5 Free Google Cloud Training Resources
If you’re looking to break into the cloud computing space, there’s an abundance of resources out there, including free Google Cloud training. If you know where to look, open source learning is a great way to get familiar with different cloud service providers. Combined with our previous blog posts on free training resources for AWS and Azure, you’ll be well on your way to expanding your cloud expertise and finding your own niche. No matter where you are in the learning process, there’s a training resource for every experience level and learning type — get started now with our list of 5 free Google Cloud training resources:
1. Google Cloud Free Tier
For free, hands-on training there’s no better place to start than with Google Cloud Platform itself. GCP’s free tier option is a no-brainer thanks to its offerings:
- Access to all GCP products. You’ll have everything you need to experiment with building and running apps, sites, and services. Firebase and the Google Maps API are included.
- $300 credit is yours to spend for the next 12 months, an expansion from their previous 60-day period and a sizable offer in comparison to Azure’s $200 for 30 days, so take advantage.
- No autocharges after the trial period ends — a rarity for most free trials, and a guarantee that this training resource is 100% free.
- An always-free option. GCP’s free tier takes the cake with this an always-free tier that gives you enough power to run a small app despite limitations on product and usage, a perfect option for learning purposes.
And for help with navigating the platform as you use it, check out GCP’s documentation for a full overview, comparisons, tutorials, and more.
2. Coursera
On the Google Cloud training page, you’ll find plenty of classes to get technical skills and learn best practices for using the platform. Among those options, they have also teamed up with Coursera, an online learning platform founded by Stanford professors, to offer courses online so you can “skill up from anywhere.”
Coursera includes a number of free courses, and until 1/1/19, you can sign up and get your first month free on any select Google Cloud Specialization. Courses include topics in Machine Learning, Architecting, Data Engineering, Developing Applications, and the list goes on.
3. Qwiklabs
In conjunction with Coursera, Google Cloud offers hands-on training with specialized labs available via Qwiklabs, a learning lab environment for developers. Choose a “quest” from their catalog to get started with 50+ hands-on labs from beginner to expert level, where you’ll learn new skills in a GCP environment and earn cloud badges along the way. Get started with GCP Essentials and work your way into more advanced, niche topics like Managing Cloud Infrastructure with Terraform, Machine Learning APIs, IoT in Google Cloud, and so on.
4. YouTube
You can’t go wrong with YouTube. An endless amount of free videos offers an abundance of Google Cloud training for those of you who prefer to watch the movie instead of reading the book (you know who you are). Some of the most popular YouTube channels for free Google Cloud training include:
- Google Cloud Platform (243k subscribers) — “helping you build what’s next with secure infrastructure, developer tools, APIs, data analytics and machine learning.”
- Simplilearn (164k subscribers) — one of the world’s leading certification training providers, with online training that includes Machine Learning, AWS, DevOps, Big Data, and Google Cloud Platform, among others. The course on Introduction To Google Cloud Platform Fundamentals Certification is a popular one with upwards of 99k views.
- Edureka (537k subscribers) is a full-service, online learning platform with curated content in Big Data and Hadoop, DevOps, Blockchain, AI, Data Science, AWS, Google Cloud, and more. Their YouTube channel is a “gateway to high-quality videos, webinars, sample classes and lectures from industry practitioners and influencers.” If you’re jumping into GCP with no prior knowledge or experience, the What is Google Cloud Platform tutorial will get you started.
5. Blogs & Forums
While other resources keep you learning with hands-on training, tutorials, and certification prep, blogs keep your mind flowing with new insights, ideas, and the latest on all things cloud computing. Google Cloud and Qwiklab have blogs of their own, perfect for supplemented reading with their trainings. But for a more well-rounded blog with content on other service providers, check out Cloud Academy. We also cover Google Cloud on the ParkMyCloud blog — check out this guide to Google Cloud machine types, an explanation of sustained use discounts, and introduction to resource-based pricing. And be sure to subscribe to relevant discussion forums such as r/googlecloud on Reddit and the GCP Slack.
Take Advantage of These Free Google Cloud Training Resources
As it becomes clear that cloud computing is here to stay, free training resources only continue to emerge. We picked the 5 above for their reliability, variety, quality, and range of information. Whether you’re new to Google Cloud or consider yourself an expert, these resources will expand your knowledge and keep you up to date with what’s latest in the platform.
More Free Training Resources:
Originally published at www.parkmycloud.com on October 23, 2018.
