I'm not going to pretend this was easy. I came from a marketing background with zero IT experience. No coding. No servers. No idea what "the cloud" actually meant beyond storing photos.
Here's my honest journey to passing AWS Cloud Practitioner.
My Starting Point
Background:
- Marketing coordinator for 4 years
- Bachelor's in Communications
- Technical skills: Excel, basic WordPress
- Cloud knowledge: None. Zero. I thought S3 was a Samsung phone.
Why I decided to do this:
- Wanted to transition into tech
- Marketing roles increasingly needed "cloud knowledge"
- AWS certification seemed like a credential that could open doors
The Timeline (8 Weeks)
Yes, 8 weeks. Not 2 weeks. Not 4 weeks. Eight weeks of part-time study.
| Week | Focus | Hours | How I Felt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | Understanding basics | 10 | Overwhelmed |
| 3-4 | Core services | 15 | Confused |
| 5-6 | Deep dive weak areas | 20 | Starting to get it |
| 7-8 | Practice exams | 15 | Nervous but ready |
Total: ~60 hours
Week 1-2: The Confusion Phase
What I Tried First (That Didn't Work)
I jumped straight into an AWS course. Worst decision.
The instructor said things like "spin up an EC2 instance in your VPC with the right security group settings."
I understood approximately 0% of that sentence.
What Actually Worked
I stepped back and learned the fundamentals:
- What is cloud computing? (like renting computers instead of buying them)
- What does AWS do? (they rent out computers, storage, and software)
- Why do companies use it? (cheaper, faster, more flexible)
Resources that helped:
- "Cloud Computing for Dummies" concepts (not the whole book, just the intro)
- YouTube videos for absolute beginners
- AWS's "What is Cloud Computing?" page
My Week 2 Realization
Cloud isn't magic. It's just computers owned by someone else.
Once that clicked, everything else started making more sense.
Week 3-4: Learning the Services
The Strategy That Worked for Me
Instead of memorizing 200 AWS services, I learned to categorize them:
Compute (running programs):
- EC2 = virtual computers
- Lambda = run code without managing servers
- Simple enough.
Storage (saving files):
- S3 = file storage (like Dropbox for businesses)
- EBS = hard drives for EC2
Database (organized data):
- RDS = traditional databases
- DynamoDB = fast, flexible databases
My Flashcard System
I made flashcards with real-world analogies:
- EC2 = "Renting an apartment (you manage inside, landlord manages building)"
- S3 = "Storage unit rental (pay for what you use)"
- Lambda = "Hiring someone for one task (pay per task)"
These analogies saved me. I'm not technical, but I understand renting apartments.
Week 5-6: The Gap Assessment Moment
The Wake-Up Call
At week 5, I took my first practice test.
Score: 52%
Passing is 70%. I was crushed.
But here's what saved me: the assessment showed exactly WHERE I was failing:
- Security concepts: 40%
- Cloud concepts: 65%
- Technology: 55%
- Billing: 45%
Focused Study on Gaps
I stopped studying everything and focused only on my weak areas:
Security (my worst):
- Shared responsibility model (I drew diagrams)
- IAM basics (users, groups, policies)
- What AWS secures vs what I secure
Billing (also weak):
- Support plans (I made a comparison chart)
- Pricing models (On-Demand, Reserved, Spot)
- Free tier limitations
Week 6 Practice Test: 68%
Getting closer!
Week 7-8: Exam Preparation
My Practice Exam Routine
- Day 1: Take practice exam
- Day 2: Review every wrong answer (write why I got it wrong)
- Day 3: Study those specific topics
- Day 4: Take different practice exam
- Repeat
Practice Exam Scores
| Attempt | Score |
|---|---|
| 1 | 52% |
| 2 | 68% |
| 3 | 74% |
| 4 | 78% |
| 5 | 85% |
My "Ah-Ha" Moments
Things that finally clicked in the last two weeks:
- Shared responsibility: AWS secures the building, I secure my stuff inside
- Support plans: Basic = free help docs, Enterprise = 24/7 phone to experts
- Regions vs AZs: Regions are cities, AZs are buildings in those cities
Exam Day
The Night Before
- Reviewed my flashcards one more time
- Went to bed early (this actually matters)
- No cramming new material
The Exam
- 65 questions, 90 minutes
- I used about 60 minutes
- Flagged 8 questions to review
- Changed 2 answers (both correctly)
The Result
PASSED: 784/1000
I actually cried. Not going to lie.
What I'd Tell My Past Self
1. Start Simpler Than You Think
Don't jump into AWS courses. Understand what cloud computing IS first.
2. Analogies Are Your Friend
If you're not technical, translate everything into something you understand.
3. Practice Exams Are Everything
I learned more from reviewing wrong answers than from any video.
4. 8 Weeks is Okay
Don't feel bad if it takes longer than "2 weeks" people claim. Different starting points need different timelines.
5. Gap Assessment Early
I wish I'd taken a gap assessment in week 3, not week 5. Would have saved time.
The Career Impact
Before Certification
- Marketing coordinator
- Salary: $55,000
- Tech knowledge: Basic
6 Months After Certification
- Marketing Technology Specialist
- Salary: $72,000
- Now managing our company's AWS marketing integrations
The certification didn't make me a developer. But it opened a door to tech-adjacent roles that pay more and are more interesting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need any technical background?
No, but it will take longer without one. Budget 6-8 weeks instead of 2-4.
What if I've never used a command line?
You don't need to for Cloud Practitioner. It's conceptual, not hands-on.
Is Cloud Practitioner enough to get a tech job?
Not a pure tech job, but tech-adjacent roles like:
- Cloud sales
- Technical project management
- Marketing technology
- Customer success for tech companies
What should I do after CCP?
If you want to go deeper, Solutions Architect Associate. If you want to stay broad, consider Azure or GCP basics.
Start Your Non-Technical Journey
If I can pass this exam with a communications degree, you can too. The key is understanding, not memorizing.
StudyTech was built for learners like me - no technical background required:
- AI gap assessment identifies exactly what you need to learn in 10 minutes
- Plain English explanations - no jargon overload
- Personalized study plan adapted for your starting level
- Real-time readiness score so you know when you're truly ready
Over 1,000 learners - including many non-technical professionals - are using StudyTech to get AWS certified.
You don't need to be technical. You just need to start.