Our GCP Associate Cloud Engineer Journey: How We Prepared as a Team and Passed
A First for atWare Vietnam
We are proud to share that for the first time, members of our team — Jack, Jenny, and Peter — have passed the Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer (ACE) certification exam. This is a meaningful milestone for atWare Vietnam, marking the start of our journey into Google Cloud after years of building expertise on AWS.
But beyond the celebration, we want to share what the preparation actually looked like — the study plan, the resources we used, and what the exam experience was like — in case it helps others preparing for GCP ACE.
Why GCP ACE?
Earning the GCP ACE certification was one of our team's key OKRs for Q2 2026. As a software consultancy, expanding our cloud expertise beyond a single platform lets us serve clients with more diverse infrastructure needs and deliver better solutions. Google Cloud was the natural next step.
Our Study Plan
We started preparing in March with a structured team approach, rather than leaving it to individual effort. Here is what that looked like:
- Twice a week after-work study sessions — the team studied together consistently, keeping accountability high
- Google Skills: Associate Cloud Engineer Certification path — the official learning path from Google, closely aligned with what is actually tested
- Udemy courses for structured video learning:
- [NEW] GCP Associate Cloud Engineer Certification Training by Vladimir Raykov — a solid end-to-end course that covers all exam topics clearly
- [Practice Test] GCP ACE Google Associate Cloud Engineer Exam by Sayyam — timed practice exams that closely mimic the real test format
- Hands-on practice on real client projects — this was invaluable. Applying GCP services in a real context gave us confidence that no course alone can provide
Following the Official Exam Guide
One of the most effective things we did was follow the official GCP Associate Cloud Engineer exam guide from Google. The exam guide outlines exactly what topics are covered and at what depth. We used it as a checklist to make sure nothing was missed.
If you are preparing for this exam, treat the exam guide as your syllabus — not just a reference document. Every section maps directly to exam questions.
What the Exam Experience Is Like
A few things worth knowing before you sit the exam:
- You get your result immediately after submitting — no waiting days for an email. You will know right away whether you passed.
- The questions are scenario-based. You are not just asked to recall facts but to choose the right service or approach for a given situation.
- Nothing on the exam was significantly harder than what the Udemy practice tests prepare you for. If you are consistently scoring well on Sayyam's practice exams, you are ready.
Tips for Passing GCP ACE
Based on our team's experience:
- Use the official exam guide as your study roadmap — cover every objective, do not skip sections that seem minor
- Do timed practice exams — simulating real exam conditions matters more than just reviewing answers
- Get hands-on — even simple labs or a personal GCP project helps the concepts stick in a way that videos alone do not
- Study with others — our group sessions kept the preparation consistent and made it easier to work through confusing topics together
- Understand core concepts deeply: IAM, VPC networking, compute options (GCE, GKE, Cloud Run), and storage choices are heavily tested
Expanding Our Cloud Capabilities
This certification opens a new chapter for atWare Vietnam. We are now better equipped to support clients building on Google Cloud, and this is only the beginning. We plan to continue growing our GCP expertise in the months ahead.
If you would like to read about our AWS certification milestones, you can find those posts here:
Celebrating Our New AWS Associates at atWare Vietnam!
Celebrating Our Team's AWS Certification Achievements!
Contact us today!
If your business is looking to leverage Google Cloud or AWS for application development, cloud architecture, or digital transformation, atWare Vietnam is here to help. Our certified professionals are ready to support your journey with practical expertise and a commitment to quality.
Contact atWare Vietnam today!