AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03) Training Course


The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate training course is a comprehensive, hands-on programme designed to equip IT professionals with the knowledge and practical skills required to design secure, resilient, high-performing, and cost-optimi

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Duration
30 to 40 hours
Course overview

Designed for
real-world delivery.

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate training course is a comprehensive, hands-on programme designed to equip IT professionals with the knowledge and practical skills required to design secure, resilient, high-performing, and cost-optimised solutions on Amazon Web Services (AWS). Aligned with the current SAA-C03 exam guide, this course prepares learners to confidently architect cloud solutions and pursue one of the most in-demand cloud certifications in the world. As organisations across every industry continue to migrate workloads to the cloud and modernise their digital infrastructure, demand for skilled AWS Solutions Architects continues to grow rapidly. The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate is consistently ranked among the highest-value IT certifications globally and is widely sought by employers across financial services, healthcare, retail, technology, government, and consulting. This course bridges the gap between theoretical cloud concepts and the practical architecture decisions made by working Solutions Architects. Learners will explore core AWS services across compute, storage, networking, databases, security, and management, along with architectural best practices defined by the AWS Well-Architected Framework. Through scenario-based discussions, hands-on labs in the AWS Console, and exam-focused preparation, participants gain both the breadth and depth of knowledge needed to design real-world cloud solutions. On completion, learners will be able to design solutions across all four pillars of the SAA-C03 exam — secure architectures, resilient architectures, high-performing architectures, and cost-optimised architectures — and pursue the official AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate certification. The course supports career progression into roles such as AWS Solutions Architect, Cloud Engineer, DevOps Engineer, and Cloud Consultant, while offering organisations stronger cloud architecture and migration capability.
14
Curriculum modules
From foundations to advanced topics.
30-40h
Contact hours
Live instruction with practice exercises.
1
Certifications supported
Industry-recognised qualifications referenced in this programme.
Detailed course outline

The full
curriculum.

Topics covered
  • Cloud computing concepts and benefits
  • AWS global infrastructure (Regions, AZs, Edge Locations)
  • AWS Management Console, CLI, and SDKs
  • Shared responsibility model
  • AWS Well-Architected Framework overview
  • Six pillars: operational excellence, security, reliability, performance efficiency, cost optimisation, sustainability
Topics covered
  • IAM users, groups, roles, and policies
  • Identity federation and SSO
  • AWS Organizations and Service Control Policies (SCPs)
  • IAM Identity Center (formerly AWS SSO)
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Best practices for least privilege
  • AWS STS and temporary credentials
Topics covered
  • Amazon EC2 instance types and families
  • Amazon Machine Images (AMIs)
  • EC2 purchasing options (On-Demand, Reserved, Spot, Savings Plans)
  • EC2 placement groups
  • Auto Scaling Groups and launch templates
  • Elastic Load Balancing (ALB, NLB, GLB, CLB)
  • AWS Lambda and serverless compute
  • Amazon ECS, Amazon EKS, and AWS Fargate
  • AWS Batch and AWS Elastic Beanstalk
Topics covered
  • Amazon S3 storage classes and lifecycle management
  • S3 security (bucket policies, ACLs, encryption, Block Public Access)
  • S3 versioning, replication, and event notifications
  • Amazon EBS volume types and snapshots
  • Amazon EFS and FSx (Windows, Lustre, NetApp ONTAP, OpenZFS)
  • AWS Storage Gateway
  • AWS Backup
  • Data transfer services (Snow Family, DataSync, Transfer Family)
Topics covered
  • Amazon VPC fundamentals
  • Subnets, route tables, and Internet Gateways
  • NAT Gateways and NAT Instances
  • Security Groups vs Network ACLs
  • VPC Peering, Transit Gateway, and VPC endpoints
  • AWS PrivateLink
  • AWS Direct Connect and Site-to-Site VPN
  • Amazon Route 53 routing policies
  • Amazon CloudFront and AWS Global Accelerator
Topics covered
  • Amazon RDS (engines, Multi-AZ, Read Replicas)
  • Amazon Aurora (Standard, Serverless, Global Database)
  • Amazon DynamoDB (capacity modes, DAX, Streams, Global Tables)
  • Amazon ElastiCache (Redis and Memcached)
  • Amazon Redshift and data warehousing
  • Amazon DocumentDB, Neptune, and Keyspaces
  • Database Migration Service (DMS) and Schema Conversion Tool (SCT)
Topics covered
  • AWS KMS and CloudHSM
  • AWS Secrets Manager and Systems Manager Parameter Store
  • AWS Certificate Manager
  • AWS WAF, AWS Shield, and AWS Firewall Manager
  • Amazon GuardDuty, Amazon Inspector, and Amazon Macie
  • AWS Security Hub and AWS Config
  • Encryption at rest and in transit
  • Compliance frameworks and AWS Artifact
Topics covered
  • Amazon SQS (Standard and FIFO queues)
  • Amazon SNS
  • Amazon EventBridge
  • AWS Step Functions
  • Amazon MQ
  • Amazon Kinesis (Data Streams, Firehose, Analytics)
  • AWS AppSync API Gateway
Topics covered
  • Amazon CloudWatch (metrics, logs, alarms, dashboards)
  • AWS CloudTrail and event logging
  • AWS X-Ray for distributed tracing
  • AWS Config for configuration tracking
  • AWS Systems Manager
  • AWS Trusted Advisor
  • AWS Health Dashboard
Topics covered
  • High Availability and Fault Tolerance design
  • Multi-AZ and Multi-Region patterns
  • Disaster recovery strategies (Backup & Restore, Pilot Light, Warm Standby, Multi-Site Active/Active)
  • Recovery Point Objective (RPO) and Recovery Time Objective (RTO)
  • Decoupling architectures with queues and events
  • Self-healing and auto-recovery mechanisms
Topics covered
  • Caching strategies with CloudFront and ElastiCache
  • Read replicas and database scaling
  • Compute selection and auto scaling
  • Choosing the right storage tier
  • Edge services and global acceleration
  • Serverless and event-driven design patterns
Topics covered
  • AWS pricing models (On-Demand, Reserved, Spot, Savings Plans)
  • Right-sizing compute and storage
  • Cost-effective storage classes
  • AWS Cost Explorer, Budgets, and Cost Allocation Tags
  • AWS Compute Optimizer and Trusted Advisor
  • Optimising data transfer costs
Topics covered
  • The 7 Rs migration strategies (Retire, Retain, Rehost, Relocate, Repurchase, Replatform, Refactor)
  • AWS Migration Hub
  • AWS Application Migration Service (MGN)
  • AWS Database Migration Service (DMS)
  • AWS Snow Family
  • Hybrid cloud architectures
Topics covered
  • Overview of the SAA-C03 exam structure and format
  • Domain weightings and question patterns
  • Exam strategy and time management
  • Domain-wise revision
  • Practice questions and mock assessments
  • Post-exam certification process
Course features

What sets this
programme apart.

Fully aligned with the latest AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03) exam guide

Comprehensive coverage of the AWS Well-Architected Framework

Preparation guidance for the official AWS SAA-C03 certification exam (exam fees not included unless explicitly stated)

Delivered by experienced AWS-certified Solutions Architects

Hands-on labs across compute, storage, networking, databases, and security

Detailed walkthrough of core AWS services and architectural patterns

Real-world case studies from cloud migration and modernisation projects

Coverage of high availability, fault tolerance, and disaster recovery design

In-depth study of identity, access management, and cloud security

Coverage of cost optimisation and performance efficiency strategies

Comprehensive mock examinations modelled on the SAA-C03 format

Downloadable architecture diagrams, cheat sheets, and reference guides

Trainer-led exam strategy and time management techniques

Post-course access to digital learning resources and trainer support

Flexible delivery options: classroom, virtual instructor-led, eLearning, and onsite

Certificate of completion issued at the end of the programme

Suitable for both individual learners and corporate cloud teams

Who it’s for

Designed for
practitioners and leaders.

This course is suitable for IT professionals working in or transitioning into cloud architecture and engineering roles, including:

  • Aspiring AWS Solutions Architects
  • Cloud Engineers and Cloud Administrators
  • Systems Administrators and Network Administrators
  • DevOps Engineers and Site Reliability Engineers (SREs)
  • Software Developers building cloud-native applications
  • Solution and Enterprise Architects
  • IT Managers and IT Directors
  • Cloud Consultants and Migration Specialists
  • Pre-sales Engineers and Technical Consultants
  • Database Administrators moving to cloud-based databases
  • Security professionals working on cloud security
  • Professionals from other clouds (Azure, GCP) transitioning to AWS
  • Recent graduates and freshers seeking a career in cloud technology
  • Professionals across IT services, banking, healthcare, retail, telecommunications, government, and consulting
Skills you’ll gain

Outcomes that
translate to work.

Upon successful completion of this course, learners will be able to:

  • Explain the AWS global infrastructure (Regions, Availability Zones, Edge Locations)
  • Apply the AWS Well-Architected Framework and its six pillars
  • Design secure architectures using IAM, KMS, and AWS security services
  • Design resilient architectures with high availability and fault tolerance
  • Design high-performing architectures across compute, storage, and database
  • Design cost-optimised architectures with appropriate pricing models
  • Select appropriate compute services (EC2, Lambda, ECS, EKS, Fargate)
  • Design storage solutions using S3, EBS, EFS, FSx, and Storage Gateway
  • Architect databases using RDS, Aurora, DynamoDB, Redshift, and others
  • Design VPC networks with subnets, route tables, gateways, and peering
  • Implement load balancing, auto scaling, and traffic routing
  • Design disaster recovery strategies (Backup & Restore, Pilot Light, Warm Standby, Multi-Site)
  • Apply monitoring and observability using CloudWatch and CloudTrail
  • Design serverless and event-driven architectures
  • Apply migration strategies (the 7 Rs) and use AWS migration services
  • Prepare effectively for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03) examination
  • Designing secure architectures on AWS
  • Designing resilient and highly available architectures
  • Designing high-performing architectures
  • Designing cost-optimised architectures
  • Configuring core AWS compute, storage, networking, and database services
  • Designing and securing VPC networks
  • Implementing IAM and AWS security services
  • Designing disaster recovery and business continuity strategies
  • Building serverless and event-driven architectures
  • Migration planning using the AWS 7 Rs strategy
  • Monitoring and observability with CloudWatch and CloudTrail
  • Application of the AWS Well-Architected Framework
  • Cost analysis and optimisation
  • Hands-on AWS Console and CLI proficiency
  • Preparedness for the AWS SAA-C03 certification examination
Delivery methods

Flexible ways
to learn.

Classroom Training

Face-to-face delivery in a structured training environment, ideal for collaborative learning and hands-on AWS labs.

Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT)

Live online sessions delivered by certified trainers via leading virtual platforms, with the same interactivity as classroom learning.

eLearning

Self-paced online learning accessible through a dedicated LMS, allowing learners to progress according to their own schedule.

Corporate Onsite Training

Customised training delivered at the client's premises, tailored to the organisation's cloud strategy and migration roadmap.

Career opportunities

Where this
course takes you.

Relevant job roles

Strengthens professional credibility through SAA-C03 preparation Opens pathways to high-demand cloud architecture and engineering roles Supports long-term progression into Professional and Specialty AWS certifications

Industry demand

Aligned with very strong global demand for AWS-certified architects Built around the latest AWS service catalogue and best practices Continuously updated to reflect AWS service evolution Engaging, interactive sessions with hands-on labs Supportive trainer-led environment with personalised feedback Access to a learner-friendly LMS for eLearning delivery

Career progression

  • Progress from Associate to Professional-level AWS Solutions Architect
  • Specialise via AWS Specialty certifications (Security, Networking, Data, ML)
  • Move into Cloud Architect, Enterprise Architect, and Head of Cloud roles
  • Advance into multi-cloud architecture roles
  • Transition into independent cloud consulting

Departments where skills apply

  • Cloud and Infrastructure
  • DevOps and Platform Engineering
  • Architecture and Strategy
  • IT Operations
  • Security and Compliance
  • Application Development
  • Digital Transformation
Frequently asked

Questions, answered.

Who should attend this course?
This course is suitable for IT professionals, cloud engineers, system administrators, DevOps engineers, developers, and anyone working on or moving towards AWS cloud architecture and engineering roles.
Is prior experience required?
There are no formal prerequisites to attend the course. However, AWS recommends at least one year of hands-on AWS experience for the official SAA-C03 exam. Some IT background is highly recommended.
Is the course beginner-friendly?
This course is best suited to intermediate learners. Complete beginners are encouraged to first complete an AWS Cloud Practitioner course before attending.
What certification does this course support?
The course is structured to prepare learners for the official AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03) certification examination, administered by AWS through Pearson VUE or PSI.
Is the certification exam fee included?
Inclusion of the official AWS SAA-C03 exam fee depends on the package selected. Please refer to the specific course offering or contact the training provider to confirm what is included.
Is certification guaranteed on completion?
No training provider can guarantee certification, as the official AWS exam is administered independently by Amazon Web Services. However, this course provides comprehensive preparation, hands-on labs, and mock exams to maximise the likelihood of success.
What industries use these skills?
AWS Solutions Architect skills are in demand across virtually every industry adopting cloud, including technology, banking, healthcare, retail, telecommunications, media, government, and consulting.
What tools and services are covered?
The course covers core AWS services across compute (EC2, Lambda, ECS, EKS), storage (S3, EBS, EFS, FSx), networking (VPC, Route 53, CloudFront), databases (RDS, Aurora, DynamoDB), security (IAM, KMS, WAF, GuardDuty), monitoring (CloudWatch, CloudTrail), migration (DMS, MGN, Snow Family), and the AWS Well-Architected Framework.
What are the career opportunities after this course?
Learners can pursue roles such as AWS Solutions Architect, Cloud Engineer, DevOps Engineer, Cloud Consultant, and Migration Engineer. With experience and additional certifications, progression includes Senior Cloud Architect, Enterprise Architect, and Head of Cloud roles.
Is there practical learning included?
Yes. The course includes extensive hands-on labs in the AWS Console, architecture design exercises, and scenario-based discussions to ensure practical application of cloud concepts.
How long is the course?
The instructor-led course typically runs over 4 days (approximately 32 hours). eLearning equivalents take 30 to 40 hours of self-paced study, with an additional 40 to 60 hours recommended for independent practice and exam preparation.
What happens after course completion?
Learners receive a Certificate of Completion, retain access to digital learning materials, and are guided on scheduling the official AWS SAA-C03 examination. Post-course support is typically available from the training provider.
Can this course be delivered for corporate teams?
Yes. The course is available as a corporate onsite or private virtual programme, with content and case studies tailored to the organisation's cloud strategy and migration roadmap.
Will I receive a certificate from this course?
Yes. A Certificate of Completion is issued by the training provider on successful completion of the course. This is separate from the official AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate certification, which is awarded by AWS following exam success.
How does this course compare to other AWS certifications?
This course prepares learners for the Associate-level Solutions Architect certification, which is the most popular and widely respected AWS credential. After completing this, learners can pursue Professional-level (SAP-C02) or Specialty certifications (Security, Networking, Data Analytics, Machine Learning, etc.).