Today, I’m sharing my journey to passing the GCP Professional Cloud Architect exam in 2023.
Overview of the Exam
The GCP Professional Cloud Architect exam is designed for IT professionals with over three years of industry experience and at least one year of designing solutions on Google Cloud. However, this does not mean you can’t take the exam if you don’t meet the criteria; it is more of a suggested guideline. The certification is valid for three years and includes two case studies from a pool of four, with 50-60 questions to be answered in two hours.
Preparation Tips
Understand the Case Studies
Review the case studies provided on the official Google Cloud Exam Case Studies. Familiarize yourself with the scenarios to save time during the exam.
Hands-On Practice
Practical experience is crucial. Use the Google Cloud Console to create virtual machines and other resources. Project work helps reinforce theoretical knowledge.
Study Resources
Use a combination of video tutorials, reference books, and online courses. Some helpful resources include:
- Books like “Visualizing Google Cloud 101”
- Platforms like Qwiklabs, Pluralsight, and Google Cloud Skills Boost
Practice Exams
Take practice exams to get used to the format and timing. Platforms like Udemy offer great practice tests.
Practical Approach
Focus on the practical application of concepts rather than just theoretical understanding.
Exam Experience
You can take the exam remotely or on-site. I used Criterion’s Webassessor for my remote experience. Ensure your setup meets their requirements to avoid technical issues. You can review the requirements before the exam starts.
Post-Exam
After completing the exam, you’ll receive a preliminary pass/fail result. The official confirmation may take a few days to weeks as Google reviews the footage.
Bonus
Passing the exam earns you exclusive Google merchandise. From hoodies to rare items like a Google Certified hammock, there’s always something cool to look forward to.
By following these steps, you’ll be well-prepared to tackle the GCP Professional Cloud Architect exam. Good luck!
