Posted by Google Cloud training & certifications team

Validated cloud skills are in demand. With Google Cloud certifications, employers know that certified individuals have proven knowledge of various professional roles within the cloud industry. Google Cloud certifications have also been recognized as some of the highest-paying IT certifications for the past several years. This year, the Google Cloud Certified Professional Data Engineer topped the list with an average salary of $171,749, while the Google Cloud Certified Professional Cloud Architect came in second place, with an average salary of $169,029.

You may be wondering what sort of background you need to take advantage of these opportunities: What sort of classes should you take? How exactly do you get started in the cloud without experience? Here are some tips to start learning about Google Cloud and build your cloud computing skills.

Get hands-on experience with cloud computing

Google Cloud training offers a wide range of learning paths featuring comprehensive courses and hands-on labs, so you get to practice with the real Google Cloud console. For instance, If you wanted to take classes to prepare for the Professional Data Engineer certification mentioned above, there is a complete learning path featuring four courses and 31 hands-on labs to help familiarize you with relevant topics like BigQuery, machine learning, IoT, TensorFlow, and more.

There are nine learning paths providing you with a launch pad to all major pillars of cloud computing, from networking, cloud security, database management, and hybrid cloud infrastructure. Each broader learning path contains specific learning paths to help you specifically train for job roles like Machine Learning Engineer. Visit the Google Cloud training page to find the right path for you.

Learn live from cloud experts

Google Cloud regularly hosts a half-day live training event called Cloud OnBoard which features hands-on learning led by experts. All sessions are also available to watch on-demand after the event.

If you’re a developer new to cloud computing, we recommend you start with Google Cloud Fundamentals, an entry-level course to learn about the basics of Google Cloud. Experts guide you through hands-on labs where you can practice using the Google Console, Google Cloud Shell, and more.

You’ll be introduced to core components of Google Cloud and given an overview of how its tools impact the entire cloud computing landscape. The curriculum covers Compute Engine and how to create VM instances from scratch and from existing templates, how to connect them together, and end with projects that can talk to each other safely and securely. You will also learn about the different storage and database options available on Google Cloud.

Other Cloud OnBoard event topics include cloud architecture, Kubernetes, data analytics, and cloud application development.

Explore Google Cloud infrastructure

Cloud infrastructure is the backbone of the internet. Understanding cloud infrastructure is a good starting point to start digging deeper into cloud concepts because it will give you a taste of the various aspects of cloud computing to figure out what you like best, whether it’s networking, security, or application development.

Build your foundational Google Cloud knowledge with our on-demand infrastructure training in the cloud infrastructure learning path. This learning path will provide you with practical experience through expert-guided labs which dive into Cloud Storage and other key application services like Google Cloud’s operations suite and Cloud Functions.

Show off your skills

Once you have a strong grasp on Google Cloud basics, you can start earning skill badges to demonstrate your experience.

Skill badges are digital credentials that recognize your ability to solve real-world problems with your cloud knowledge. You can share them on your resume or social profile so your professional network sees your technical skills. This can be useful for recruiters or employers as you transition to cloud computing work.Skill badges also enable you to get in-depth, hands-on experience with different Google Cloud offerings on the way to earning the credential.

You can also use them to start preparing for Google Cloud certifications which are more intensive and show employers that you are a cloud expert. Most Google Cloud certifications recommend having at least 6 months or up to several years of industry experience depending on the material.

Ready to get started in the cloud? Visit the Google Cloud training page to see all your options from in-person classes, online courses, special events, and more.