I decide about a month ago that it was now time to begin working towards earning certifications and continuing to build up my skill level in Microsoft Technology Stack. The first cert on the list will be AZ-900: Azure Fundamentals Certification.

    I have been studying the .NET Ecosystem now for about five years. I started with the C# programming language, moved on the the basics and fundamentals of .NET Core, started working with data by learning Entity Framework Core as well as LINQ, and then learned how to store and manipulate data by learning SQL and then built a strong foundation in SQL Serve and PostgreSQL. One area of programming, however that has always intrigued me and, to be honest, frightened me a little bit was the area of Cloud Computing. As I get into more advanced concepts and continue to climb in my career, the more I realized that it is time to get over that fear and learn about cloud computing. It only makes sense that since I am in the Microsoft Ecosystem already, the choice is abundantly obvious… it's time to wade out into the waters and learn about Microsoft Azure. But why go for the certification? Why not just learn about Azure and build up your skill level just like with all other aspects of .NET?

    There is an inherent difference in learning a programming language and learning about cloud computing. When you learn a programming language, the proof that you understand the language or grasp the concepts  or are proficient with the writing code is shown in the projects and the code that you create. This is why professionals from every aspect recommend that you create a portfolio of projects and somewhere on that portfolio, have a link pointing to your repositories (or repos) whether is be GitHub or Gitea or any other source control system. This allows potential recruiters, mangers or clients see the breadth of the work that you have completed and see the code that you have written. A good example of this is, you can visit my portfolio, Jerry McKee - Full Stack Developer, and on any project that you try out, there is a link to the repo for that project. Click on the link and you'll be taken to the repo where you can see how the project was built and what technologies were involved in creating the project (like this blog, for example). But it doesn't really answer why you can't do this with learning cloud computing.  It all has to do with the viewers ability to validate your claim. You see, Microsoft Azure, like Amazon Web Service (AWS) and Google Cloud Platforms (GCP) are extremely vast. Service to be able to do just about anything with data, publishing, analysis, etc. To just say you know it doesn't explain much. Let's say you host a project on Azure. Future employers want to know how much of process of hosting do you know how to complete. Because you cannot really see the process of how you hosted your site from start to finish, you need another way to communicate that you have this skill set. This is where certifications come in. Certifications are the way that the providers of the service tell future employers or clients on your behalf, that you have the knowledge of what the service are, how to create and maintain them, and how to service them. For new developers that have seen them on linked in or on other developers portfolios, these come in the form of the badges that say something like ‘Azure Fundamentals Certification’. This means that you have passed the test provided by the service providers that prove your knowledge.

    Now going for certifications is not easy nor is it cheap. Going for a certification means that you are dedicated and are extremely willing to move forward in you r career and your willingness to learn is unparalleled. This why getting even just one certification will usually get you a better chance of securing promotions, getting a job, or landing a client. Going for a certification means spending time learning and studying, as well as working hands-on in the learning environment. It means taking tests and in some cases traveling to take those tests. It also comes at an expense. Whether it is looking for classes offered by Pluralsight or Udemy, purchasing guides to learn, or purchasing access to the providers certification materials, the cost can be high. But this is not the only expense. I had found out that the certification exam that I am going for now will cost $99. And this is only the first of many certifications that I am planning to pursue. The question that I get asked a lot is, “Is it worth it?”

    The answer to that question is really up to you. Some developers are very happy just working on smaller projects. Other developers, however, maybe looking for something more. To me, this decision was simple. I have always been driven to move forward in learning about the whole tech stack. To me, being a true Full Stack Developer means not only can I build the back end of application, give it a stunning user-friendly UI, and a proper way to store data, but I should also know how to host the project in the cloud as well as create and maintain the service involved in hosting. And this is where it became an easy decision for me to go forward in gaining my Azure certifications. Undoubtedly this will open up new paths for me including learning about .NET Aspire, learning more about Copilot and what it can do for developers and other users. I refer you back to the quote that I have facing everyone who visits this blog. It is by one of my favorite jazz musicians, Ramsey Lewis. He always talked about the passion he had in learning about music and went on the record to give this famous quote, “The more you learn, the more you'll learn, there is more to learn.” This quote is the driving force in my dedication to learning .NET programming and also drives my passion for learning. It is my hope that this why you stop by my blog every now and then. Because you have that same passion. I hope that this has inspired you to follow your passions, whether it is programming, or art, or music, or whatever you are passionate about. And I hope you will continue to follow along as I share my passion with you.