Hi friends,
In this post, I want to share the study materials that helped me prepare for various certification exams. Some are free, some paid—but all of them played a big role in my journey into IT, especially cybersecurity and cloud computing.
Just a note before we start:
I’m not affiliated with or sponsored by any of the platforms or creators mentioned below. I don’t earn money from these links. I’m simply sharing the resources that truly helped me—hoping they’ll guide you on your certification journey too.
🛡️ CompTIA Security+
Resource: Professor Messer (YouTube – Free)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLG49S3nxzAnl4QDVqK-hOnoqcSKEIDDuv
Why I love it: Straight to the point, focused on the exam objectives, no extra fluff or chatting. Perfect for people who want clarity and structure. I used his videos almost exclusively and watched it until the last minute before my exam.
🌐 Cisco CCNA
Resource: Jeremy’s IT Lab (YouTube – Free)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxbwE86jKRgMpuZuLBivzlM8s2Dk5lXBQ
Why I love it: Jeremy explains things clearly with practical examples, and he’s a bit more relaxed to listen to. His labs and packet tracer demos really helped me understand networking fundamentals in action.
☁️ Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)
Resource: Adam Marczak (YouTube – Free)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGjZwEtPN7j-Q59JYso3L4_yoCjj2syrM
Why I love it: Beginner-friendly and visually easy to follow. I think part of the reason I found it so smooth was because AZ-900 is a fundamentals-level exam, but Adam really breaks it down well.
🧡 AWS Certifications
Resource: Stéphane Maarek (Udemy – Paid)
Link: https://www.udemy.com/courses/search/?q=stephane+maarek&src=sac&kw=ste
Why I love it: I’m a big fan of Stéphane, . His teaching style is clear, energetic, and he explains concepts with real-world context. I’ve taken multiple AWS courses from him and credit his content for giving me the confidence to dive into cloud computing seriously. I am still in AWS Security Specialty’s course and plan to take the exam in soon.
☕ Learning with a Coffee Break
Resource: Jeff Crume – IBM Technology (YouTube – Free)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOspHqNVtKADkWLFt9OcziQF7EatuANSY
Why I love it: I treat his videos like mini TED Talks. They’re insightful, thought-provoking, and easy to watch casually. Great for sparking curiosity between heavier study sessions. Usually I don’t intent to watch it in front of the computer, just listen to it during a coffee break.
🔓 Hands-On Practice
Platform: TryHackMe (Free & Paid Tiers)
Links: https://tryhackme.com/dashboard
Why I love it: It makes cybersecurity hands-on and exciting. The labs feel like mini missions. I’ve learned tools like Wireshark, Nmap, and Metasploit through their guided rooms.
These are just the resources that worked well for me. And this blog will be updated time to time when I have a new cert to take and new material to share. Everyone learns differently, but I hope sharing what helped me can point you in the right direction—whether you’re prepping for your first try or your sixth!
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