Build hands-on experience using real accounts on AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform, and more
Meaningful cloud skills require more than book knowledge. Hands-on experience is required to translate knowledge into real-world results. We see this time and time again in studies about how people learn best — doing the actual task is key. With Cloud Academy Hands-on Labs and Lab Challenges, you can:
- Gain quick and easy access using our real sandboxed accounts on AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform, Docker, Kubernetes, and much more
- Practice working in live cloud environments with guided hands-on labs using our step-by-step procedures
- Demonstrate your problem-solving skills with non-guided lab challenges in live cloud environments with real-world scenarios
What’s new?
If you’ve been part of the Cloud Academy community for an extended period of time, then you probably know that we are constantly adding new content to our training library.
Today we’re excited to introduce our newest lab challenges in our library:
AWS Solutions Architect – Associate Certification Challenge
The AWS Solutions Architect exam is the most popular AWS certification. If you’re preparing for it, you’ll need this challenge. But don’t get ahead of yourself — if you haven’t completed the AWS Solutions Architect – Associate Learning Path, you’ll want to start there.
Our lab challenges don’t include guidance like our hands-on labs do, so it might be a bit overwhelming if you haven’t started with the basics first. Our Solutions Architect Associate learning path will guide you to effectively demonstrate knowledge of how to architect and deploy secure and robust applications on AWS technologies.
Once you’re ready to start the lab challenge, you’ll dive right into a real AWS environment using our login credentials. Check out how easy we make it in the screenshot below.
Advanced Java Programming Challenge
Ready to validate your Java mastery? This lab challenge will help you confirm your knowledge of topics covered in the Advanced Java Programming Learning Path. In this challenge, you’ll be given a mission to fix incomplete code files working in a real AWS environment. You’ll have a limited amount of time to write the correct code in each file to successfully complete the validation checks.
As shown below, this lab challenge is the real deal and you will be working in a real AWS environment. As you progress through the challenge, you’ll have to pass certain validation checks. But don’t worry if you don’t pass these checks on the first go, there’s nothing that can actually go wrong. Since you’ll be working in a sandboxed account, you won’t crash any of your live production environments.
Develop the skills you need without additional costs or accounts
With no additional costs, accounts, or cloud resources to deploy, hands-on labs and lab challenges help to attest that you understand how to execute on practical cloud functions.
- Learn cloud computing completely risk-free
- Validate practical experience
- Get your hands dirty without really getting them dirty
What’s the difference between Hands-on Labs and Lab Challenges?
Hands-on Labs are guided cloud environments that enable you to learn in live cloud environments to build and validate practical experience directly on AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform, Docker, Kubernetes, and much more. All hands-on labs provide a comprehensive learning experience and include access to an environment, instructions, and guided explanations.
- Complete at your own pace
- Get step-by-step guidance so you can practice your skills over and over again
- Facilitate knowledge retention and enable experimentation
Lab Challenges are non-guided skill validation to demonstrate problem-solving skills — basically, hands-on labs with the gloves off. You jump into an auto-provisioned cloud environment and are given a goal to accomplish. No instructions, no hints. To pass, you’ll have a very limited amount of time to demonstrate your problem-solving skills and get the checks that inspect the state of your lab environment.
- Validate your technical skills in real environments
- Gain practical experience without the fear of crashing a live production environment
- Retain knowledge better when forced to figure out real-world situations on your own
How do Lab Challenges work?
It’s easy. You just…
- Go to our Cloud Training Library and choose a lab challenge
- Click “Start Lab”
- Follow the instructions to login with our credentials — and go!
Cloud Academy for Business: Give your team the hands-on practice they need — without breaking your production environment
As part of a larger training plan, labs help to attest that your team members understand how to execute practical cloud functions.
- Measure baseline hands-on technical expertise and monitor skill growth improvement
- Gain granular skill data as your team completes real-world challenges in live cloud environments
- Build your team’s problem-solving skills and view real-time skills with our powerful skill profiles dashboard
- Validate acquired knowledge with skill reports and our innovative semantic skill graph technology
