4.3. Next Steps in Your Azure Journey

First Principle: Certification is a milestone, not a destination. Continuous learning and practical application are essential for mastering Azure and adapting to the ever-evolving cloud landscape.

What It Is: This section provides guidance on how to continue your professional development after achieving the AZ-900 certification.

Advance Your Azure Path:

• Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104): For those who want to implement, manage, and monitor Azure environments.
• Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204): For developers who will be building cloud applications on Azure.
• Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500): For those focusing on implementing security controls and threat protection.
• Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305): An expert-level certification for those who design cloud and hybrid solutions.

Apply and Expand Your Skills:

• Hands-on Experience: Use an Azure free account or a pay-as-you-go subscription to build projects and experiment with services.
• Stay Current: Follow the Azure Blog and Microsoft Learn to keep up with new services and features.
• Engage with the Community: Participate in forums, user groups, and events to learn from others.

Scenario: You've successfully passed the AZ-900 exam. You want to build on this foundation and pursue a career as an Azure administrator.

Reflection Question: What would be the logical next certification path for you, and what kind of hands-on projects could you start to build practical skills?