My Experience with Power Platform Certifications - Are They Worth It?

Introduction - Why Microsoft Certifications are a hot topic

Okay, so why am I writing this post?

There's a lot of discussion around Microsoft Certifications, especially in the Power Platform space.

Some argue they're a waste of money, while others swear by them as a way to validate your skills.

When I first started learning about the Power Platform, certifications excited and intrigued me. I spent hours nerding out, and looking at the certification matrix, planning which one I'd do next.

I was in university with time on my hands. It felt like the perfect move.

Fast forward a few months, I found myself studying for the AZ-900 (Azure Fundamentals).

To be honest, I was mortified by how deep the content went.

I studied on and off for months before booking the exam - despite never feeling "ready." Spoiler alert: you never feel truly ready for these exams.

That's when I discovered something that changed my entire approach: exam criteria matters more than knowing everything. Some topics carry more weight than others.

It then occurred to me that you didn't need to know EVERYTHING about those chosen topics you were studying for, just enough in the high-weighted areas to pass the exam, which is what led me to posting the "How I passed 'X' Exam in One Week Series".

This led me to develop a methodology for passing Microsoft exams, which worked. I passed first time after first time - until the PL-400 (one of the hardest exams I've taken).

Could I have really been a functional consultant all those years ago that I took the PL-200 (even though that's what the name implies), the answer is probably not.

However, would have I broken into the Power Platform Space without those certifications I took (I had the AZ-900, PL-900, and PL-200 when I found my first true Power Platform Dev role which was a Junior role at a company).

And it got me thinking.

So, are these certifications worth it? Who should invest in them, and who should let them go? Let's break it down.

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Who I think should do certifications?

1. If It's Required for Your Job or Career Path

So I think it's firstly important to be said that certifications are required for some roles.

If you work at a Microsoft Partner, certifications are often required for company incentives.

Also, if you want to become a FastTrack Recognized Solution Architect, you'll need certifications like the PL-600 (Solutions Architect Expert) to be considered.

What is the FastTrack Recognized Solution Architect Award? - This is often referred to as the "gold-standard" of Power Platform awards/certifications by Mark Smith (nz365guy).

2. If You're Breaking Into the Power Platform Space

If you're an aspiring Power Platform Developer, Consultant, or Solutions Architect, but don't have formal experience yet, I think it's a no-brainer to get at least these certifications:

- PL-900 (Power Platform Fundamentals)

- PL-200 (Power Platform Functional Consultant Associate)

- AZ-900 (Azure Fundamentals)

Why?

Certifications won't give you practical skills, but having that on your CV at the very least can get you an interview.

They were a key part of how I got my first Power Platform developer role, and without them, I don't think I would've got the interview which ultimately became my first job in the space.

I think whilst I don't believe these certifications can really teach you the Practical Skills that real-world experience can, they are certainly better than nothing.

I think it's also worth mentioning that while Microsoft Learn, in my opinion, is quite limited, there is serious value to be taken from the surface-level knowledge some of the learning path's give you.

For example, the PL-900 Learning Path is one of my favourite learning path's throughout Microsoft Learn, and I think is so good at teaching you the general concepts of the Power Platform (making it awesome for beginners to get their teeth sunk into!!)

Of course there's a lot you'd need to do to ensure you get the first job as certifications simply won't be enough, but as far as getting you in the door, I think they're really beneficial.

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Who Might Not Need Them?

If you're already a working Power Platform Developer, Consultant, or Architect, certifications might be less critical - unless they're required for a promotion or career pivot.

I'm a huge advocate for continuous learning, and feel in the tech space, it is not only something you SHOULD do, but something you have to do.

I think as far as certifications go, the surface-level knowledge that studying for certifications can give you sometimes can be all you need to identify a possible solution in the Power Platform.

For example, imagine a client gives you their requirements for an automation they want to develop.

If you've studied some of the learning path's within the Azure Branch, you may be able to indicate that the client would need Logic Apps instead of Power Automate.

Now whilst you may not be able to develop Logic Apps, if you didn't know they existed, you wouldn't be able to make that distinction then-and-there. So I feel there is quite a bit of value in that.

Also I really like having an objective/something to work towards.

My favourite video games were the ones where you can actually see the big mountain you have to climb to get to the end, before you get there (God of War lovers would understand).

And I think as far as certifications go, they give you a reward for the studying you've done.

I love this psychological motivator personally.

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What about applied skills?

Microsoft Applied Skills are still a fairly new concept.

Do you remember how I mentioned that when you study for certifications, a lot of what you're learning is conceptual and often surface-level?

Because of this, I think it's fair to say that just because someone has a certification, isn't necessarily mean that they can do the work that encompasses the purpose of that certification.

Can they actually apply functions reliably in Canvas Apps?

Can they actually extend Model-Driven App forms?

You don't really know. And the truth is, it's really hard to learn this stuff, without actually doing it practically.

This is what the Applied Skills exams try to solve.

Microsoft whip up a Sandbox Environment for you to work in paired with use-cases to solve, and then mark you based on your submission.

Now this is awesome, because it actually gives you a practical experience opposed to just learning concepts.

However, I should say, that as of this time of writing (Feb 2025), these exams are still in their infancy stage.

For example, when these solutions are marked, Microsoft don't have time to go through each and every one (shock), so all of the solutions are marked in an automated way.

Issue with that is the beauty of the Power Platform (and development in general) is you can have multiple solutions to the same problem, and it's not that some are better or worse than the other (although sometimes this is the case) it's actually that it just depends on the problem you're trying to solve.

I feel Applied Skills still have a long way to go before they can truly validate someone's practical skills.

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How I would get my Certifications in 2025

One of my most popular posts is the certification roadmap I have attached below.

If I wanted to MAX out my certifications, this is how I would do it in 2025.

Please feel free to follow the link and download the PDF by clicking on the image. Each icon has a link to the relevant exam so you can have a roadmap on your journey.

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Final Thoughts: Should You Do Power Platform Certifications?

If you're just starting out, yes - 100%!

Certifications will help you stand out, get past screening processes, and give you structure in your learning.

Start with PL-900, PL-200, and AZ-900.

But if you're already working in the Power Platform space, it depends.

If the certification aligns with your career goals or fills a knowledge gap, go for it. Otherwise, focus on building real-world skills and projects.

Remember: certifications are a tool, not the finish line. Combine them with hands-on experience to get the most value out of them.

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What Do You Think?

Wherever you are in your certification journey, I'm eager to hear what you think.

Let me know your opinions on LinkedIn and tag this article so you can help someone else out trying to level up their career in 2025.

Check out my LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howdangrashid/

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