AWS
Use a project where AWS changes a real implementation decision. Show the code, artifact, test, metric or operational evidence behind the claim.
CAREER PATH · Cloud / AWS Engineer
Prove you can connect cloud services into reliable systems.
Build deployable AWS projects spanning hosting, networking, serverless, databases, monitoring, security and cost control.
AWSNetworkingServerlessIAMMonitoringCost control
WHAT TO PROVE
Turn role requirements into visible evidence.
A portfolio is stronger when each project makes one or two important capabilities easy to inspect instead of trying to mention every technology at once.
Networking
Use a project where Networking changes a real implementation decision. Show the code, artifact, test, metric or operational evidence behind the claim.
Serverless
Use a project where Serverless changes a real implementation decision. Show the code, artifact, test, metric or operational evidence behind the claim.
IAM
Use a project where IAM changes a real implementation decision. Show the code, artifact, test, metric or operational evidence behind the claim.
Monitoring
Use a project where Monitoring changes a real implementation decision. Show the code, artifact, test, metric or operational evidence behind the claim.
Cost control
Use a project where Cost control changes a real implementation decision. Show the code, artifact, test, metric or operational evidence behind the claim.
RECOMMENDED PROJECTS
14 projects for the Cloud / AWS Engineer path.
Choose one project you can finish, deploy and explain deeply. Quality of proof matters more than collecting unfinished repositories.
Beginner1 weekend
AWS Static Site + Global CDN
Host a static site with S3, CloudFront, Route 53 and TLS while documenting caching and deployment.
S3CloudFrontRoute 53ACMCaching
Open project brief →Intermediate2 weekends
AWS Cloud Resume Application
Turn a resume into a full cloud application with frontend hosting, API, database and CI/CD.
S3CloudFrontLambdaDynamoDBCI/CD
Open project brief →Intermediate1 weekend
AWS Serverless API
Build a REST API with API Gateway and Lambda, least-privilege IAM and CloudWatch logs.
API GatewayLambdaIAMCloudWatchREST
Open project brief →Intermediate1–2 weekends
AWS Event-Driven Image Pipeline
Process uploaded images with S3 events and Lambda while handling permissions and failures.
S3LambdaEventsIAMObject storage
Open project brief →Beginner1 weekend
AWS EC2 Web Server Deployment
Deploy and secure a Linux web server on EC2 so you understand the infrastructure behind running an application.
EC2LinuxSSHSecurity groupsNetworking
Open project brief →Intermediate1–2 weekends
AWS VPC Public + Private Network
Design a VPC with public and private subnets, route tables, internet access and controlled outbound connectivity.
VPCSubnetsRoute tablesInternet gatewayNATSecurity groups
Open project brief →Intermediate1–2 weekends
AWS RDS-Backed Web App
Connect a deployed application to a managed relational database with backups, access controls and recovery thinking.
RDSRelational databasesBackupsSecurity groupsApp/database connectivity
Open project brief →Intermediate1 weekend
AWS CloudWatch Monitoring Dashboard
Instrument an AWS workload with logs, metrics, dashboards, alarms and SNS notifications so failures become visible.
CloudWatchLogsMetricsAlarmsSNSSystem health
Open project brief →Beginner1 weekend
AWS Cost Monitoring + Alert System
Build budget thresholds and notifications that make cloud spend visible before it becomes a surprise.
AWS BudgetsSNSBilling alertsCost controlAutomation
Open project brief →Intermediate1–2 weekends
AWS Serverless URL Shortener
Build a deployable redirect service with API Gateway, Lambda and DynamoDB, then measure latency and failure behavior.
API GatewayLambdaDynamoDBIAMServerless designRedirects
Open project brief →Advanced2–3 weekends
AWS VPC + RDS Web Application
Deploy an app across public/private subnets with controlled networking and an RDS database.
VPCSubnetsRDSSecurity groupsNetworking
Open project brief →Intermediate1 weekend
AWS Monitoring + Cost Guardrails
Create CloudWatch dashboards, alarms, SNS notifications and budget alerts for an existing workload.
CloudWatchSNSAWS BudgetsAlarmsCost control
Open project brief →Advanced2 weekends
AWS Step Functions Workflow
Orchestrate a multi-step serverless workflow with retries, branching, failure handling and observable execution history.
Step FunctionsLambdaEventBridgeRetriesWorkflow orchestration
Open project brief →Advanced2 weekends
AWS ECS Container Service
Containerize an application and operate it on ECS with load balancing, health checks, secrets and rolling deployments.
ECSDockerLoad balancingIAMHealth checksDeployments
Open project brief →RELEVANT OFFICIAL CERTIFICATIONS
Credentials that can complement the project proof.
These are optional signals from official issuers, not requirements for the role. When a pasted job explicitly mentions a credential, SkillChirp can surface it separately from project skill coverage.
AWSFoundational
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
Foundational AWS credential for cloud concepts, AWS services, security, architecture, pricing and support.
AWSCloud fundamentalsSecurityCost control
AWSAssociate
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
Architecture-focused AWS credential covering secure, resilient, high-performing and cost-aware cloud solutions.
AWSArchitectureNetworkingSecurityCost control
AWSAssociate
AWS Certified Developer – Associate
Developer-focused AWS credential for building, testing, deploying and debugging cloud applications and delivery workflows.
AWSDeploymentCI/CDServerlessObservability
AWSAssociate
AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer – Associate
Operations-focused AWS credential for deploying, managing, monitoring and operating workloads.
AWSMonitoringReliabilityNetworkingOperations
AWSAssociate
AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate
AWS data credential centered on data models, ingestion and transformation, lifecycle management and data quality.
AWSData pipelinesData modelingData qualitySecurity
MicrosoftFoundational
Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals
Foundational Azure credential covering cloud concepts, Azure architecture and services, management and governance.
AzureCloud fundamentalsNetworkingStorageGovernance
MicrosoftAssociate
Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate
Azure operations credential covering identities, governance, storage, compute, virtual networking and monitoring.
AzureIdentityNetworkingComputeMonitoring
MicrosoftFoundational
Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals
Beginner AI credential covering AI concepts and implementing AI solutions with Microsoft Azure tooling.
AzureAIMachine learningGenerative AIPython
MicrosoftFoundational
Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Fundamentals
Foundational credential for relational and non-relational data concepts and Azure data workloads.
AzureDataDatabasesAnalyticsData workloads
Google CloudAssociate
Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer
Google Cloud credential for setting up, deploying, securing, operating and monitoring cloud solutions.
Google CloudDeploymentSecurityMonitoringCloud operations
Google CloudProfessional
Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect
Advanced Google Cloud credential focused on designing and managing secure, scalable cloud architecture.
Google CloudArchitectureSecurityReliabilityCloud design
Google CloudProfessional
Google Cloud Professional Cloud Developer
Professional credential for building scalable, reliable cloud-native applications on Google Cloud.
Google CloudCloud applicationsAPIsDeploymentObservability
Google CloudProfessional
Google Cloud Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer
Professional credential centered on reliable delivery, SRE practices, CI/CD, observability and service performance.
Google CloudDevOpsCI/CDSREObservability
Google CloudProfessional
Google Cloud Professional Data Engineer
Professional data credential for designing, building, operationalizing and securing data-processing systems.
Google CloudData engineeringData pipelinesData qualityAnalytics
Google CloudProfessional
Google Cloud Professional Machine Learning Engineer
Professional ML credential for building, productionizing and monitoring machine-learning and generative-AI solutions.
Google CloudMachine learningMLOpsGenerative AIMonitoring
HOW TO USE THESE PROJECTS
Build, document, then make the proof easy to review.
Pick one missing signal
Choose the project that best fills a gap in your current portfolio rather than the one with the longest technology list.
Ship a working core
Keep scope small enough to finish. A deployed, testable core gives you more evidence than an ambitious unfinished system.
Document the tradeoffs
Explain architecture, constraints, failure states, testing and what you would change with more time.
Validate the work
Use SkillChirp discovery and Battles where appropriate to expose the project to outside feedback instead of leaving it hidden in a repository.
Make the project visible.
After you ship it, use the rest of SkillChirp to get discovery, validation and feedback instead of leaving the work hidden in a repository.