I took the newly released 'AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate' exam

| 6 min read
Author: kazuyuki-shiratani kazuyuki-shirataniの画像
Information

To reach a broader audience, this article has been translated from Japanese.
You can find the original version here.

Introduction

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Since the "AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate" was added to the AWS certification, I immediately took the exam. Here are my thoughts.

Information

Due to a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), I cannot discuss the detailed content of the exam. Please understand.

About the Exam

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The AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate is described as follows:

Exam Overview

The AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate validates skills and knowledge in core data-related AWS services, including data ingestion and transformation, orchestrating data pipelines, designing data models, managing the data lifecycle, and ensuring data quality.

There is a similar AWS Certified Data Analytics - Specialty certification, but it focuses on the ability to explain how AWS data analytics services fit into the data lifecycle of collection, storage, processing, and visualization.

I was mistaken in thinking that the Data Engineer was a replacement for Data Analytics. The Data Engineer requires abilities in orchestrating data pipelines, designing data models, managing the data lifecycle, and ensuring data quality.

Application

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The application for the exam started on March 12, and I was checking the site on that day.

I had assumed that the exam wouldn't be available until April, but I was able to take it immediately after the application opened, so I applied for the earliest available date.

Although the exam fee for an Associate exam should have been 16,500 yen, it was mistakenly listed as 33,000 yen, but this was corrected by the evening.

Preparation

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I started preparing gradually from the time the beta version was announced. The content was not much different from other certifications.

Taking the Exam

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It had been about a year and a half since my last AWS certification exam in October 2022. I was a bit puzzled by the multiple-choice questions, but having taken CBT exams for Java, UMTP, JSTQB, and bookkeeping over the past year, I didn't feel much discomfort. Also, I found the questions to be shorter and simpler than those in the Professional or Specialty exams.

The exam time was 130 minutes, but I finished with 20 minutes to spare and left the room.

After the Exam

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The results were not available immediately but could be checked on the portal site in the evening. It seems that results are not provided on the spot nowadays.

I barely passed the exam.

Summary

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  • Here is the current status of my AWS certifications.
Name Abbreviation Group Issue Date Expiration Date
AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate DEA Associate 2024/03/15 2027/03/15
AWS Certified: SAP on AWS - Specialty (Retiring April 29, 2024) PAS Specialty 2022/10/15 2025/10/15
AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty ANS Specialty 2022/10/01 2025/10/01
AWS Certified Machine Learning - Specialty MLS Specialty 2022/08/18 2025/08/18
AWS Certified Data Analytics - Specialty (Retiring April 8th, 2024) DAS Specialty 2022/08/10 2025/08/10
AWS Certified Security - Specialty SCS Specialty 2022/07/18 2025/07/18
AWS Certified Database - Specialty (Retiring April 29, 2024) DBS Specialty 2022/07/14 2025/07/14
AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional DOP Professional 2022/06/24 2025/06/24
AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional SAP Professional 2022/06/16 2025/06/16
AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate SOA Associate 2022/05/06 2025/06/24
AWS Certified Developer - Associate DVA Associate 2022/03/18 2025/06/24
AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate SAA Associate 2022/03/11 2025/06/16
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF Foundational 2022/02/27 2027/03/15
  • I recently applied for 2024 Japan AWS All Certifications Engineers, and with this certification, I should meet the conditions until next year (as of March 2024).
  • However, it has been announced that three certifications (DAS, DBS, PAS) will be retired in April 2024 (AWS Certification Retirements and Launches), and since there will be no higher-level certifications related to data engineering, I am speculating that a Professional certification might be added.
  • Next year, five certifications will need to be renewed (it would have been eight without the three retirements, which is daunting), so I plan to continuously input knowledge and output it on this site.

Bonus

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  • Taking the exam during the free retake campaign (for the first attempt up to April 15, 2024) can psychologically give you a bit of leeway (cannot be combined with a half-price voucher).

  • Due to the impact of the weak yen, exam fees will be revised for applications from April 1, 2024. If you plan to take the exam, applying before March 31 can save you some money.

    Type of Exam USD Old Fee (Excl. Tax) New Fee (Excl. Tax)
    Foundational 100 USD 11,000 yen 15,000 yen
    Associate 150 USD 15,000 yen 20,000 yen
    Professional 300 USD 30,000 yen 40,000 yen
    Specialty 300 USD 30,000 yen 40,000 yen

豆蔵では共に高め合う仲間を募集しています!

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