The Strategic Certification Stack That Actually Increases Your Salary

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A few months ago, I featured Sarah C. in our Certification Spotlight series.

She's a Junior Systems Administrator working in fintech in Southwest London, just one year out of King's College. At her current salary, she's watching cloud migrations happen all around her, but she's stuck on the sidelines doing systems administration work while others get tapped for the exciting cloud projects.

Sarah reached out after we published her spotlight. She had just started studying for her AWS Cloud Practitioner certification and asked me the question I hear constantly:

"I'm working on my first certification. What comes next? How do I actually turn this into a six-figure career?"

We got on a call and started mapping it out. Not theory—a specific roadmap. What certifications, in what order, to go from Junior Systems Admin making UK entry-level wages to a Cloud Solutions Architect or Engineer making £80,000-£100,000+ (that's $101,000-$126,000+ USD).

That conversation became this four-part series. All monetary values are in Pounds and US Dollars in parentheses since Sarah is based in London.

Because here's the truth, Sarah is exactly where tens of thousands of you are right now. Early in your career. Studying for your first certification. Wondering if this is actually going to lead somewhere or if you're wasting your time.

I'm going to show you the exact roadmap that takes you from where Sarah is today to a six-figure cloud career in 18-24 months. This isn't hypothetical. It's the same strategy I've watched dozens of newsletter subscribers use successfully.

Over the next four weeks, I'll break down every step. Today, we start with the foundation, the strategic certification stack that actually leads to high-paying roles.

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The Mistake Everyone Makes

Here's what most people do, they collect certifications like Pokemon cards.

AWS Cloud Practitioner? Got it. Azure Fundamentals? Check. Google Cloud Digital Leader? Sure, why not. A Kubernetes cert they saw on LinkedIn? Added to the list.

Six months and $2,000 later, they have four certifications and zero job offers. Or worse, they're still in the same role making the same salary.

Here's why: employers don't hire certification collectors. They hire specialists who can solve specific problems.

The difference between someone making £30,000 ($38,000) and someone making £80,000 ($101,000) isn't the number of certifications—it's having the RIGHT certifications in the RIGHT order that build on each other and lead to a clear role.

This is exactly what Sarah and I mapped out on our call. A strategic stack, not random cert-chasing.

The Baseline: Where Are You Right Now?

Let me guess where you are. You're probably:

• A Junior Systems Administrator like Sarah, making £25K-£35K ($32K-$44K)

• A help desk technician handling support tickets

• An IT support specialist watching "cloud migration" projects happen around you

• Someone in a non-tech role looking to break into the industry

• A recent graduate with a degree but no clear career direction

Your current situation doesn't define your future. Your target role does.

Where do you want to be in 18-24 months?

Here are realistic target roles with UK/London salary ranges (USD equivalents in parentheses):

Cloud Administrator: £45K-£60K ($57K-$76K)
London: £50K-£65K ($63K-$82K)

Cloud Engineer: £60K-£80K ($76K-$101K)
London: £75K-£85K ($95K-$107K)

Solutions Architect: £70K-£95K ($88K-$120K)
London: £90K-£105K ($114K-$133K)

DevOps Engineer: £50K-£75K ($63K-$95K)
London: £65K-£80K ($82K-$101K)

These aren't fantasy numbers. These are median salaries for certified professionals with 1-2 years of hands-on cloud experience in major UK markets and remote US positions.

Sarah is targeting Cloud Engineer. That's a £40K-£50K+ salary jump from where she is now.

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The 3-Phase Certification Stack That Works

I've analyzed hundreds of cloud job postings. I've talked to dozens of hiring managers. I've watched our newsletter subscribers make this transition successfully.

Here's the certification stack that works:

Phase 1: The Foundation (Months 1-3)

Get certified in: AWS Cloud Practitioner OR Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)

Why this one: This is your entry point. It proves you understand cloud basics—compute, storage, networking, fundamental security concepts. It won't get you hired by itself, but it's the foundation everything else builds on.

Sarah is studying for AWS Cloud Practitioner right now. This is the perfect starting point.

The reality check: This is the easiest certification in the stack. If you're already in IT like Sarah, you can pass this in 4-8 weeks of consistent study. If you're brand new to tech, give yourself 8-12 weeks.

Cost: £100-£120 ($100-$150) for the exam

Time commitment: 2-3 hours daily for 6-12 weeks

The strategic move most people miss: Even this entry-level cert can get you a raise if you're already in an IT role. The day you pass, schedule a meeting with your manager. Show them your certification and ask about transitioning to a "Junior Cloud Administrator" role or getting a title change. This can mean a £3K-£7K ($4K-$9K) bump even before you get the next certification.

In Sarah's spotlight interview, she mentioned she's already a Junior Systems Administrator at a fintech company that's moving systems to the cloud. Once she passes Cloud Practitioner, she should immediately volunteer for cloud-related projects. This is how you bridge from "studying certifications" to "getting real cloud experience."

Phase 2: The Money Cert (Months 4-9)

Get certified in: AWS Solutions Architect Associate OR Azure Administrator (AZ-104)

Why this one: This is the certification that changes your career trajectory. This is what gets you interviews for £50K-£65K ($63K-$82K) roles. Every major company hiring for cloud positions lists one of these two certifications in their job requirements.

This cert proves you can actually architect and deploy cloud solutions: design scalable infrastructure, configure networks and security, manage databases, implement backup and disaster recovery. This is where you stop being theoretical and start being practical.

Since Sarah chose AWS for her foundation cert, AWS Solutions Architect Associate is the logical next step.

The reality check: This certification is significantly harder than the foundation level. You need hands-on experience, not just memorization. Expect to spend 4-6 months of dedicated study, including extensive hands-on lab work.

Cost: £120-£240 ($150-$300) for the exam, plus £40-£80/month ($50-$100/month) for lab platforms

Time commitment: 2-3 hours daily for 16-24 weeks

The career move that accelerates everything: Here's the secret: start applying for jobs BEFORE you finish this certification.

At month 6-7 of your study journey, update your LinkedIn to say "Currently pursuing AWS Solutions Architect Associate certification." Start applying for £50K-£65K Cloud Administrator or Junior Cloud Engineer roles.

You'll schedule interviews for months 8-9, right when you're finishing the cert. By the time you sit down for interviews, you'll have the certification in hand.

This is critical: don't wait until you feel "ready." You learn the most in the job, not in study materials.

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Phase 3: The Differentiator (Months 10-15)

Get certified in: One of these, based on your target role:

• HashiCorp Terraform Associate (if you want DevOps/Infrastructure as Code roles)

• AWS Developer Associate (if you want application-focused cloud roles)

• AWS Security Specialty (if you want cloud security roles)

• AWS SysOps Administrator (if you want operations-focused roles)

Why this one: This is what separates you from the thousands of other people who stopped at AWS Solutions Architect Associate. This specialization shows employers you're not just cert-chasing—you have a clear career direction and deep skills in a specific area.

The strategic element: Don't randomly pick this certification. Spend 3-4 hours on LinkedIn and Indeed searching for cloud jobs in your market (or remote jobs if that's your target). What third certification keeps appearing in job descriptions? That's the one you get.

For Sarah's target of Cloud Engineer in fintech, I'd recommend either Terraform Associate (because infrastructure as code is essential for engineering roles) or AWS Developer Associate (because fintech needs people who understand both infrastructure and application deployment).

Cost: £120-£240 ($150-$300)

Time commitment: 2-3 hours daily for 12-16 weeks

The Total Investment

Let's be honest about the costs, because this matters when you're on a junior salary:

Certification exam costs: £340-£600 ($400-$750)

Study materials & lab platforms: £160-£320 ($200-$400)

Total investment: £500-£920 ($600-$1,150)

That's less than one college course. Less than most bootcamps. And the ROI speaks for itself—spend £500-£920 over 18 months to increase your earning potential by £30,000+ per year. No brainer if you ask me.

Total time investment: 12-18 months of consistent 2-3 hours daily

Sarah is working full-time while doing this. She studies during lunch breaks, after work, and on weekends. In her spotlight interview, she mentioned that urban sketching on weekends helps her stay balanced. You need creative outlets to avoid burnout during this journey.

Why This Order Matters

You might be thinking: why not just skip to the "money cert" if that's what gets you hired?

Here's why the progression is critical:

Phase 1 → Phase 2:

The fundamentals certification teaches you cloud vocabulary and basic concepts. When you study for Solutions Architect or Administrator, you're not learning everything from scratch, you're building on that foundation. This makes the harder cert significantly easier to pass.

When Sarah studies AWS-specific services for Solutions Architect Associate, she'll already understand the broader cloud concepts from Cloud Practitioner. That context makes memorizing service details much easier.

Phase 2 → Phase 3:

Once you understand how to architect and deploy cloud infrastructure, adding a specialization like Terraform or Developer skills makes sense because you understand the broader context. You're not just learning syntax. You understand WHY you're automating infrastructure or building cloud-native applications.

The compounding effect:

Each certification makes the next one easier. Each certification makes you more valuable. Each certification increases your earning potential exponentially, not linearly.

The Path Forward

Over the next three weeks, I'm going to break down exactly how to execute this strategy:

Next week (Part 2): The detailed study plan for each certification, including free resources, the hands-on projects you need to build, and how to create a portfolio that gets you hired even without "years of experience." (This is the part Sarah asked me about most—how to prove you can actually do the work.)

Week 3 (Part 3): How to land interviews when you're "under-qualified," the resume transformation that works, and the application strategy that gets responses. Plus, how to leverage your current role to get cloud experience before you leave.

Week 4 (Part 4): The salary negotiation playbook that's worth £15K-£20K+ ($19K-$25K+) and how to get from your first cloud job at £55K to £80K+ in the next 12-18 months.

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I built LearnCloudAcademy.com specifically for subscribers like you and Sarah who are serious about passing certification exams and increasing your salary. Get access to practice exams, hands-on labs, and study guides designed around the exact certification stack I outlined today. Check it out and start building your foundation this week.

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Your Action Step This Week

Don't wait until you've read all four parts of this series. Take action today—just like Sarah is doing.

If you haven't started yet, choose your platform: AWS or Azure? Here’s a previous newsletter article that may help with your decision.

Sarah chose AWS because her company uses AWS infrastructure. That's smart. Align your certifications with what you see at work or what's dominant in your target job market.

Not sure which to choose? Search for 10-20 cloud jobs in your area (or remote jobs if that's your goal). Which platform shows up more often in the requirements? That's your answer.

Once you've decided, register for your foundation exam (AWS Cloud Practitioner or Azure Fundamentals). Schedule it for 8-10 weeks from now. Having an exam date creates urgency and focus.

Don't overthink this. Don't research for another month. Just pick one and commit.

Already studying like Sarah? Then take this action: This week, build your first hands-on project using the AWS Free Tier or Azure free account. It doesn't have to be complex—deploy a simple web server, create a storage bucket, or set up a virtual network. The goal is to stop being purely theoretical and start building.

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Reply to this email and tell me:

1. Which certification are you starting with—AWS or Azure?

2. What's your current role and target role?

3. What's your biggest concern about this career transition?

I read every response, and I'll be featuring reader success stories throughout this series. Maybe you'll be the next person featured in our Certification Spotlight. Not where you are now, but where you'll be 18 months from today.

Next week, we're diving deep into the study strategies and portfolio projects that actually get you hired. Don't miss it.

Until next week, keep learning and building.

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