[Study method disclosed] I tried to obtain the AWS Cloud Practitioner qualification even though it was a public relations job after 3 months of joining the company.

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Hello, this is Komatsu from Public Relations. Lately the temperature has been changing so much, from hot to cool, that my body can't keep up
This time, I, a public relations professional, have obtained the AWS Cloud Practitioner certification, so I will explain in detail the process from applying for the exam to obtaining the certification!
What is an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner?
The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner is a basic-level AWS certification for beginners. The exam aims to deepen your basic understanding of AWS cloud concepts, services, and terminology.
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Overview
| Difficulty | Basic level/Beginner |
|---|---|
| Eligible candidates | AWS beginners, cloud beginners, IT beginners |
| Exam date | Any date available at the time of application |
| Test location | Online or Test Center |
| Examination fee | 12,100 yen (11,000 yen + tax) |
| passing score | 700 points |
| Certification expiration date | Valid for 3 years from the date of acquisition |
Why did you obtain this qualification?
・Beyond handles various cloud services, primarily AWS, and the cloud server business is its main business
・Even if you are in charge of public relations, you should understand the company's business
・I was simply interested in what AWS was
study method
Plans and what was done
First, after I decided to take the exam, I declared when I would start studying.
(You can also follow my progress on the YouTube Biyomaru Channel, so please check it out.)
I set my study period at about two weeks, signed up for the exam, and studied for it
By the way, I am a public relations officer with no engineering experience, but I have just barely managed to obtain an IT Passport qualification
To obtain this qualification, I have done the following four things :
Strategy 1: Read reference books
Solution 2: Focus on Udemy
Solution 3: Watch YouTube
Countermeasure 4: Ask active engineers
Strategy 1: Read reference books
Reference book: AWS Certification Exam Textbook AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
The above reference book was among the books available for loan at my company, so I borrowed it from there
I was a little worried because it was a slightly old book from 2018, but I concentrated on reading it before going to work in the morning and memorized it
Solution 2: Focus on Udemy
When I asked the engineer what study method he recommended, he simply said Udemy
(By the way, the price in the photo is 2,400 yen, but it sometimes goes cheaper. When I bought it, it was 1,900 yen.)
I solved the problems on the train, as if to confirm what I had drilled into my head in the morning, and checked the explanations for any problems I got wrong. I
was glad that Udemy had such comprehensive explanations that were easy to understand.
Practice Test 1: Mock Test (Basic Level ①)
Practice Test 2: Mock Test (Basic Level ②)
Practice Test 3: Mock Test (Actual Level ①)
Practice Test 4: Mock Test (Actual Level ②)
Practice Test 5: Mock Test (Actual Level ③)
Practice Test 6: Mock Test (Actual Level ④)
I focused on practice tests 1 and 2, and after taking them 6 or 7 times, I finally managed to get over the passing score of 70 points

Solution 3: Watch YouTube
The video I was watching was from the " AWS Certification Preparation Course " channel.
On the morning train, I was relatively focused, solving problems and then checking and memorizing the ones I got wrong
On the train ride home, I was skimming through YouTube. Since I had a hard time concentrating after work, I just skimmed through it
Countermeasure 4: Ask active engineers
I asked an engineer who happened to be on break at the same time, and since it was a free address system, I asked the engineer sitting next to me about the part I didn't understand
No matter how many times I solved the questions, I got them wrong, and there were some questions I didn't quite understand the difference between (for example, AWS CloudTrail and AWS Config). But when an engineer explained them to me, I was able to remember them in one go, which was amazing. (Active engineers are amazing...)
If you have someone nearby you can ask, I recommend asking as many questions as you can to clear up any parts you don't understand
On the day of the exam
The exam date was originally scheduled for Friday, April 28th
I was trying to take the exam online, but after I had finished all the checks and was ready to take the exam, it wouldn't go ahead and I was unable to take the exam
The exam on April 28th was canceled and I was able to take it on another day.
I then went to the test center on Monday, May 8th and was able to take the exam without any problems.
And I passed the exam

Difficulties
① I have never actually touched it, so I can't imagine it
I had never even seen the actual AWS screen, so even after learning about the service, it was difficult to visualize it
After the engineers actually showed me various things, I think it all started to sink in easily
I think you will gain a deeper understanding if you study while actually using AWS
② Online exams are a high hurdle
If you are taking the test online, various checks will be carried out, such as checking your internet connection and confirming your test location using a camera
In particular, checking the exam location is extremely difficult as it requires filming every corner of the room
Therefore, we recommend that you take the exam in person at a testing center!
summary
I have introduced the study process I went through to pass the AWS Cloud Practitioner exam as a non-engineer with no experience in AWS
I obtained the qualification after studying for about two weeks and 20 hours
I believe that there are different study methods that suit each individual, but I hope that reading this blog will be of some help in preparing for the exam
*I have also uploaded the journey to passing on YouTube, so if you're interested, please take a look!
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