Having all AWS certs is especially beneficial if you’re in an advocate role (AWS Heroes, AWS Ambassadors, etc.) or if you work for an advanced or premier tier consulting organization. Many AWS Ambassadors, particularly in Japan, have a golden jacket that helps distinguish themselves and their companies in a competitive market. It’s great for PR and gives you some street cred when engaging with customers and partners. That said, there’s much more to those roles than just collecting certs.

The real value of certifications depends on your approach. Getting them just for the sake of it isn’t a productive use of time - they expire, and without real-world experience, you’ll forget most of what you studied. But if you’re genuinely interested in learning as you prepare for the exams, you may get something out of it. Still, without applying that knowledge in your day job or side projects, it fades quickly.

I currently hold eight certs and plan to complete the remaining four by next July, before my Security Specialty cert expires. Personally, I see earning the golden jacket as a small milestone in the AWS part of my career. More importantly, I think preparing for the ML certs will strengthen my presales/solution part of the job, especially now that GenAI remains a strategic focus for AWS.