The first and foremost thing is to acquire knowledge about what Google Cloud certification is and then come to its benefits in 2024. 

Know What is Google Cloud certification?

This is a professional certification which shows that you have completed Google Cloud training and are efficient enough in the Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Google cloud computing services include studies on cloud storage and backup, focus on database management, learning about developer tools, knowledge of the Internet of Things (IoT), mastering machine learning, and data analytics. They help you know the infrastructure of the cloud. 

Various companies use Google Cloud services instead of other web services like Amazon Web Services (AWS) or the ones like Microsoft Azure. The main thing about these companies is that they always seek employees who have a Google Cloud certification, which ultimately helps them save their time and expense of training any new employee or intern.  

What are the costs of Google Cloud certifications or are they free?

Each certification ranges somewhere around 8k to more. That is the thing which makes it essential to also consider your budget while you think of getting the certification. 

When does Google Cloud Certification expire?

Your Google Cloud certifications are straight away valid for 2 years, from the date the certificate is received. After two years you must repay and then pass the examination to maintain the certification received from Google. 

A brief look at types of Google Cloud certifications 

There are various kinds of certifications but it mainly depends on the kind of area you are focusing on. The one that tops the list of Foundational. Any Google Cloud Foundational certification focuses on your knowledge about various Cloud concepts and Cloud products. This also deals with Cloud’s services, features, benefits and real-time use cases. Anyone who wants this certification should have experience working in a role where he or she has to collaborate with other technical professionals. But one doesn't need any technical skills to enrol in this. 

Second on this list comes Associate certification. It demonstrates that one must have the fundamental skills to enhance and maintain the various Cloud projects. 

Last but not least in this list comes the Professional certificate. This helps you show that one can perform typical functions in a job and has advanced skills in designing and implementing the products.

Various Google Cloud Professional Certificates include:

1.Cloud Architect

2. Data Engineer

3. Cloud Network Engineer

4.Google Workspace Administrator

5.Cloud Data Analytics

Is Google Cloud certification worth it or not in 2024?

One of the biggest pros of becoming certified in Google's Cloud certification displays that you are a liable candidate for any company that uses the  Cloud’s services. It also shows that a candidate has a wide range of technical skills and a solid understanding of cloud architecture, which helps you to appeal to any company with GCS. 

Scenario for Google Cloud professionals and their demand in the market in 2024

The Google Cloud Platform stands among the top three cloud vendors, according to the famous Cloud Report 2023. So anyone who has already got the certification will be preferred always. But there are always pros and cons to everything if not taken the right decision. One of them is choosing the right certification for yourself. When choosing the certification, one must keep in mind the proper certification from the Google Cloud platform. When you work in a cloud role, that too in a major company that uses GCP you will benefit a lot when you earn the certification. 

Some of the well-known companies using the GCP include PayPal, Twitter and Etsy.

Holding different cloud certifications assists you in being an attractive candidate over others and provides more job opportunities. They point to your ability to switch among various cloud platforms. With many well-known companies using multiple cloud platforms in 2024, this is going to help anyone seeking certifications stand out among all the other candidates. 

Make sure what role you want to gain further!

When one is choosing the Google Cloud certification for themselves, they should start with their current role or whatever role they would like to gain in future. Then they must select the certification program that goes with that role. For example, if someone is a cloud developer and is looking to brush up their skills, a cloud developer certification is what they need. A future Cloud DevOps professional engineer may opt for the foundational certificate at a beginner stage and then advance to a Google Cloud Certified Associate. Later they can also enrol in the Cloud DevOps Engineer certification. If one wants to have a specialization in any field such as data science, one enrol oneself in a program such as the Google Cloud Data Analytics Professional Certificate.