PRTFSchool of Management Apply 2027–29

AWS Academy member institution

Cloud and AI skills, taught the AWS way.

Two guided pathways, Solutions Architect and Machine Learning, built from AWS Academy courses developed and maintained by Amazon Web Services (AWS) and taught by AWS Certified educators. No background is required: we build your prerequisites and foundations as you go, so anyone can join.

Explore Solutions ArchitectExplore Machine Learning
AWS Academy Member Institution
Pathways
Two · Solutions Architect, Machine Learning
Courses
Five,
plus two lab projects
Format
Hybrid · online or on campus
Batches
Weekday evenings
or weekends
Credential
AWS Academy badge · issued through Credly

On this page

Why it matters

Why a manager needs to understand the cloud.

The systems a business runs on, and the AI tools now reshaping work, live in the cloud. You do not need to become an engineer. You need to speak the language well enough to lead the people who are.

  1. 01

    Decisions run on cloud data

    Sales, customers, stock, finance: the records a business works from increasingly sit in cloud services rather than on a computer in the office. A leader who knows how that data is stored, secured and paid for asks better questions of the people who build with it.

  2. 02

    AI is built on the cloud

    The AI models changing how companies work are trained, hosted and served from cloud platforms. Knowing what a model needs, what it costs to run and where its limits are is the difference between a sound AI investment and an expensive experiment.

  3. 03

    The bill is a business decision

    Cloud is paid for by use. Choosing the right service, the right size and the right region is a cost decision as much as a technical one. A manager who can read a cloud bill keeps a project inside its budget.

  4. 04

    Security and trust are board matters

    Customer data, compliance and uptime land on the leadership table. Understanding shared responsibility, access control and recovery planning lets you judge a risk instead of inheriting it.

Two pathways, one habit of mind

The Solutions Architect pathway teaches how systems are designed, secured and scaled. The Machine Learning pathway teaches how data becomes predictions and language models. Either one gives a manager the vocabulary to brief, question and decide with confidence.

Start here

One starting point for both pathways.

Every route begins with AWS Academy Cloud Foundations. No background is required: we build your prerequisites and foundations as you go, so anyone can join and decide on a pathway after the first course.

FoundationalAbout 20 hours10 modules

AWS Academy Cloud Foundations

An overall understanding of cloud computing, independent of any one technical role: cloud concepts, the core AWS services, security, architecture, pricing and support. Aligned to the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam.

  • You needNothing in advance. Anyone can join; we build the prerequisites and foundations with you.
  • You practiseGuided labs on real AWS services: identity and access, a virtual network with a web server, compute, storage, a database server, scaling and load balancing.
  • CertificationAligned to AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner.
  1. 01Cloud concepts overview
  2. 02Cloud economics and billing
  3. 03AWS global infrastructure
  4. 04Cloud security
  5. 05Networking and content delivery
  6. 06Compute
  7. 07Storage
  8. 08Databases
  9. 09Cloud architecture
  10. 10Automatic scaling and monitoring

Choose your pathway

Where do you want to go?

Pick a pathway to see its courses in the order AWS recommends. Open any course to see what you learn, its modules and what you build.

  1. FoundationalAbout 20 hours AWS Academy Cloud Foundations The shared base. Cloud concepts, core services, security, pricing and architecture.

    What you learn

    • Define the AWS Cloud and explain how AWS pricing works
    • Describe AWS security and compliance, including identity and access management
    • Choose between compute, storage and database services for a given need
    • Explain the architectural principles behind the AWS Well-Architected Framework

    What you build

    • A virtual network with a web server
    • A database server
    • An architecture that scales and balances load

    Modules

    1. Cloud concepts overview
    2. Cloud economics and billing
    3. AWS global infrastructure
    4. Cloud security
    5. Networking and content delivery
    6. Compute
    7. Storage
    8. Databases
    9. Cloud architecture
    10. Automatic scaling and monitoring

    Certification Aligned to AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

  2. AssociateAbout 57 hours17 modules + capstone AWS Academy Cloud Architecting How to build IT infrastructure on AWS: scalable, reliable, secure and cost-aware. Taught through one business scenario you build on module by module.

    What you learn

    • Apply AWS architectural principles and best practices to real decisions
    • Make an infrastructure scalable, reliable and highly available
    • Choose managed services for flexibility and resilience
    • Raise performance and reduce the cost of a cloud infrastructure
    • Secure user, application and data access

    What you build

    • A static and then a dynamic website for the course scenario
    • A database migrated to Amazon RDS
    • A private network, peered networks and a highly available environment
    • Infrastructure deployed from code, a serverless architecture and a capstone project

    Modules

    1. Welcome to Cloud Architecting
    2. Introducing cloud architecting
    3. Securing access
    4. Adding a storage layer with Amazon S3
    5. Adding a compute layer using Amazon EC2
    6. Adding a database layer
    7. Creating a networking environment
    8. Connecting networks
    9. Securing user, application and data access
    10. Implementing monitoring, elasticity and high availability
    11. Automating your architecture
    12. Caching content
    13. Building decoupled architectures
    14. Building serverless architectures and microservices
    15. Data engineering patterns
    16. Planning for disaster
    17. Bridging to certification

    Certification Aligned to AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-C03)

  3. Lab projectChoose one of the two. Both are compulsory to complete the pathway.

    8 to 12 hours of building Cloud Web Application Builder Design and deploy a database-backed web application that stays available, scales and is secure, without step-by-step instructions.

    What you do

    • Draw the architecture and estimate its cost with the AWS Pricing Calculator
    • Deploy the application on one machine, then separate the web and database layers
    • Build a public, secure virtual network and spread the load across several web servers
    • Add high availability, scaling and the right permissions between services

    Points towards Software development engineer, application developer

    10 to 14 hours of building Microservices and CI/CD Pipeline Builder Break one large application into smaller services, run them in containers, and set up an automatic build and release pipeline.

    What you do

    • Split a monolithic Node.js application into containerised microservices
    • Store and version the container images in a registry
    • Run the services on a serverless cluster behind a load balancer
    • Build a code pipeline that deploys each change to a blue/green cluster

    Points towards Software development engineer, app developer, cloud support engineer

Where it leadsCloud architect and solutions architect roles, and a strong footing for systems operations and DevOps work.

Certifications alignedAWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, then AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate.

  1. FoundationalAbout 20 hours AWS Academy Cloud Foundations The shared base. Cloud concepts, core services, security, pricing and architecture.

    What you learn

    • Define the AWS Cloud and explain how AWS pricing works
    • Describe AWS security and compliance, including identity and access management
    • Choose between compute, storage and database services for a given need
    • Explain the architectural principles behind the AWS Well-Architected Framework

    What you build

    • A virtual network with a web server
    • A database server
    • An architecture that scales and balances load

    Modules

    1. Cloud concepts overview
    2. Cloud economics and billing
    3. AWS global infrastructure
    4. Cloud security
    5. Networking and content delivery
    6. Compute
    7. Storage
    8. Databases
    9. Cloud architecture
    10. Automatic scaling and monitoring

    Certification Aligned to AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

  2. FoundationalAbout 23 hours8 modules AWS Academy Machine Learning Foundations The concepts and vocabulary of AI, machine learning and generative AI, then a complete machine learning pipeline built by hand in Amazon SageMaker.

    What you learn

    • Describe machine learning and when to use it instead of ordinary software
    • Collect, examine and prepare data, then train, host and evaluate a model
    • Use managed AWS services for forecasting, computer vision and language
    • See how generative AI works, with a first hands-on session using a foundation model

    What you build

    • A trained and hosted model, tuned with SageMaker, plus a class project where you choose and train an algorithm
    • A forecast from time-series data, a facial recognition exercise and an appointment-booking bot

    The Python and statistics this course uses are built up with you before it begins.

    Modules

    1. Welcome to Machine Learning Foundations
    2. Introducing machine learning
    3. Implementing a machine learning pipeline with Amazon SageMaker
    4. Introducing forecasting
    5. Introducing computer vision
    6. Introducing natural language processing
    7. Introducing generative AI
    8. Course wrap-up

    Certification No exam is tied to this course. It lays the ground for the two courses that follow.

  3. IntermediateAbout 20 hours9 modules + capstone AWS Academy Machine Learning for Natural Language Processing The follow-on to Machine Learning Foundations: how machines read, sort and generate text, from sentiment analysis to large language models.

    What you learn

    • Apply the machine learning pipeline to text
    • Extract text from web pages and images, then clean and encode it
    • Build sentiment analysis, information extraction and topic modelling solutions
    • Transcribe, translate and voice text across languages with AWS services
    • Explain generative AI and large language models, and use them for language tasks

    What you build

    • A sentiment analysis solution for a business scenario
    • Topic models with Amazon Comprehend and a neural topic model
    • A multilingual solution and a capstone project

    Follows Machine Learning Foundations; the Python it needs is built up in the earlier courses.

    Modules

    1. Welcome to AWS Academy NLP
    2. Introduction to NLP
    3. Processing text for NLP
    4. Implementing sentiment analysis
    5. Introducing information extraction
    6. Introducing topic modelling
    7. Working with languages
    8. Working with generative AI
    9. Course wrap-up and capstone

    Points towards Data engineer, data scientist, software developer

  4. Foundational12 to 15 hours9 modules AWS Academy Generative AI Foundations Generative AI from the business side: foundation models, prompting, choosing and refining a model, responsible use, and security and governance.

    What you learn

    • Summarise generative AI concepts, methods and business use cases
    • Match AWS AI and machine learning services to a use case
    • Write effective prompts and refine a foundation model's results
    • Practise responsible AI, and weigh security, privacy and governance
    • Describe the workflow for building a generative AI application

    What you practise

    • Prompt structuring and prompting techniques
    • Adjusting inference parameters and working with models in Amazon Bedrock
    • Guardrails and audit frameworks in demonstrations

    Modules

    1. Welcome to Generative AI Foundations
    2. Introducing AI
    3. Introducing generative AI
    4. Using prompts and prompt engineering
    5. Working with foundation models
    6. Practising generative AI responsibly
    7. Security, governance and compliance for generative AI
    8. Implementing generative AI applications
    9. Bridging to certification

    Certification Covers the generative AI concepts in the AWS Certified AI Practitioner (AIF-C01) exam guide. It is not an exam preparation course.

Where it leadsData science, machine learning and AI roles, and the judgement to lead AI projects from the business side.

Certifications alignedAWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, and the generative AI ground covered by AWS Certified AI Practitioner.

Compare the two

Side by side, so you can decide.

Both pathways start with Cloud Foundations, so the choice can wait until you have finished your first course.

Compared onSolutions ArchitectMachine Learning
Best forPeople who want to know how systems are designed, secured and runPeople who want to know how data becomes predictions and language tools
CoursesCloud Foundations, Cloud Architecting, then one lab projectCloud Foundations, Machine Learning Foundations, Machine Learning for NLP, Generative AI Foundations
Classroom hoursAbout 78, plus 8 to 14 hours on the projectAbout 75 to 78
Background neededNone. We build the cloud and networking foundations with you before each course.None. We build the Python and statistics foundations with you before each course.
You work withAmazon EC2, S3, RDS, VPC, CloudFormation, Lambda, load balancers, containersAmazon SageMaker, Comprehend, Rekognition, Forecast, Translate, Transcribe, Bedrock
Certification alignmentAWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, AWS Certified Solutions Architect AssociateAWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, generative AI concepts of AWS Certified AI Practitioner
Roles it points toCloud architect, solutions architect, systems operations, DevOps, application developerData scientist, data engineer, machine learning engineer, AI product roles

Lab projects

Build something without the instructions.

Course labs guide you step by step. A lab project does not. You plan the architecture, estimate its cost, build it in a live AWS environment and present it. On the Solutions Architect pathway you complete one of the two.

Lab project8 to 12 hours of building

Cloud Web Application Builder

Design and launch a database-backed web application that stays available, scales and is secure. You draw the architecture, cost it, deploy it, then separate its layers and spread the load.

  • Comes afterCloud Architecting
  • You hand inAn architecture diagram, a cost estimate, a working application and a short presentation or recorded demo

Lab project10 to 14 hours of building

Microservices and CI/CD Pipeline Builder

Break one large application into separate services, run each in a container, and set up a pipeline that builds and releases every change automatically.

  • Comes afterCloud Architecting
  • You hand inAn architecture diagram, a cost estimate, the running services behind a load balancer and a short presentation or recorded demo

Between the courses

AWS Academy Learner Lab

A long-running practice environment with access to a wide range of AWS services. Your educator sets exercises and assignments in it, and you have room to try ideas beyond the course material.

How a course runs

Hybrid, in the evening or at the weekend.

You learn in class with a PRTF educator and continue online in the AWS Academy learning platform. Every course is taught by an AWS Academy approved educator who is AWS Certified, and the course content is developed and maintained by AWS.

Weekday batch

5 to 7 pm

Weekday evenings, so a working day or a full timetable can stay as it is.

Weekend batch

12 to 3 pm

Saturdays and Sundays, for those who would rather keep the week clear.

Online or on campus

Your choice

Join each session from home, or in the classroom at Knowledge Park III, Greater Noida. Labs run in the browser either way.

  1. 01

    Get enrolled

    Your educator adds you to the course with your email address. You accept the invitation to join.

  2. 02

    Learn in class and online

    Lectures, demos and course material are delivered by your educator and through the AWS Academy learning platform.

  3. 03

    Practise in labs

    Guided and challenge labs let you work on real AWS services, built around real business scenarios.

  4. 04

    Pass the checks

    Score 70% or more on the required knowledge checks or the course assessment.

  5. 05

    Claim your badge

    Choose "Claim your badge" in the course. Credly issues it when the course reaches its end date, and you can share it on your CV and LinkedIn.

What you earn

A credential for every course.

Every student who completes an AWS Academy course earns the same completion credential. The AWS Certification exam benefit depends on how you joined.

Course completion badge and certificate

For each AWS Academy course you complete, a digital badge and certificate issued through Credly that you can share with employers.

12 months of AWS Skill Builder

Complimentary access to the AWS Skill Builder subscription, with extra digital courses, labs and exam preparation material.

AWS Emerging Talent Community

Earn a badge in an eligible course and you are invited to a community with certification resources and a network of peers.

Your AWS Certification exam benefit

A course completion badge is not the same as AWS Certification. The badge shows you completed the course. Certification is a separate exam run by AWS, which the courses help you prepare for.

  • If you are a PGDM student

    Exam free of cost

    Take your AWS Certification exam at no cost after completing the required course.

  • If you join as a paid learner

    50% off the exam

    A discount voucher worth half the fee of your AWS Certification exam after completing the required course.

Exam benefits apply to eligible students who complete the required AWS Academy course. Extra practice before the exam is recommended. Speak to the admissions team for the full terms.

Who can join

One page, two ways in.

PGDM students

Part of your programme

The AWS Academy pathways are built into the AI-Centric PGDM and covered by the programme fee. You take your chosen pathway alongside your management courses, and your certification exam is free of cost.

About the AI-Centric PGDM

Everyone else

Join as a paid learner

Graduates, working professionals and anyone who wants cloud or AI skills with an AWS Academy credential can join a pathway as a paid course, in the weekday or weekend batch, online or on campus. Write to us for the fee and the next start date.

Enquire about a batch

FAQs

Questions students ask.

Short answers on choosing a pathway, how the courses run and what you earn.

Still have a question?

+91 88600 05458 contact@pathfinderfoundation.co.in
01Do I need a technical background?

No. Anyone can join. We build your prerequisites and foundations before each course: cloud basics before Cloud Foundations, networking before Cloud Architecting, and Python and statistics before the machine learning courses.

02Which pathway should I choose?

Choose Solutions Architect if you are drawn to designing, building, securing and running systems. Choose Machine Learning if you are drawn to data, predictions and generative AI. Both start with Cloud Foundations, so you can decide after your first course.

03Can I switch pathways after Cloud Foundations?

Yes. Cloud Foundations counts towards both pathways, so you lose nothing by changing your mind after it. Tell your educator before the next course starts.

04Who teaches the courses?

PRTF's AWS Academy approved educators, who are AWS Certified. The course content, labs and assessments are developed and maintained by AWS.

05Can I attend online?

Yes. Every batch is hybrid: join each session online or in the classroom at Knowledge Park III, Greater Noida. The weekday batch runs from 5 to 7 pm in the evening and the weekend batch from 12 to 3 pm. Labs run in your browser wherever you are.

06Is the lab project compulsory?

On the Solutions Architect pathway, yes. You complete one of the two projects, Cloud Web Application Builder or Microservices and CI/CD Pipeline Builder, after Cloud Architecting. The Machine Learning pathway has its project work inside the courses, including the NLP capstone.

07Is the course badge the same as AWS Certification?

No. The badge shows you completed an AWS Academy course and passed its knowledge checks. AWS Certification is a separate exam run by AWS. The courses help you prepare for it, and extra practice is recommended before you sit it.

08What exam benefit do I get?

PGDM students take their AWS Certification exam free of cost. Paid learners receive a 50% discount voucher on the exam. Both earn the course completion badge and certificate, 12 months of AWS Skill Builder and an invitation to the AWS Emerging Talent Community.

AWS Academy at PRTF

Ready to start with Cloud Foundations?

Tell us which batch suits you, weekday evenings or weekends, and whether you would join online or on campus. We will come back with the next start date.

Enquire nowAbout the PGDMCall us: +91 88600 05458
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