Your business data sets you apart from the competition. It fuels your innovations, your culture, and provides all your employees a foundation from which to build and explore. Since 2022, enterprises in all industries have turned to Looker Studio Pro to empower their businesses with self-service dashboards and AI-driven visualizations and insights, complete with advanced enterprise capabilities and Google Cloud technical support. As the Looker community has grown, we’ve gotten more requests for guidance on how users can make their Looker Studio Pro environments even stronger, and tap into more sophisticated features. Those requests have only increased, accelerated by the debut of Studio in Looker, which brings Looker Studio Pro to the broader Looker platform. To help, today we are debuting a new on-demand training course: Looker Studio Pro Essentials. aside_block <ListValue: [StructValue([('title', 'Try Google Cloud for free'), ('body', <wagtail.rich_text.RichText object at 0x3e1e533a5670>), ('btn_text', 'Get started for free'), ('href', 'https://console.cloud.google.com/freetrial?redirectPath=/welcome'), ('image', None)])]> Looker Studio Pro connects businesses’ need to govern data access with individual employees’ needs to explore, build and ask questions. This Google Cloud Skills Boost course helps users go beyond the basics of setting up reports and visualizations, and provides a deep dive into Looker Studio Pro’s more powerful features and capabilities. Here's what you can expect to get from this course: Gain a comprehensive understanding of Looker Studio Pro: Explore its key features and functionality, and discover how it elevates your data analysis capabilities. Enhance collaboration: Learn how to create and manage collaborative workspaces, streamline report sharing, and automate report delivery. Schedule and share reports: Learn how to customize scheduling options to your business, including delivery of reports to multiple recipients via Google Chat and email, based on your sharing preferences. Ensure data security and control: Become an expert in user management, audit log monitoring, and other essential administrative tasks that can help you maintain data integrity. Leverage Google Cloud customer care: Learn how to use Google Cloud Customer Care resources to find solutions, report issues, and provide feedback. From your focus, to your employees, to your customers, your business is unique. That’s why we designed this course to bring value to everyone — from sales and marketing professionals, to data analysts, to product innovators — providing them with the knowledge and skills they need to fully leverage Looker Studio Pro in their own environments. Because in the gen AI era, how you leverage your data and invigorate your employees to do more is the true opportunity. Accelerate that opportunity with the new Looker Studio Pro Essentials course today.

Tis the season for learning new skills! Get ready for 12 Days of Learning, a festive digital advent calendar packed with courses, hands-on labs, videos, and community opportunities—all designed to boost your generative AI expertise. Discover a new learning resource on Google Cloud’s social channels every day for twelve days this December.  Before you start: Get no-cost access to generative AI courses and labs Join the Innovators community to activate 35 monthly learning credits in Google Cloud Skills Boost at no cost. Use these credits to access courses and labs throughout the month of December—and beyond!  Ready to get started? Review all of the resources below. Get festive with generative AI foundations Learn how to use gen AI in your day-to-day work. These resources are designed for developers looking to gain foundational knowledge in gen AI. A Developer’s Guide to LLMs: In this 10-minute video, explore the exciting world of large language models (LLMs). Discover different AI model options, analyze pricing structures, and delve into essential features. Responsible AI: Fairness & Bias: This course introduces the concepts of responsible AI and shares practical methods to help you implement best practices using Google Cloud products and open source tools. Gemini for end-to-end SDLC: This course explores how Google Cloud's Gemini AI can assist in all stages of the software development lifecycle, from building and debugging web applications to testing and data querying. The course ends with a hands-on lab where you can build practical experience with Gemini. Responsible AI for Developers: Interpretability & Transparency: This course introduces AI interpretability and transparency concepts. Learn how to train a classification model on image data and deploy it to Vertex AI to serve predictions with explanations. Introduction to Security in the World of AI: This course equips security and data protection leaders with strategies to securely manage AI within their organizations. Bring these concepts to life with real-world scenarios from four different industries. aside_block <ListValue: [StructValue([('title', 'Get hands-on experience for free'), ('body', <wagtail.rich_text.RichText object at 0x3e1e52baa0a0>), ('btn_text', 'Start building for free'), ('href', 'http://console.cloud.google.com/freetrial?redirectPath=/welcome/'), ('image', None)])]> Cozy up with gen AI use cases Launch these courses and labs to get more in-depth, hands-on experience with generative AI, from working with Gemini models to building agents and applications.  Build Generative AI Agents with Vertex AI and Flutter: Learn how to develop an app using Flutter and then integrate the app with Gemini. Then use Vertex AI Agent Builder to build and manage AI agents and applications. Machine Learning Ops (MLOps) for Generative AI: In this course, learn how to overcome MLOps challenges and use generative AI to streamline processes. Boost productivity with Gemini in BigQuery: This course provides an overview of features to assist in the data-to-AI workflow, including data exploration and preparation, code generation, workflow discovery, and visualization.  Build Generative AI Apps with Firebase Genkit: Learn how to integrate gen AI features into your applications using Firebase Genkit—from prototyping to production.  Website Modernization with Generative AI on Google Cloud: Transform your website experiences with gen AI with this hands-on course. Learn how to build a generative search experience in an interactive lab. Work with Gemini models in BigQuery: Through a practical use case involving customer relationship management, learn how to solve a real-world business problem with Gemini models. Plus, receive step-by-step guidance through coding solutions using SQL queries and Python notebooks. Get a jump-start on your New Year’s resolutions with AI Skills Quest Get an early start on your learning goals by signing up for AI Skills Quest, a monthly learning challenge that puts gen AI on your resume with verifiable skill badges. When you sign up, choose your path based on your level of knowledge: Beginner/Intermediate cohort: Learn fundamental AI concepts, prompt design, and Gemini app development techniques in Vertex AI, plus other Gemini integrations in various technical workflows. Advanced cohort: Already know the basics, but want to add breadth and depth to your AI skills? Sign up for the Advanced path to learn advanced AI concepts like RAG and MLOps. Ready to ring in the new year with new skills? Find more generative AI learning content on Google Cloud Skills Boost.

In December 2024, we launched nine new digital training products on AWS Skill Builder including five new AWS Builder Labs, a new AWS Jam focused on troubleshooting AWS Web Development issues in a gamified learning environment, and one new AWS Digital Classroom course. We also launched AWS Learning Assistant for AWS Builder Labs, a new AI-powered, chat-based guide that enhances self-paced learning by providing real-time responses and insights to learners.

This past week at AWS re:Invent, we celebrated the organizations that went above and beyond to certify staff in AI/ML skills. AWS Certification hosted a reception at the AWS Certification Lounge to award AWS AI Skills Champion Trophies to these organizations as AWS AI Certification Early Adopters.

We’re both experienced AWS professionals and have witnessed firsthand how cloud technologies can accelerate mission-critical initiatives and solve complex challenges in regulated industries. AWS Certifications have been an important part of our respective career progression and we’re passionate about sharing our certification experiences to help others. This blog outlines our AWS Certification learning journeys, the impact on our careers, and our best practices to prepare for an AWS Certification exam.

AWS is committed to supporting customers in their transition to the cloud by offering a comprehensive training and resources for migrating VMware workloads to the AWS Cloud. Our training portfolio covers every stage of the migration process - from initial planning/migration, to modernization, and finally managing VMware workloads on AWS.

As organizations move from dabbling in generative artificial intelligence (AI) to building customer-facing applications, having a skilled team is crucial for project success. You can leverage AWS Training courses to upskill your team, ensuring they are prepared for your next generative AI project.

Darrin Long, facing burnout and unemployment in the tech industry, was unsure of what to do next when he discovered a passion and curiosity for cloud computing. He enrolled in AWS Cloud Institute, a virtual cloud-skills training program that is providing him with essential skills and hands-on experience for a successful career transition. With a structured curriculum and support from seasoned instructors, Darrin feels revitalized and confident in his cloud journey ahead.

To help organizations validate AI and machine learning (ML) skills within their existing staff and when hiring new employees, and to help individuals showcase their knowledge and practical skills in AI and ML, we launched two new AWS Certifications: AWS Certified AI Practitioner and AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate, with associated exam prep materials for each. Learn about two new limited-time incentives we’re offering to help you earn one or both of these new certifications.

Welcome to October’s post announcing new training course launches and certification updates. This month, we launched 17 new digital training products on AWS Skill Builder including 6 new generative AI digital courses. In addition, registration is now open for the standard version of the AWS Certified AI Practitioner and AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer - Associate exams. Plus, when you earn either of these new AWS Certifications on or before February 15, 2025, you will receive a limited-edition Early Adopter badge in addition to your certification badge!

AWS Jam is a unique form of immersive learning in the cloud computing domain that offers an engaging approach to developing AWS skills. This blog post explores the inner workings of AWS Jam and examines the reasons why this innovative learning experience is ideal for cloud enthusiasts, professionals, and organizations alike.

November 15, 2024: The Cloud Innovators Plus program has evolved and is now the premium tier of the Google Developer Program. The majority of organizations don’t feel ready for the AI era. In fact, 62% say they don’t have the expertise they need to unlock AI’s full potential.1 As the leader of learning for Google Cloud, the only thing that surprises me about that number is how low it is. I meet with customers every day, and 100% of them flag some kind of AI skills gap.  Here’s the good news: that makes you — the developers, machine learning engineers, and data experts — invaluable. You are exactly the talent these organizations are looking for — but with the rate of change in AI, you have to stay on the cutting edge. A 2024 survey estimated that about 70% of AI talent needs to update their skills.2 And yet, many technical professionals don’t have the training they need to move from theory to practice and integrate AI into their everyday work.  That’s why, today, I’m proud to share with you the latest learning offerings on generative AI from Google Cloud Skills Boost. Say hello to four new learning paths designed to equip developers with real-world generative AI skills to build applications, manage and secure machine learning models, generate impactful content, and analyze data like a pro. We’re talking in-depth courses that first guide you through building proficiency and then, ultimately, test your skills in a real-life challenge lab. Get practical experience with gen AI use cases Generative AI is powerful, but to actually see value from this technology in real-world use cases takes practical experience and technical knowledge. These new learning paths from Google Cloud, listed below, give you the generative AI skills you need to complete innovative work in your current roles — like improving customer experience or team productivity. This also opens up new career (and promotion) opportunities. Once you complete the hands-on training, you will receive a skill badge to showcase your expertise on your resume or social media channels:  Learning Path: Build and modernize applications with generative AI: Learn how to enhance your projects and build end-to-end applications on Google Cloud with the power of generative AI. This path will guide you through essential techniques and tools to integrate gen AI capabilities seamlessly into your development workflow. Learning Path: Integrate generative AI into your data workflow: Learn how to use BigQuery Machine Learning for inference, work directly with Gemini models in BigQuery, and enhance your data team’s efficiency with Gemini's assistance. This path features a brand new course on boosting productivity with Gemini in BigQuery to aid in the data-to-AI pipeline. Learning Path: Deploy and manage generative AI models: Learn how to manage the entire lifecycle of generative AI models, from development and deployment to monitoring — including introductions to responsible AI for developers. This path features a brand new course on security for AI models. Learning Path: Generate smarter generative AI outputs: Learn how to build applications that generate text and visual content using generative AI. Develop an AI project on Google Cloud, use diffusion models for image generation, and build search applications with Vector Search and embeddings, then dive deeper into multimodal prompts and Multimodal RAG with Gemini. aside_block <ListValue: [StructValue([('title', 'What is a learning path and how do I get started?'), ('body', <wagtail.rich_text.RichText object at 0x3e1e4c1f64f0>), ('btn_text', ''), ('href', ''), ('image', None)])]> Innovators get full, no-cost access to gen AI learning paths Earlier this year, we announced that every member of the Google Cloud Innovators community, our no-cost developer program, receives 35 unrestricted learning credits every month to use on courses and labs in Google Cloud Skills Boost. That’s enough to complete one of these new learning paths every month. Join Innovators today to activate your credits and start learning! Innovators also get access to exclusive learning opportunities — like our latest challenge, AI Skills Quest, where you can immerse yourself in hands-on labs and earn skill AI badges alongside a cohort of like-minded peers. The latest gen AI learning content — from security to productivity  While you’re sharing your AI skills in the Innovators community, why not check out the very latest in learning? These new learning paths feature three brand new courses in security, data analytics and agent building — all hot off the presses in Google Cloud Skills Boost:  Course: Introduction to security in the world of AI. Whether you’re a security engineer, an IT leader, an AI developer, or a less technical leader, this course will help you build a foundational understanding of Google’s approach to navigating the intersection of AI and security.  Course: Boost productivity with Gemini in BigQuery. Accelerate your data-to-AI pipeline, write better code, and visualize workflows easily with Gemini in BigQuery. This course equips you or your team with practical skills to boost productivity and unlock the full potential of your data. Course: Build generative AI agents with Vertex AI and Flutter. Whether you're a seasoned app developer or just starting your journey with Flutter and Python, this course will help you build intelligent chat agents and fun, interactive experiences through generative AI.  Go from gen AI theory to practice Google has been at the forefront of AI innovation for over a decade. These learning paths are your direct line to that expertise, crafted by the very people who shaped the field. My team is committed to empowering you with the skills to lead in this exciting era. Because ultimately, we all have a shared goal: to build AI-driven solutions that are responsible, fun to use, and — above all — genuinely improve people’s lives.  Join the Google Cloud Innovators program, get your 35 free credits every month, and dive head first into our new generative AI learning paths today. 1.  Help Net Security, “The cloud skills gap is digital transformation's Achilles' heel,” Nov 14, 20232. Pluralsight, “Pluralsight AI skills report,” 2024

AWS Cloud Quest and AWS Jam are invaluable resources for individuals looking to enhance their technical skills and build real-world competency in AWS Cloud computing. By combining gamification elements, hands-on learning experiences, and real-world scenarios, these platforms offer a unique and effective approach to learning that prepares participants for success in professional settings. Whether you're a seasoned IT professional or just starting your cloud journey, AWS Cloud Quest and AWS Jam provide opportunities to learn, grow, and excel in the ever-changing world of cloud technology.

My father dedicated over 40 years to active duty in the Navy, and with my mother, instilled a strong sense of purpose in me and my two sisters. So joining the Navy felt like a natural choice, taking my oath alongside other young recruits who also valued the importance of having a purpose. As a woman, the leadership skills I gained in the Navy proved invaluable in navigating industries with underrepresented groups. Fast forward to today, and I'm proud to be part of Google Public Sector. My journey has shown me that veterans have so much to offer, yet the transition back to civilian life can be challenging. Research confirms that veterans, despite their qualifications and strong leadership abilities, are often undervalued in the civilian workforce. Google Cloud: A commitment to veterans At Google Cloud, we're determined to change this narrative. We believe veterans deserve a clear path to high-paying careers in cloud and AI. The demand for skilled professionals to lead digital transformations is high, and veterans have the dedication and leadership qualities to excel in these roles. My Navy experience, coupled with my technical background, showed me the impact of helping others and serving my country. I keep this in mind both at Google Public Sector and in my interactions with customers. That's why I'm proud to announce the launch of an important new program. Introducing Google Cloud Launchpad for Veterans  Google Cloud Launchpad for Veterans is a no-cost training and certification journey. It is designed to equip veterans in all roles and at all levels with the cloud knowledge and skills they need to drive innovation, and contribute to their current or future employer’s digital transformation strategy.  The three-week journey kicks off with a two-day virtual ‘Cloud Digital Leader’ training event on November 7th and 8th, delivered by ROI Training instructor and U.S. Marine Corp veteran Patrick Haggerty. You’ll enjoy interactive training sessions and a panel discussion with veterans from Google. After the virtual training event, you’ll receive a complimentary voucher for the Cloud Digital Leader exam. Attendees are encouraged to take the exam between November 15th - December 31st, 2024. (The first 500 to pass the exam will receive a voucher for their very own Google socks!) If you need extra practice, we're also offering optional exam prep sessions on November 15th and 22nd. This program goes beyond just certification. You'll gain the confidence to explain cloud fundamentals, identify the right Google Cloud solutions, and leverage cloud technology to drive innovation. You'll understand how to modernize infrastructure and applications, and you'll learn the essentials of cloud operations and security. Register today You served us, now let us serve you with a path to rewarding cloud and AI careers. Register today and translate your military experience to a powerful career in cloud.

aside_block <ListValue: [StructValue([('title', 'Get hands-on generative AI experience for free'), ('body', <wagtail.rich_text.RichText object at 0x3e1e52e9a5b0>), ('btn_text', 'Get started for free'), ('href', 'https://console.cloud.google.com/freetrial?redirectPath=/vertex-ai/generative'), ('image', None)])]> November 15, 2024: The Cloud Innovators Plus program has evolved and is now the premium tier of the Google Developer Program. Summer's well on its way, and it feels like it’s time for a road trip! But instead of just cruising down the highway, why not embark on a journey that supercharges your AI skills? Generative AI isn't just a buzzword; it's transforming industries. With Vertex AI, you can build applications that tailor experiences for users, automate processes and order flows, and enrich data alongside BigQuery and Cloud Run. That being said, I'm always on the lookout for helpful resources on building Gen AI products to share with my community. To help you make the most of this summer, I've crafted a learning roadmap using Google Cloud Skills Boost. It's designed to guide you from AI curiosity to capability, equipping you with the skills needed to excel in this dynamic field. So, are you ready for a summer learning journey?  Phone, check.  Keys, check.  Learning credits?   It costs nothing to join the no-cost Google Cloud Innovators program, where you receive 35 learning credits each month to use on courses, labs, and skill badges in Skills Boost. This means all the stops on our summer learning road trip are accessible to you at no cost. All right, let’s hit the road!   First stop is a low-code approach  These initial training courses lay the groundwork for understanding generative AI, from its core concepts to the responsible development of large language models (LLMs). You'll explore Google's tools for building your own AI applications and master the art of crafting effective prompts in Vertex AI. Training 1: Introduction to Generative AI: Get acquainted with the fundamental concepts of generative AI, and how to use it as a developer. Training 2: Introduction to Large Language Models (LLMs): Delve deeper into the world of LLMs, their applications, and the Google tools you can use to develop your own Generative AI apps. Training 3: Introduction to Responsible AI: It's not just about the tech itself; it's about responsible innovation. Learn to create AI systems that are fair, unbiased, and socially conscious. aside_block <ListValue: [StructValue([('title', "Debi's Pro Tip:"), ('body', <wagtail.rich_text.RichText object at 0x3e1e52e9af40>), ('btn_text', ''), ('href', ''), ('image', None)])]> Training 4: Prompt Design in Vertex AI: Learn prompt engineering, image analysis, and multimodal generative techniques, within Vertex AI. aside_block <ListValue: [StructValue([('title', "Debi's Pro Tip:"), ('body', <wagtail.rich_text.RichText object at 0x3e1e52e9a400>), ('btn_text', ''), ('href', ''), ('image', None)])]> Shift into high gear with AI engineering This section takes you beyond the basics, diving into the powerful tools and techniques that drive AI engineering. You'll gain hands-on experience building applications with Gemini and Streamlit, explore the fascinating world of image generation, and unlock the full potential of multimodal AI with Gemini. Training 5: Introduction to Vertex AI Studio: Familiarize yourself with Vertex AI Studio, your control center for building Gemini multimodal applications, designing prompts, and fine-tuning models. Training 6: Develop GenAI Apps with Gemini and Streamlit: Build interactive, user-friendly apps powered by Gemini with the Vertex AI Gemini API and Python SDK, and learn how to deploy a Steamlit app integrated with Gemini on Cloud Run aside_block <ListValue: [StructValue([('title', "Debi's Pro Tip:"), ('body', <wagtail.rich_text.RichText object at 0x3e1e52e9ab20>), ('btn_text', ''), ('href', ''), ('image', None)])]> Training 7: Introduction to Image Generation: Discover how to generate images with AI using diffusion models, and how to train and deploy them on Vertex AI. Training 8: Explore Generative AI with the Vertex AI Gemini API: Learn text generation, image and video analysis for content creation, and function calling techniques within the Gemini API for Vertex AI. Training 9: Multimodality with Gemini: Harness the power of multimodal prompts to extract insights from text and visual data. Generate video descriptions and uncover hidden details in videos. Navigate machine learning and hit the gas At this stop you'll learn how to harness the power of Vertex AI and BigQuery to build, deploy, and leverage machine learning models, extracting valuable insights from vast datasets. Training 10: Build and Deploy Machine Learning Solutions on Vertex AI: Turn your ideas into reality. Learn how to take your models from concept to deployment using Vertex AI and AutoML. Training 11: BigQuery for Machine Learning: BigQuery is more than just a data warehouse. Leverage its vast datasets to build, train, evaluate, and predict with your own machine learning models. aside_block <ListValue: [StructValue([('title', "Debi's Pro Tip:"), ('body', <wagtail.rich_text.RichText object at 0x3e1e52eabfa0>), ('btn_text', ''), ('href', ''), ('image', None)])]> Your no-cost AI summer road trip starts now Embarking on your AI summer learning road trip has never been easier. Remember, the Google Cloud Innovators program is a no-cost way to receive 35 learning credits each month to use on these courses, labs, and skill badges in Skills Boost.  As you level up your skills, be sure to share your progress with the world! Earn skill badges by completing courses and labs and validate them through Credly to proudly display your progress on your preferred professional social network.  Don’t forget to take a pit stop at the Google Cloud Skills Boost Arcade, where you can translate your progress into exciting badges and exclusive prizes.  This summer, let Google Cloud Skills Boost be your compass as you skill up in AI. Happy learning!

Security practitioners constantly need to rethink and refine their approaches to defending their organization. Staying ahead requires innovation, continuous improvement, and a mindset shift away from siloed operations into building end-to-end solutions against threats.  Today, Google Cloud is excited to announce the launch of the Modern SecOps (MSO) course, a six-week, platform-agnostic education program designed to equip security professionals with the latest skills and knowledge to help modernize their security operations, based on our Autonomic Security Operations framework and Continuous Detection, Continuous Response (CD/CR) methodology.  Introducing Modern Security Operations Course The Modern Security Operations course provides a comprehensive curriculum that addresses the core challenges faced by today’s security operations teams, predominantly focused on improving people and processes. Developed in collaboration with ROI Training, Netenrich, and other leading industry experts, this course offers practical insights and hands-on experience to help organizations transform their Security Operations Centers (SOCs). To learn more about ROI Training and our Google Cloud courses, see their catalog here. To learn more about Netenrich and their approach towards Autonomic Security Operations, see their case studies here. "Autonomic Security is the guiding star for transforming Security Operations Centers, and we're thrilled to partner with Google Cloud to develop this course. Netenrich Adaptive MDR, built on the ASO framework, exemplifies our commitment to pioneering autonomic security solutions,” said Raju Chekuri, CEO, Netenrich. “By implementing ASO both internally and for our customers, we're turning the vision of autonomic security into reality." Course highlights The MSO course’s six-week curriculum focuses on:  Modernizing Cyber Threat management: Gain an understanding of the evolving cybersecurity landscape and the future of security operations. SecOps 101: Learn the fundamental concepts and components of Security Operations, including detection, triage, and incident response. Principles of Autonomic Security Operations: Discover how to apply lessons from DevOps and Site Reliability Engineering to SecOps. Continuous Detection and Continuous Response (CD/CR): Implement agile methodologies to reduce toil, improve threat management and response capabilities. Modern SecOps Maturity Discovery Tool: Use our MSO Discovery tool to benchmark your organization's maturity against the CD/CR methodology. This course is tailored for: Security Operations Analysts who want to enhance their threat detection and response skills. SOC managers who are eager to learn how to modernize and streamline their Security Operations Center. CISOs who are looking to gain strategic insights to transform their organization’s security operations. Participants in the course will gain access to a wealth of knowledge and practical tools that can help streamline security operations through automation; address and overcome technology and process challenges;and achieve significant improvements in operational efficiency and effectiveness. Complimenting your training with Google SecOps In the generative AI era, security teams require fully operational, high-performing solutions that drive productivity and empower defenders. Google Security Operations is a unified, intelligence-driven and AI-powered platform designed to simplify threat detection, investigation, and response.  Our platform can help reduce the complexity of SecOps and enhance the productivity of Security Operations Centers, and features innovations such as frontline Threat Intelligence, Gemini, Investigation Assistant, Playbook Assistant, and autonomous parsers. These advanced capabilities can enable security teams to uncover threats with less effort, streamline workflows, and also accelerate their journey towards modern SecOps. You can explore how our platform can help you realize these benefits faster here. Enroll today Take the first step towards transforming your security operations: Learn more and register for the Modern Security Operations course. aside_block <ListValue: [StructValue([('title', 'Modern Security Operations: Available on Coursera'), ('body', <wagtail.rich_text.RichText object at 0x3e1e532a7670>), ('btn_text', 'Enroll Now'), ('href', 'https://www.coursera.org/learn/modern-security-operations'), ('image', None)])]>

In an earlier post, we discussed some persistent myths about platform engineering — what it is, what it isn’t, and ways in which you’re already performing core platform engineering tasks. Here, we will cover five more myths, this time about how platforms are built, what they do, and what they don't.  6. MYTH: Platform engineering eliminates the need for infrastructure teams Even if you have the best developer platform on the planet, it still runs on top of complex infrastructure, which will always require ongoing maintenance by specialists who understand it. After all, someone needs to architect, manage, scale, troubleshoot, and optimize that infrastructure. And try as you might, that infrastructure will continue to fail just as it did before you introduced platform engineering. A common mistake is to eliminate the infrastructure team and to expect a totally new team to make up for that loss. Infrastructure teams already have the expertise to handle these responsibilities, and as such,  are good candidates to become platform engineers. By using the team with institutional knowledge of the underlying infrastructure, you're more likely to adapt your current system into a viable, engineered platform. However, what platform engineering does change is how infrastructure specialists prepare for and respond to failures, as the platform engineering role is more focused on platform development, and less on manual, repetitive tasks. So while platform engineering changes the nature of infrastructure work, it doesn’t eliminate it altogether. You still need to build a self-service catalog of golden paths that developers can select to deploy their applications. That catalog needs to be documented and refined, advocated for within the organization, and introduced to new engineers. Improvements to the platform also need to be rolled out to existing tenants. Scale and security are always a source of new issues. Infrastructure experts are extremely valuable members of any IT staff; allowing them to codify their knowledge into a platform is essential to an organization looking to succeed at software delivery. Finally, even the most mature platforms have components that fall outside the scope of automation, and infrastructure experts will still be responsible for them. And that’s OK, because they understand this work firsthand, so are better able to prioritize which features to add to the platform engineering product backlog. New systems come online and evolve, cloud providers expand their offerings, but the platform is never done. 7. MYTH: Introducing platform engineering will dramatically impact staffing costs Part of building a platform engineering team is taking the people with the most DevOps skills within an organization and evolving into the new structure. This allows them and the organization to better apply DevOps principles with fewer people, using  self-service automation and golden paths. A common concern is that a platform engineering team will require a lot of additional personnel. A platform engineering team indeed needs to be staffed, but that staff can come from existing operations and software engineering teams. Over time, the resulting platform should more than pay for itself by leveraging gains from shared services. In other words, the platform engineering team is an investment that you can fund from existing in-house teams. One model to consider is Google SRE's history of sublinear scaling, where the teams responsible for ensuring availability set objectives to grow their headcount at a lower growth rate than the system they run. When introducing platform engineering, an antipattern would be to expect a reduction of operations staff or developers out of the gate. Retraining existing teams works well because they're already familiar with your business needs, and have a lot of experience with the underlying infrastructure, whether it’s exposed directly or via a platform. In fact, we observe that teams that adopt platform engineering end up finding that more work can be done by the same individuals because there’s a platform that they can leverage. When implemented correctly, platform engineering increases efficiency and reduces operational overhead: Automating deployment pipelines, infrastructure, and configuration reduces manual work. The self-service model reduces bottlenecks, as there’s minimal intervention required from operations teams Workflows become streamlined, allowing teams to do more with the same (or potentially even fewer) resources. And while you may need to do some initial upskilling or hiring, over time, the transition to platform engineering unlocks long-term efficiency by applying platform expertise across the organization. 8. MYTH: Adopting platform engineering today will quickly solve all my biggest problems In any complex environment, hoping for a quick-fix is almost always wishful thinking. Change takes time, and the timeline for that change needs to account for identifying your organization's constraints and how quickly it can curate relevant solutions. Nor is there a one-size-fits-all approach to platform engineering; it needs to be tailored to meet the specific needs of your organization. However, you *can* achieve faster results by building out a minimal viable platform (MVP), starting from a subset of your user base and creating a fast feedback loop. Starting with some pre-made MVPs can help to bootstrap a team, but it is important to not make the mistake and think that you can "buy your way out of this" by adopting a fully-built platform, and presto! Improving immediately. Investment, research, and introspection are the right path forward here. By starting with an MVP and adding capabilities based on early adopters’ feedback, you can iteratively build a platform that starts delivering value quickly.  Don't try to design the perfect platform with a five year plan. In short, platform engineering is a journey that requires a change in mindset across development and operations, a cultural shift to embrace the platform, golden path engineering, and tooling to address friction in the development process. All of which takes time to get it right. 9. MYTH: You should apply platform engineering practices to every application Platform engineers actively analyze and identify tasks or processes which create a high cognitive load on development and operations teams, taking targeted actions to alleviate the burden. That does not describe all tasks and processes within a software delivery organization. As such, consider applying platform engineering to applications where developers are overwhelmed by infrastructure complexities, or the operations team faces constant friction. In these situations, a "golden path" approach can streamline development and management. This typically involves selecting suitable cloud services, automating deployments, and establishing standardized configurations. First, focus on abstracting things that have the highest usage and toil, i.e., services that both take a high cognitive load and are frequently used. Prioritizing these systems allows the benefits of the platform to be realized sooner. Make sure your abstractions provide value, sensible defaults, along with guidance and explanations for why you made certain choices. Having "break-glass" methods for stepping outside the platform if needed is highly encouraged. At least initially, think in terms of building a platform for depth rather than breadth.  Satisfy and automate common use-cases as completely as you can before moving on to new ones. Similarly, don't start with the biggest, most important service to your organization. An antipattern is to adopt the "biggest bang" application first, to maximize gain over time.  This is likely to fail, as teams haven’t had the time to develop confidence in your nascent platform, or the platform doesn’t yet have the requisite capabilities. Instead, start with smaller, less-demanding services. A team doesn’t need to deploy every service when adopting the platform. You can aim to adopt some large percentage of them, but there will always be "strays" that might require a separate approach. As long as the discussion happens and is documented for future re-evaluation, don't worry too much about that. 10. MYTH: All cloud services map to platform engineering When people begin their platform engineering journey, they often ask us "does this cloud service map to platform engineering?” Don’t mistake adopting a cloud service for practicing platform engineering. This misunderstanding hinders effective implementation, and suggests that there’s an unclear understanding of what platform engineering actually is.While you can use any cloud service with platform engineering, what matters is how you integrate that cloud service into your developer experience through the platform. Let’s briefly revisit core platform engineering practices and processes, so that you can decide for yourself whether a cloud service or product is a fit for your platform. DevOps practices used for platform engineering Example processes  1. Developer-centric approach Measuring developer experience (DX) Golden paths Self-service capabilities 2. Automation and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) Automate everything Infrastructure as Code tooling 3. Security and compliance Security by design Guardrails Compliance as Code 4. Observability Centralized monitoring Alerting Troubleshooting tools 5. Continuous improvement Metrics-driven approach Feedback loops Learning from incidents Your next steps with platform engineering Over the course of this blog, you’ve learned that platform engineering is a new approach to managing IT infrastructure and software development. It aims to streamline the software development process by providing developers with self-service tools and platforms, abstracting away complex infrastructure details, and automating repetitive tasks. While it builds on existing practices like DevOps and automation, it is worth considering this on its own to ensure the most benefit for teams. Key takeaways: Platform Engineering is a natural evolution of DevOps, aiming to address the challenges of modern software development at scale. It's not a one-size-fits-all solution and requires a tailored approach to meet your organization's specific needs. Start small with a minimal viable platform, prioritize high-value tasks, and iterate based on feedback to build a platform that truly delivers value to your developers and organization. Keep reading about golden paths and laying the foundation for a career in platform engineering. Also check out recorded talks from PlatformCon. Last but not least, be sure to contribute to the annual DORA survey!

November 15, 2024: The Cloud Innovators Plus program has evolved and is now the premium tier of the Google Developer Program. As the managing director of Google Cloud Learning, I see firsthand how cloud developers with a drive for continued education come out on top. Google Cloud Certified professionals are the highest paid in the industry; Google offers 7 of the 10 top-paying IT certifications globally1. We want to make it easier than ever for you to tap into that potential to earn more.  That's why, this year at I/O, Google announced that every member of the Google Cloud Innovators community, our no-cost developer program, is now granted 35 unrestricted learning credits every month to use on courses and hands-on labs through Google Cloud Skills Boost. If you haven’t already, you can join Innovators today to get started. The best part: these credits will continue to renew every month, so you can keep learning and earning skill badges.  Learn your way, at your pace With credits that renew each month, you can dive deep into specific areas of interest or explore a variety of on-demand topics to expand your knowledge. Whether you want to become proficient in generative AI or gain a broader understanding of cloud technologies, the choice is yours. Courses on Google Cloud Skills Boost are on-demand and feature hands-on labs, so you can gain the skills you need to tackle real-world challenges and make an impact in your career.  Showcase your skills with shareable skill badges It’s never been easier to get credentialed in Google Cloud tech. Google Cloud skill badges are designed for all levels of developers, and cover a wide range of topics, from generative AI and data engineering, to security. When you join the no-cost Innovators community, you’ll gain enough learning credits to earn a Google-verified skill badge every month. As you build your cloud skills, stand out by sharing your skill badges with your professional network through Credly, where your credentials are officially verified by Google and collected in your mobile wallet. Become an Innovator today If you’re looking for a community where you can learn and grow your cloud skills, join Google Cloud Innovators. As an Innovator, you can network with peers and to stay up to date in the evolving world of cloud technology—at no cost.  Become a member and start your learning journey today. You’ll be automatically granted 35 learning credits for Google Cloud Skills Boost as soon as you join. 1. Skillsoft “IT Skills & Salary Report,” 18th Edition, 2023

Google Cloud is on a mission to help everyone build the skills they need for in-demand cloud jobs. Today, we're excited to announce  new learning opportunities  that will help you gain these in-demand skills through new courses and certificates in AI, data analytics, and cybersecurity. Even better, we’re hearing from Google Cloud customers that they are eager to consider certificate completers for roles they’re actively hiring for, so don’t delay and start your learning today. Google Cloud offers new generative AI courses Introduction to Generative AI aside_block <ListValue: [StructValue([('title', 'Get hands-on experience for free'), ('body', <wagtail.rich_text.RichText object at 0x3e1e4c1a8760>), ('btn_text', 'Start building for free'), ('href', 'http://console.cloud.google.com/freetrial?redirectPath=/welcome/'), ('image', None)])]> Demand for AI skills is exploding in the market. There has been a staggering 21x increase in job postings that include AI technologies in 2023.1 To help prepare you for these roles, we’re announcing new generative AI courses on YouTube and Google Cloud Skills Boost, from introductory level to advanced. Once you complete the hands-on training, you can show off your new skill badges to employers. Introductory (no cost!): This training will get you started with the basics of generative AI and responsible AI.   Intermediate: For Application Developers, and you will learn how to use Gemini for Google Cloud to work faster across networking, security, and infrastructure. Advanced: For AI/ ML Engineers, and you will learn how to integrate multimodal prompts in Gemini into your workflow.  New AI-powered, employer-recognized Google Cloud Certificates Gen AI has triggered massive demand for skilling, especially in the areas of cybersecurity and data analytics,2 where there are significant employment opportunities. In the U.S. alone: There are over 505,000 open entry-level roles3 related to a Cloud Cybersecurity Analyst, with a median annual salary of $135,000.4 There are more than 725,000 open entry-level roles5 related to a Cloud Data Analyst, with a median annual salary of $85,700.6 Building on the success of the Grow with Google Career Certificates, our new Google Cloud Certificates in Data Analytics and Cybersecurity can help prepare you for these high-growth, entry-level cloud jobs. A gen AI-powered learning journey  What better way to understand just how much AI can do for you than integrating it into your learning journey? You’ll get no-cost access to generative AI tools throughout your learning experience. For example, you can put your skills to use and rock your interviews with Interview Warmup, Google’s gen AI-powered interview prep tool. Talent acquisition, reimagined  And while we're at it, we'll help connect you to jobs. Our new Google Cloud Affiliate Employer program unlocks access for certificate completers to apply for jobs with some top cloud employers, like the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Rackspace, and Jack Henry. We’re also taking it one step further. Together, with the employers in the affiliate program, we're helping reimagine talent acquisition through a new skills-based hiring effort. This new initiative uses Google Cloud technology to help move certificate completers through the hiring process. Here’s how it works: Certificate completers in select hiring locations will have the chance to take custom labs that represent on-the-job scenarios, specific to each employer partner. These labs will be considered the first stage in their hiring process. By matching candidates with the right skills to the right jobs, this initiative marks a major step forward in creating more access to job opportunities for cloud employers. The U.S. Department of the Treasury will start using these new Google Cloud Certificates and labs for cyber and data analytics talent identification across the federal agency, per President Biden's Executive Order on AI. “In an age of rapid innovation and adoption of new technology offering the promise of improved productivity, it is imperative that we equip every worker with accessible training and development opportunities to understand and apply this new technology. We are partnering with Google to provide the new Cloud Certificates training for our current and future employees to accelerate their careers in cybersecurity and data analytics.” - Todd Conklin, Chief AI Officer and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection, U.S. Department of the Treasury  No-cost access for higher education institutions worldwide To expand access to these programs, educational institutions, as well as government and nonprofit workforce development programs across the globe, can offer these new certificates and gen AI courses at no cost. Learn more and apply today. And in the U.S., learners who successfully complete a Google Cloud Certificate can apply for college credit,7 to have a faster and more affordable pathway to a degree. “Purdue Global's students have benefited greatly from the strong working relationship between Purdue Global and Google. Together, they were the pioneers in stacking Grow with Google certificates into four types of degree-earning credit certificates over the past two years. We believe these new Google Cloud Cybersecurity and Data Analytics Certificates will equip our working adult learners with the essential skills to move forward and succeed in today’s cloud-driven market.” - Frank Dooley, Chancellor of Purdue Global  Take the next steps to upskill and identify cloud-skilled talent   We're helping to prepare new-to-industry talent for the most in-demand cloud jobs, expanding access to these opportunities globally, and pioneering a skills-based hiring effort with employers eager to hire them. Here's how you can get started: Learners: Preview the courses and certificates on Google Cloud YouTube and earn the full credential on Google Cloud Skills Boost to give yourself a headstart in the race to hire AI talent.   Higher education institutions and government / nonprofit workforce programs: Apply today to skill up your workforce at no cost.  Employers: Express interest to become a Google Cloud Affiliate Employer and be considered for our skills-based hiring pilot to connect with cloud-skilled talent. 1. LinkedIn, Future of Work Report (2023)2. CompTIA Survey (Feb 2024)3. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024)4. (ISC)2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study (2022)5. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024) 6. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024) 7. The Google Cloud Certificates offer a recommendation from the American Council on Education® of up to 10 college credits.

Google Cloud credentials, including certifications and skill badges, empower you to validate your expertise in the ever-evolving landscape of cloud technology, and work towards that next promotion or prepare for a new career opportunity in cloud.  Going to Google Cloud Next in Las Vegas April 9-11? Check out all the opportunities to lead with learning and earn credentials. It’s still not too late to register for a digital pass. According to a recent study led by Pearson VUE, 92% of individuals with digital credentials are more confident in their abilities, and 81% have more confidence to explore new job opportunities. Whether you're looking to enhance your career prospects, transition into a new role, or showcase your cloud expertise, Google Cloud credentials offer a great pathway to elevate your career. We’re excited to introduce new, easy-to-use features that help to showcase your validated skills and demonstrate your expertise with Google Cloud. Our credential earners can now manage and share their credentials in one, easy-to-access place with the Google Cloud Credential Wallet, powered by Credly.  We invite credential earners to opt-into the Google Cloud Skills Directory, to help you gain visibility to career-relevant cloud opportunities.  Earners can take advantage of Labor Market Insights and discover open job opportunities based on verified skills and credentials, including job titles, locations, employers, and salary insights.  Join us for an webinar on April 17 at 8am PT to discover how to make the most of these tools and features to showcase your skills and connect to employment opportunities. And don’t miss Google Cloud Next 2024 where we have a huge number of opportunities to lean into learning and earning a Google Cloud credential. Check out all the ways to learn at Next here.  Meet Nikiya: A cloud skills success story Introducing Nikiya Simpson, a mom of three out of Little Rock Arkansas, who wears many hats: She’s a full stack engineer at a technology-based healthcare company and is pursuing her master’s degree in AI and Human-Computer Interaction at Georgia Tech, all while managing an active household. Nikiya, an avid learner on Google Cloud Skills Boost, tackles cloud challenges at work by utilizing on-demand learning labs during breaks. These labs provide her with hands-on experience with Google Cloud products and concepts related to Kubernetes, data processing, and application development. By acquiring targeted, validated skills with skill badges, Nikiya significantly enhanced her resume and career. “I was able to directly apply the skills obtained by earning skill badges in my career as a software engineer. I know more about cloud infrastructure, logging and monitoring, and how to create new solutions in ways that make me a better engineer. I’m also able to help people in my community spin up new projects, as well as explore new project ideas of my own.” Now, Nikiya continues to earn Google Cloud skill badges to advance her skillset, and even achieved the Associate Cloud Engineer certification, giving her the industry credibility needed to take on more complex projects at work. She even mentors aspiring cloud developers as an ambassador within the Women Techmakers program. Discover how Google Cloud Skills Boost and Google Cloud credentials fueled Nikiya's engineering journey. Check out her story here: SUCCESS STORY Start your cloud skilling journey by earning a skill badge today Try earning a Google Cloud skill badge today. Whether you’re just getting started with AI, or an experienced technical practitioner, there’s skilling for every level.   [Introductory] Prompt Design in Vertex AI  [Introductory] Insights from Data with BigQuery [Intermediate] Build and Deploy ML Solutions on Vertex AI [Intermediate] Deploy to Kubernetes in Google Cloud See you at the upcoming webinar. In the meantime, make sure to: Create your Credly account. Claim your digital badges. Access your Credential Wallet to share your badges with your network and to your resume!