions will want to enroll in Noble’s Cloud Computing with AWS course. This class will teach participants how to build enterprise-level cloud computing environments for various professional purposes. Students will learn how to use cloud infrastructure for building networks and databases and receive practical, hands-on training in these skills to be ready to apply their training once they enter the professional world. This is an excellent course for those who want to work with AWS tools but aren’t sure that they want to specialize in a specific aspect of the program suite.

AWS is vital to modern cybersecurity infrastructures because many major institutions and organizations utilize the platform. If you’re interested in entering this important and growing career field, you will want to enroll in Noble’s Cybersecurity Bootcamp. In this immersive, career-focused training program, students will learn how to analyze and engineer cybersecurity systems for Python, Linux, and cloud computing databases like AWS. As more important and sensitive data is stored on cloud systems, businesses will become more invested in their cybersecurity infrastructure. In this class, students will learn techniques for monitoring, analyzing, and planning cybersecurity systems, how to discover weaknesses and potential exploits in a system, and how to recognize attackers and security breaches. This is an ideal course for any student who wants to enter into a new career in the in-demand field of cybersecurity. You may also wish to explore their other options for cybersecurity classes and bootcamps through Noble Desktop.