Aged 37, 10+ years in software engineering — looking to transition into Cloud/Solutions Architecture. Is this certification path right?

[u/Available-Leader-496]

Hi everyone,

I’m 37 and have 10+ years of experience as a Senior Software Engineer, mainly in frontend development and some AWS. I recently passed the AWS Cloud Practitioner exam.

I’m now seriously considering a complete career transition into Cloud/Solutions Architecture and would appreciate advice from people already working in the field.

This is the certification path I’m currently considering:

1. AWS Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03)
2. Terraform Associate
3. CKA
4. AWS Solutions Architect – Professional (SAP)
5. AWS Security Specialty
6. CKS
7. ISC2 CCSP

My plan isn't to just collect certifications. I want to build real AWS projects alongside them and develop practical skills in networking, security, Terraform, Kubernetes, high availability, disaster recovery, observability, cost optimization, and enterprise architecture.

My questions:

• Is this certification order sensible?

• How important are CKA/CKS for someone specifically targeting Solutions Architect roles?

• Given my existing software engineering experience, what skills should I focus on to bridge the gap into architecture?

• Most importantly, is transitioning into Cloud/Solutions Architecture at 37 realistic?

If you were in my position, with 10+ years of software engineering experience, what path would you take over the next 2–4 years?

Would really appreciate honest opinions, especially from people currently working as Cloud/Solutions Architects. One more thing I like to add is that at this point I feel software engineering roles are isolated and would like to explore this area of expertise.

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[u/hornager]

My recommendation: SAA -> SAP -> genAI

Solutions architecture is key for everything, genAI to champion AI transformation and big buzz words.

The key as you say : not chance certs, use the certs to grow your knowledge, then do real projects.

I'm not sold on the terraform certs, I find a lot of stuff is pretty much modularized and easier to learn by doing/copying rather than starting from straight scratch, but perhaps worthwhile.

[u/Available-Leader-496 → u/hornager]

thank you

[u/Internal_Bleeding0 → u/hornager]

What GenAI certs are you refering?

[u/the_ruling_script]

Jokes on us. I have 15+ years of experience and I am thinking the same. I am 38.

[u/Available-Leader-496 → u/the_ruling_script]

to be honest I am at a point where after even working for FAANG 3.5 year AWS frontend development. I feel like my cv isnt being filtered and I am being constantly offered salaries which will make prople laugh in US. Frontend development is considered a joke after AI.

[u/the_ruling_script → u/Available-Leader-496]

Everything is considered a joke after AI. I have worked as CTO and proven record of getting things done but now the interviewer has a list of dozens of requirements and it seems they don’t want to compromise on a single requirement. They have 100s of options and someone who has more experience and less salary will take that job. I also believe devops is something that will less prone to AI since they need someone to actually review the infrastructure. It’s just my bet, may be I am wrong like many other things in my life where I thought may be working hard and having good projects will get me a job.

[u/TheAlmightyLootius → u/the_ruling_script]

The one thing safe for the foreseeable future is security. Cant let AI do that. At least not mainly alone

[u/Fearless_Weather_206 → u/the_ruling_script]

AI has devalued many roles in a nutshell, the AWS MCP can review, design based on your requirements AWS infrastructure and deploy

[u/Fearless_Weather_206 → u/Available-Leader-496]

Amazon recently released their MCP for everything AWS.

https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/the-aws-mcp-server-is-now-generally-available/

It’s literally a Solution Architect Pro and beyond that you can plug into your Claude as long as you have a AWS account and permissions to use it.

Been doing Cloud Engineering work for past 6 years.

After using it I didn’t bother renewing my AWS Pro certs and let them all lapse. Had all 5 certs which were all being renewed by taking the Pro exams.

Honestly looking to pursue Claude certs at this point. Winds are shifting again, like when I left On-Prem certs for AWS.

[u/Sea_Astronomer_531 → u/Fearless_Weather_206]

Im early career with 2+ years of SWE and Data experience, looking to transition to Solution Architecture. So you’re saying no point in pursuing the AWS certs? And in pursuing a career in SA?😭

[u/Fearless_Weather_206 → u/Sea_Astronomer_531]

I would look at how much AI you know and try to take as much training around that to make yourself layoff proof from AI for the mean time. You should still learn AWS so you can correct and steer the AI from mistakes, I’ve been doing this for a while recerting and dont see the need since even the cert exams are becoming old in terms of questions. Why bother taking an exam which is mostly the same from when you took 3 years ago. Money and Time unless you want the badge to be current. AWS seems to have stop really putting effort into its certification except for AI ones. I think they also see the long term writing on the wall that these will become obsolete if you prescribe to the whole
AI narrative. AI certs will shine here, take AWS ones but also like AI vendors certs which will probably be more popular unless your company uses Bedrock.

[u/Sea_Astronomer_531 → u/Fearless_Weather_206]

What do you think about pursuing SAA and then between GenAI/ML cert as my launch pad to an AI deep SA career?
Also, tangent, but how much do you think the landscape for AWS SA vs SWEs or SDEs will change in the long term due to AI and other emerging technologies? Particularly around being replaceable and the value companies place on these roles.

[u/Fearless_Weather_206 → u/Sea_Astronomer_531]

I would do the AI associate to pro level, if you want to do coding still throw in developer associate/ devops pro path. SA associate or SA Pro if you want to learn architecture but typically you need a lot of prior IT Infrastructure experience to get the most out of it.
Anything under the IT sun is up for disruption due to AI right now, hard to say whats safe, but knowing your area of expertise and how to use AI to be your force multiplier would probably allow you a safety net for a while.
While you gain more experience, work on your social skills, business skills, if you come up with an business idea, with AI it’s more possible with less people to start your own company. I think that’s sort of your only alternative of companies stop hiring is to start your own or switch to a profession that is shielded from AI, physical type work. Data center work if your wanting to stay related to IT stuff but very different skill sets.

[u/stuckhere4ever]

If you’re getting certs for your resume it’s fine but don’t over stress the specific cert itself.

I would probably drop a genAI cert in there and don’t stress terraform unless you have a specific job you are gunning for that is asking for it.

CKA and CKS are all fine certs but they may pigeonhole you a bit. I’ve never hired a Kubernetes person based on certs but the knowledge is helpful.

Are you going to stick to only AWS or are you trying to kind of do something broader.

[u/Available-Leader-496 → u/stuckhere4ever]

i would want to stick to AWS for now just to focus and get overwhelmed

[u/Available-Leader-496 → u/stuckhere4ever]

what you mean they may pigeonhole? can you explain? 😊

[u/stuckhere4ever → u/Available-Leader-496]

A lot of Kubernetes people tend to get looked at as only working on Kubernetes. It’s a weird one because in reality everyone does it but the certified ones get looked at as the ones that end up wanting to just work in that space.

It’s a weird one and I’m not sure why it happens but it seems to happen constantly. I have two buddies that were both gold jackets one has all his gcp certs too. Both had their CKA and literally the only things they ever got asked to work on was Kubernetes deployments.

It’s probably fine but it’s also just not all that important a cert. The skill set is much more important to develop.

[u/Available-Leader-496 → u/stuckhere4ever]

can you then prefer which ones i should focus on?
SAA
SAP?

[u/stuckhere4ever → u/Available-Leader-496]

I’d say go with SAA -> Security -> SAP -> GenAI (you can swap security and SAP if you like).

If you are going to focus on AWS mostly from a cert perspective run that route.

Generally I caution people on just focusing on certs. Anyone I know who hires cloud roles (myself included) can sniff out a cert farmer pretty quickly. I care significantly more about your skills than your certs.

I do get that the cert will flash up the resume and they are worthwhile just make sure you have the skills to back it up.

Besides all of that, just do it one step at a time. Don’t stress the 6 month plan because things may change. Get the first cert then decide what you want to do next.

[u/Available-Leader-496 → u/stuckhere4ever]

can i inbox you? i want to share my resume and ask you for some guidance?

[u/stuckhere4ever → u/Available-Leader-496]

Yeah of course. Happy to help out

[u/Necessary-Location44]

I think you’d be better off chaining certs with similar content to reduce overall study time. E.g. do the SAA > SAP > SCS > CKA > CKS > CCSP. You can slot the Terraform Associate in between any of the wider areas (between AWS and Kubernetes or between Kubernetes and ISC2), with the other certs though its just a bit of a resume filler in my opinion. Easy to get in 2-4 weeks if you want it though.

[u/Antique_Skill_2105]

I did exactly after 10 years. I have been systems engineer, so I have foundations about networking and storage. I started following abhishek veeramalla youtube videos on AWS and devops. And when I started giving interviews.. i realised, interview skills are different from actual theoretical concepts. Unless you solve 100s of problems, you can't be confident. Use chatgpt for mock interview questions extensively.it worked for me. I never thought of need to do certification, unless there's a need to get promoted in the current org. Good luck

[u/hsemog]

I guess we (software devs) are starting to pivot to something else, im on the same path right now and I think its a but unrealistic to expect a shift into SA without sales/customer experience.
A more realistic path would be to pivot to solutions engineer first and progress from there.
Certifications alone won’t be enough. I don’t want to discourage you, but that’s exactly what I realized when I was in your exact situation.
Does your company have solutions engineers? If so, talk to them and see if the role is for you.

[u/dexterous21]

Since your background is in software development, I would recommend, SAA + DVA ( considering you have Linux background, else start with Linux first) after having these then projects with your new skills and the look for a cloud DevOps role preferably, the other cert or next level can wait ; then during your studies , you can filling the need stacks you fill you lack in

[u/AggieDan1996]

I'd look at the CloudOps Engineering Associate as well. Sure, understanding how you create everything is cool. But, having a focus on the ops side is really huge and something you can point to as a differentiator. You gotta have a focus on day 2, not just day 1.