I’m grateful to share that I’ve successfully renewed my Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate certification few months before its expiration. This journey has taught me valuable lessons, and I’m eager to share my experiences with you.

Exam Overview

Those who take the exam are responsible for participating in all phases of development, including requirements gathering, design, development, deployment, security, maintenance, performance tuning, and monitoring.

The exam consists of 10 sections to measure different Azure skills, and I have passed 8 of them, which are:

• Explore Azure Functions;
• Develop Azure Functions;
• Implement Azure Key Vault (full score!);
• Implement Azure App Configuration;
• Monitor App Performance;
• Manage Container Images in Azure Container Registry (full score!);
• Work with Azure Cosmos DB;
• Consume an Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL change feed using the SDK.

I didn’t pass the section “Implement Azure Container Apps” and scored 0 in “Run Container Images in Azure Container Instances” section. These areas remind me that there is always room for improvement and growth.

The certificate is signed by Microsoft CEO!

The Kaizen Journey

Since 2019, I have not been actively using Azure at my work. I now work with AWS at work, but I still learn Azure on my own. Even though I’m not using Azure at work, I keep learning and growing my cloud computing skills. I share my AWS knowledge with the community, but my heart is still with Azure too. I want to be good at both AWS and Azure!

As a developer working primarily with AWS, taking the Azure certification may seem unconventional, but it’s a wise move. Not only Azure certification allows me to demonstrate my commitment to continuous learning and adaptability, but also having expertise in multiple cloud platforms makes a developer a more attractive candidate in the current job market.

I hope my journey inspires you to pursue your own path of learning and growth. As Riza Marhaban, my senior who is also Senior Associate Director (IT) at NUS told me, certifications are not just about achieving a credential, but about the journey of self-improvement and the positive impact it can have on those around us.

Riza shared with me the Kaizen philosophy. The Kaisan philosophy teaches us to embrace challenges, learn from failures, and strive for excellence. Hence, I apply this philosophy to my own journeys, embracing each step as an opportunity to learn and grow.

Wrap-Up

Renewing my certification has reminded me of the importance of continuous learning. I hope my story inspires you to stay humble, stay hungry, and always strive for excellence.

Together, we learn better!