AWS and Google IT support are leading fields in remote work, careers that pay exceptionally well and can be worked from anywhere with access to broadband internet. With minimal equipment required, this guide has been made to promote remote work on Tribal Reservations. Economic independence starts with access to steady income, and a curated guide has been made to give students proven pathways to career success.
All of the content here was designed using ChatGPT, and cross checked with data from career analytics data. Parameters were input to give viewers relevant information to job prospects and expectations in each specific field.
1. The First Table simply describes the field and what one would expect in the pursuit of those certificates.
2. The Second Table highlights market data related to the field, so that students can decide whether speed to work or long-term stability takes precedence.
3. The Third Table is a complete summary of how to become certified for each career path. With price ranges and expected time of completions, so that students can plan out their course of action when choosing to begin any of the course trainings.
| Career Field | Google Certificate | AWS Certificate | What This Field Entails (Differences Included) | Equipment Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IT Support / Help Desk | Google IT Support | AWS Cloud Practitioner (loosely related) | Google focuses on traditional IT support: fixing laptops, printers, OS issues, email setup, and basic networking. It’s a great starting point with real-world troubleshooting skills. AWS Cloud Practitioner teaches cloud concepts, not desktop troubleshooting — it’s a foundational cert, not a helpdesk role cert. | Laptop/PC, headset, ticketing software, remote desktop tools |
| IT Automation / Scripting | Google IT Automation with Python | AWS SysOps Administrator | Google teaches you to write Python scripts to automate mundane tasks (e.g. backups, log cleanup). It’s closer to internal IT process automation. AWS SysOps focuses more on cloud automation: managing EC2, monitoring CloudWatch metrics, managing IAM, and maintaining uptime for AWS systems. | Laptop, Python IDE (VSCode), AWS CLI, Linux terminal |
| Project Management | Google Project Management | ❌ No AWS equivalent | Google teaches classic project management: Agile/Scrum, stakeholder meetings, timelines, and reporting. This is human-centered, using tools like Asana or Jira. AWS has no PM cert, but PMs often work with AWS teams, managing cloud or DevOps engineers without needing deep technical expertise. | Laptop, Zoom, PM tools (Trello, Jira, Asana), calendar software |
| Cybersecurity | Google Cybersecurity | AWS Security Specialty | Google teaches general security operations: phishing detection, network security, endpoint protection. AWS dives into cloud security: IAM policies, encryption, CloudTrail logging, and securing S3/EC2 resources. Google is more general-purpose SOC1/SOC2; AWS requires prior AWS experience to understand cloud-specific risks. | Linux VM, security tools (Wireshark, Splunk), AWS account |
| Data Analytics | Google Data Analytics | AWS Data Analytics Specialty | Google is focused on business dashboards: SQL, Excel, Google Sheets, Tableau/Looker. It’s beginner-friendly and business-aligned. AWS focuses on big data pipelines: Glue ETL, S3 storage, Redshift queries — more engineering-heavy. Google prepares you for BI/Data roles; AWS trains you for Data Engineering & Cloud Analytics. | Laptop, SQL client, Excel, Tableau or Looker Studio, AWS account |
| Business Intelligence | Google Business Intelligence | ❌ No AWS equivalent (uses 3rd-party tools) | Google teaches BI with SQL and dashboards, using Looker Studio, BigQuery, and similar tools. AWS doesn’t offer a dedicated BI cert but BI integrates with AWS via tools like QuickSight or custom dashboards with Redshift. Google cert prepares you for client-facing analytics; AWS BI happens behind the scenes in data engineering pipelines. | Laptop, dashboard tools, database access |
| Advanced Data / Data Science | Google Advanced Data Analytics | AWS Machine Learning Specialty | Google teaches statistical thinking: regression, clustering, data modeling using Python & Pandas. Meant for analysts/data scientists. AWS teaches ML implementation: training models in SageMaker, using AI tools in a cloud pipeline. Google emphasizes theory and interpretation; AWS emphasizes deployment and scaling. | High-RAM laptop, Jupyter, Python IDE, AWS SageMaker |
| Cloud Architecture | ❌ No Google equivalent | AWS Solutions Architect Associate | AWS cert teaches how to build scalable cloud infrastructure: setting up secure networks (VPCs), designing compute/storage layers, and optimizing for cost & reliability. Google has no direct cert, but knowledge from Google Cloud could help. Solutions Architects don’t usually code — they design systems for engineers to build. | PC, diagram tools (Lucidchart), AWS account, console access |
| Cloud Operations / DevOps | ❌ (Google IT Automation is closest) | AWS DevOps Engineer – Professional | Google’s automation cert scratches the surface with scripting. AWS DevOps goes much deeper: CI/CD pipelines, Terraform, CloudFormation, Jenkins, infrastructure-as-code. DevOps is about stability, speed, and automation of the entire deployment cycle. AWS cert is for experienced engineers, not entry-level. | CLI tools, AWS console, GitHub, CI/CD tools like Jenkins |
| Cloud Development | ❌ No Google cert | AWS Developer Associate | AWS cert trains you to build cloud-native applications: Lambdas, API Gateways, DynamoDB integration, event-based systems. Developers need to know APIs, SDKs, and scripting. Google doesn’t currently offer a programming or dev cert, but you can self-study frontend/backend and complement it with AWS services later. | IDE (VSCode), Postman, AWS SDKs, serverless frameworks |
| UX/UI Design | Google UX Design | ❌ No AWS cert | Google teaches UI design principles: user research, wireframing, prototyping in Figma, usability testing. It’s a creative role, very different from AWS’s infrastructure focus. No AWS equivalent. Expect to work closely with developers and PMs to ensure the product is intuitive and appealing. | Laptop, Figma, Miro, optional pen tablet |
| Digital Marketing | Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce | ❌ No AWS cert | Google covers ad campaign management, email marketing, analytics, customer funnels. It’s creative and strategy-based. AWS doesn’t offer marketing education. Expect to use platforms like Google Ads, Meta Ads, and email tools like Mailchimp. Strong freelance potential and remote work options. | Laptop, browser, Google Ads/Analytics, social media platforms |
The Table Below Describes the Certificates needed for the above fields. Google IT certification are provided by Coursera, their catalogue of needed fields can be found here, at grow.google. While viewing the Coursera material is free through the audit option, paying for the monthly Coursera subscription allows students to submit course assignments to officially get the certification. This ranges between 39$-49$/monthly.
Google IT courses through coursera are also qualified for financial assistance to students.
Instructions for the Financial Aid Application can be found here.
Note: financial aid is only accepted on a per course basis. Specializations are multiple courses bundled together. So when applying for a specialization such as Google IT specializations, you will need to apply independently for each independent course. Financial aid doesn't automatically cover all the courses unless you apply for each portion of the specialization.
Try before you Buy: Try completing "audits" of the courses you're interested in before applying for a certification. Because you may find that you don't enjoy the topic. Auditing a Coursera course allows you to view all the material for free, but you cannot submit assignments for certification completion until you're fully enrolled. This would be a good method to try out courses before fully committing to the certificate completion.
Official AWS training for Exams can be found here. AWS training modules are entirely free and self-paced for anyone to enroll at anytime.
All AWS certification exams can be found here. AWS only charges for each exam fee.
The Table Below is ordered by ease of entry per Field
| Rank | Certificate | Platform | Ease of Entry w/ Cert Only | Needs More Certs or XP? (With Notes) | Current Job Market | Growth Outlook | Entry Salary | Avg Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Google IT Support | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very Easy | ❌ No — Cert alone is enough for Tier 1 help desk roles | ✅ Very High | 📈 6% | $45K–55K | $60K–75K | |
| 2 | Google Project Management | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very Easy | ❌ No — Entry-level PM or coordinator jobs accept the cert | ✅ Very High | 📈 11% | $55K–65K | $70K–90K | |
| 3 | Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very Easy | ❌ No — But a small portfolio of campaigns or internships is a plus | ✅ High | 📈 10–15% | $50K–60K | $65K–90K | |
| 4 | AWS Cloud Practitioner | AWS | ⭐⭐⭐ Easy | ✅ Yes — Pair with AWS Solutions Architect or SysOps for job readiness | ✅ High | 📈 15–20% | $45K–55K | $55K–65K |
| 5 | Google UX Design | ⭐⭐⭐ Easy | ❌ No — But you must have a strong portfolio (Figma, case studies) | ✅ High | 📈 13% | $60K–70K | $70K–100K | |
| 6 | Google Data Analytics | ⭐⭐⭐ Easy | ❌ No — Entry-level roles accept the cert, but mini-projects help | ✅ Very High | 📈 25–35% | $60K–70K | $75K–90K | |
| 7 | Google Business Intelligence | ⭐⭐⭐ Easy | ❌ No — Dashboard examples or SQL project work is beneficial | ✅ Moderate | 📈 15–20% | $60K–70K | $70K–95K | |
| 8 | Google Cybersecurity | ⭐⭐⭐ Easy | ❌ No — Junior SOC roles accept it, but CompTIA Security+ boosts hire chances | ✅ Very High | 📈 32% | $60K–75K | $80K–95K | |
| 9 | Google IT Automation with Python | ⭐⭐ Moderate | ❌ No — But familiarity with Git and Linux helps a lot | ✅ Moderate | 📈 20% | $55K–65K | $65K–85K | |
| 10 | AWS Solutions Architect Associate | AWS | ⭐⭐ Moderate | ✅ Yes — You need hands-on AWS experience or labs to pass interviews | ✅ High | 📈 30–40% | $65K–75K | $90K–120K |
| 11 | AWS Developer Associate | AWS | ⭐⭐ Moderate | ✅ Yes — Strong in Python/JavaScript and cloud deployment needed | ✅ High | 📈 25–35% | $65K–75K | $85K–115K |
| 12 | AWS SysOps Administrator | AWS | ⭐ Moderate–Hard | ✅ Yes — Needs prior AWS Cloud Practitioner and some admin experience | ✅ High | 📈 25%+ | $70K–80K | $90K–110K |
| 13 | AWS Data Analytics Specialty | AWS | ⭐ Moderate–Hard | ✅ Yes — Requires SQL, ETL, and AWS tools like Glue and Redshift | ✅ High | 📈 30%+ | $75K–85K | $95K–130K |
| 14 | Google Advanced Data Analytics | ⭐ Moderate–Hard | ✅ Yes — Must know Python + stats, and build a personal project portfolio | ✅ Moderate | 📈 25% | $70K–80K | $85K–110K | |
| 15 | AWS Security Specialty | AWS | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hard | ✅ Yes — Prior AWS cert and hands-on security config experience needed | ✅ High | 📈 32% | $85K–95K | $100K–130K |
| 16 | AWS DevOps Engineer – Professional | AWS | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very Hard | ✅ Yes — Need CI/CD, AWS pipeline tools, and real-world infra use | ✅ High | 📈 25%+ | $90K–100K | $110K–140K |
| 17 | AWS Machine Learning Specialty | AWS | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very Hard | ✅ Yes — Must have Python, ML projects, and AWS SageMaker experience | ✅ High | 📈 25%+ | $85K–95K | $105K–135K |
The Table Below is ordered by difficulty of Certificate Completion
| Rank | Certificate | Platform | 🪜 Ease Level | 💬 Why Easier / Harder | 🕒 Time to Complete | 💰 Cost (w/ Notes) | 🤖 AI Resistance | 🧠 Why AI-Resistant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Google IT Support | ⭐ Very Easy | Beginner, no tech skill needed | 3–6 months | $120–$200 (Coursera monthly) | 🟢 Very High | Tech support needs live human interaction | |
| 2 | Google Project Management | ⭐ Very Easy | Soft-skills focused, no coding | 4–6 months | $160–$250 (Coursera) | 🟢 Very High | Team coordination & leadership remain human | |
| 3 | Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce | ⭐ Very Easy | Intuitive tools, creative focus | 3–4 months | $120–$160 (Coursera) | 🟡 Medium | Strategy is human-led, but tools are automating | |
| 4 | AWS Cloud Practitioner | AWS | ⭐ Easy | Conceptual only, no hands-on required | 2–4 weeks | $100 (Flat exam fee) | 🟢 High | Cloud basics support AI, not replace humans |
| 5 | Google UX Design | ⭐ Easy | No coding, portfolio-based | 5–6 months | $180–$250 (Coursera) | 🟡 Medium | Design empathy & testing can’t be auto-generated | |
| 6 | Google Data Analytics | ⭐⭐ Easy | SQL & dashboards, beginner-friendly | 6 months | $180–$220 (Coursera) | 🟢 High | Data interpretation still needs human insight | |
| 7 | Google Business Intelligence | ⭐⭐ Moderate | Stronger SQL + dashboard logic | 4–6 months | $160–$250 (Coursera) | 🟢 High | Business context isn’t replicable by AI easily | |
| 8 | Google Cybersecurity | ⭐⭐ Moderate | Entry-level but dense in concepts | 5–6 months | $180–$250 (Coursera) | 🟢 Very High | Threat response demands ethical reasoning | |
| 9 | Google IT Automation with Python | ⭐⭐ Moderate | Coding starts here; script-heavy | 4–6 months | $160–$240 (Coursera) | 🟢 High | Custom scripting is case-based and manual | |
| 10 | AWS Solutions Architect Associate | AWS | ⭐⭐ Moderate | Network & system logic required | 3–4 months | $150 (Flat exam) | 🟢 Very High | No AI can currently design full infrastructure |
| 11 | AWS Developer Associate | AWS | ⭐⭐ Moderate | Cloud coding, SDKs, APIs | 2–4 months | $150 (Flat exam) | 🟢 High | Programming logic needs humans to structure |
| 12 | AWS SysOps Administrator | AWS | ⭐⭐⭐ Moderate–Hard | CLI skills, monitoring, troubleshooting | 2–3 months | $150 (Flat exam) | 🟢 High | Live operations need real-time human input |
| 13 | AWS Data Analytics Specialty | AWS | ⭐⭐⭐ Moderate–Hard | Big data tools (Redshift, Glue, Athena) | 3–6 months | $300 (Specialty exam) | 🟢 High | Pipelines still rely on human interpretation |
| 14 | Google Advanced Data Analytics | ⭐⭐⭐ Moderate–Hard | Math-heavy, Python, statistical modeling | 6–9 months | $250–$350 (Coursera) | 🟢 High | Understanding significance & outcomes is human-led | |
| 15 | AWS Security Specialty | AWS | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hard | IAM, encryption, logging, threat modeling | 4–6 months | $300 (Specialty exam) | 🟢 Very High | Breach decisions & compliance require humans |
| 16 | AWS DevOps Engineer – Professional | AWS | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very Hard | Requires experience with CI/CD, IaC | 4–6 months | $300 (Flat exam) | 🟢 High | Full automation still needs creative oversight |
| 17 | AWS Machine Learning Specialty | AWS | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very Hard | Prior ML + AWS + data science required | 4–6 months | $300 (Specialty exam) | 🟡 Medium | Field is building AI; overlap is higher risk |
Recommendation: For the Coursera Google IT certifications, I’d recommend “Auditing” the courses for the specialization on your own. Purchase the Plus subscription once you feel you are ready to do the assignments for each course. That way, once you can start the assignments, you’ll have already reviewed all the material and can submit the homework quickly. This can make it so that you can finish an entire specialization in one month instead of several months. Letting you be charged once instead of having to pay multiple times for an extended period of time.