AWS Training in Black Belt

In Conversation with Nelson Robin & Vlad Panainte

What is the AWS training program (AWS Black Belt program) and what purpose does it serve?

The AWS Partner Network (APN) Black Belt program is an initiative where partners nominate technical resources to become AWS belt or Black Belt through a multi-week specialization program.

It enables the partner to create a differentiated position for themselves in the market.

The AWS Black Belt program offers the Advanced- and Premier-tier partners an opportunity to dive deep with specialists to focus on technical enablement and business development.

It helps them build AWS skills and leverage APN programs to expand upon or enable their specialized business offerings.

AWS Black Belt certification helps partners ready to take that next step toward building highly skilled specialized practitioners within their organizations.

It enables them to create a community of practice or specialized practice area in their specialty of choice.

Each AWS Black Belt certification specialty track offers in-depth technical training, hands-on labs & exercises, and specialized sessions on the most recent innovations and go-to-market strategies.

Partners who complete the track and demonstrate expertise can include AWS Black Belt in their marketing materials and showcase it through Black Belt blogs, LinkedIn campaigns, and more

As the program grows, AWS Black Belt partners can expect to be included in Black Belt events, potential speaking opportunities, or other recognition programs.

What are your experiences attending this program?

I appreciate the opportunity. It enabled me to leap from the theoretical knowledge of the Data Analytics certification to the practical knowledge needed for the Black Belt.

I also showcased my ability to select, architect, and implement a Data Analytics capstone project, document my efforts in a PowerPoint presentation, and create a video incorporating those elements.

Can you give us a brief about how the program was conducted?

The program started with a one-hour kickoff session by the AWS Black Belt team in October. We were provided with online materials to self-train.

There were live learning sessions spanning three weeks, about six hours per week, including lectures, webinars, labs, and walkthroughs. I achieved my AWS Data Analytics Specialty certification in the first week of December.

In AWS belts, Black Belt is a higher-level certification, it delivers profound learning experiences evaluated with a final capstone project.

We were required to select one of the four scenarios provided, and the project had to be done in that area.

A grading rubric was also provided – I got a perfect score! I submitted all my deliverables on January 22, much before the original deadline of January 31 (which got extended till March 1 later).

It included application source code, architecture diagram, completed rubric, task list, PowerPoint presentation, and my 82-minute video.

I was notified of my Data Analytics Black Belt achievement in the first week of April, and I was excited about the Graduation scheduled for the last week of April.

What are the criteria (prerequisites) to get invited to the program?

The partnership status must be Advanced or Premier to get invited to the program. In my case, Peter Meulbroek sponsored me (and Vlad).

What are your key takeaways from the program?

I believe this provides a terrific opportunity for someone who is committed to the AWS platform and wants to demonstrate that commitment.

From Ness’s perspective, it’s a fantastic way for the company to establish that it is committed to AWS and has people with the necessary skills to do the job.

How will this validation add value to your work/career?

Adding this AWS Black Belt validation in Data Analytics to my 7 AWS certifications demonstrates my commitment to the AWS platform.

It also shows that I have the organizational and communication skills needed to be a valuable team member on any Ness project, all to benefit our clients.

What makes the AWS Black Belt validation exclusive, and how is it different from AWS certifications?

AWS certifications verify that you have theoretical knowledge in a particular domain.

The AWS Black Belt validation proves that you can leap from having AWS theoretical knowledge to the practical side of things. It also establishes that you have the corresponding organizational and communication skills.

What advice/recommendation would you give to those planning to undergo this program?

I suggest you gather all the theoretical knowledge needed for the AWS certification before beginning the AWS Black Belt program.

However, you should also be aware that once you start the program, you must pass the certification, select, architect, & implement a capstone project, document your efforts, and deliver a presentation on your topic.

How did your team/Ness support you in achieving the validation?

I appreciate the faith that Peter Meulbroek had in me. I also appreciate the time that Ness gave me to work on the project and presentation.

In Conversation with Vlad Panainte, Senior Architect, Ness Digital Engineering, Iași (Romania)

What is the AWS Black Belt program, and what purpose does it serve?

The AWS Black Belt program is an initiative undertaken by AWS to create, train, and develop a group of specialists in AWS in different stacks, including Machine Learning, Analytics, Database, Enterprise Migration, and Security.

These specialists can then focus on the packaged solution offerings for their customers.

For example, on the Security track, the primary indicator of the program’s success is augmenting security-related opportunities and revenue for AWS partners, focusing on AWS migration best practices, security practices, packaged solutions, and offerings.

The participants are selected from partner companies. Therefore, candidates must meet some requirements (such as AWS Professional and Specialty certifications) to prove their knowledge of the stacks.

What are your experiences attending this program?

This experience was beneficial because it allowed me to connect with new people and explore the security structure and best practices for workloads and projects in AWS—from small size to medium or enterprise.

It also helped me understand how to use different AWS Security tools to deliver maximum value to clients in Cloud Security. This experience will help me provide better Security projects for Ness’s clients in the future.

Can you give us a brief about how the program was conducted?

It was a 3-week program that commenced with a kickoff meeting by the AWS Black Belt team. Then, two days a week, there were instructor-led training sessions, and on the remaining days, we had self-paced labs, to be completed in 4 to 6 hours, depending on the requirements.

The participants were quizzed on the previous sessions on Kahoot at the beginning of each instructor-led class. Every correct answer won a prize, the first being $50 on AWS credits. With a Slack channel dedicated to the program where we could ask questions or discuss lab-related issues, we were provided with proper guidance on completing the labs.

One week after the last instructor-led class came the Security GameDay. We were put in teams of two to play a game and resolve some challenging scenarios related to security, where we had to build infrastructure and perform by assessing the existing workloads.

Usually, a team would have at least four members—hence this was especially difficult because we had fewer people and less time (less than three hours).

To complete the program, we had to participate in the instructor-led classes, finish 6 out of 8 labs, participate in GameDay, and get Security Specialty within two months of the program’s completion.

What are the criteria (prerequisites) to get invited to the program?

Any individual nominated for this must have prior knowledge or experience with the AWS Security Domain at the intermediate level or above and hold AWS Certifications (Profession and Specialty).

What are your key takeaways from the program?

This program would help:

How do you think this validation will add value to your work/career?

One of the best parts about this certification is the exposure to real-life situations that one may not see regularly.

Also, I should mention that the whole process helped me better understand how security can impact the overall infrastructure design in most projects.

Speaking about my career, I am not sure at this point. However, I am optimistic that this will significantly impact the future, where I will explore various opportunities and apply what I learned during this program.

What makes the AWS Black Belt validation exclusive, and how is it different from AWS certifications?

The AWS Black Belt Security is a higher-level certification delivering more profound experiences rather than potentially crammed knowledge.

Unlike most certifications with multiple-choice style tests, a final capstone project or GameDay evaluates the Black Belt validation. It promotes a community of Security builders with significant hands-on knowledge and practical experience.

What advice/recommendation would you give to those planning to undergo this program?

All certifications require a certain level of understanding of some concepts. Some are introductory, and some are advanced.

This one is specifically for experts in this field. The content for this certification is both broad and deep. Therefore, successfully taking on such a challenge requires experience, skill, and a serious commitment to learning new concepts.

However, setting aside the actual content, AWS has a very well-thought-out and engaging program that blends the learning of the material with interactive experiences (such as GameDay). I must say that this brings a level of fun and excitement to learning complex concepts.

How did your team/Ness support you in achieving the validation?

One of Ness’s primary focuses is the Cloud Practice. Being part of the Cloud Practice team has given me access to vast knowledge and experience. Therefore, it was most important during the AWS training program. Moreover, having someone as experienced as Peter Meulbroek as the sponsor made a big difference.

I believe theoretical concepts are best understood and valued when applied in real-life contexts. My involvement in various projects allowed me to see how the certification curriculum was used in practice.

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