Google Cloud Certifications: Cloud Digital Leader and Associate Cloud Engineer

Step 1: Choose between the two

Cloud Digital Leader is for people who need to understand cloud and digital transformation concepts, such as managers, analysts, and sales and project staff, and requires no hands-on skill. Associate Cloud Engineer is for people who deploy applications, monitor operations, and manage enterprise solutions on Google Cloud, and Google recommends at least six months of hands-on experience.

Step 2: Know the Cloud Digital Leader exam

Google lists this exam as 90 minutes with 50 to 60 multiple choice and multiple select questions, priced at 99 USD plus tax where applicable. It is valid for three years. The topic areas are digital transformation with Google Cloud, data transformation, innovating with artificial intelligence, modernizing infrastructure and applications, trust and security, and scaling with operations. Exact percentage weights are in the official exam guide.

Step 3: Know the Associate Cloud Engineer exam

Google lists this as a two-hour exam with 50 to 60 multiple choice and multiple select questions, priced at 125 USD plus tax, valid for three years, delivered online-proctored or at a Pearson VUE test center. Its four areas are setting up a cloud solution environment, planning and implementing a cloud solution, ensuring successful operation, and configuring access and security. Weights are in the official exam guide.

Associate Cloud Engineer areas
1. Set up a cloud solution environment
2. Plan and implement a cloud solution
3. Ensure the successful operation of a cloud solution
4. Configure access and security

Step 4: Prepare for Cloud Digital Leader

Study the official learning path on Google Cloud Skills Boost, and learn the language of cloud: total cost of ownership, shared responsibility, regions and zones, data and AI products at a conceptual level, and security and compliance basics. Take Google's sample questions, which show the scenario style.

Step 5: Prepare for Associate Cloud Engineer

Practice with the gcloud command line, projects, billing, and Identity and Access Management. Deploy Compute Engine instances, a GKE cluster, Cloud Run services, and Cloud Storage buckets, and set up VPC networks and firewall rules. Learn monitoring and logging, and the principle of least privilege with service accounts. Hands-on labs matter most for this exam.

# gcloud practice: create a bucket, then clean up
gcloud storage buckets create gs://<unique-bucket-name> --location=us-central1
gcloud storage buckets delete gs://<unique-bucket-name>

Step 6: Plan renewal

Google offers shorter renewal exams, and a learning path route, within the final year of a certification. Check the certification page for current renewal options, prices, and timing so you can renew before expiry.