AWS SkillBuilder: moving to the new AWS Builder ID

For anyone learning AWS, then online learning platform that is Skillbuilder.aws is a well known resource. It took over from training.aws as the training platform several years ago, though the latter lives on in a very minor way – as a bridge between SkillBuilder and the AWS Certification portal.

Many individuals hold AWS certifications – personal I currently hold 9 of them. The majority of people have those certifications in an AWS Training & Certification account that is accessed via logging in via a personal login – something not linked to your employer. This is because certifications remain attached to the individual, not the employer.

Historically, this meant using Logon For Amazon, to use the same credentials you could potentially use on the Amazon.com retail platform. Yes, the same credentials that some people buy underpants with also links to your AWS Certifications.

In the AWS Partner space, individuals often end up needing to acquire AWS Accreditations; however they are not exposed on SkillBuilder.aws to individuals not linked to a recognised AWS Partner organisation. Instead, individuals much register in the AWS Partner portal, using a recognised email address domain that links to a given AWS partner entity.

From the partner portal, a user can then access SkillBuilder, using the AWS Partner Portal as a login provider, triggering the creation of a (second) SkillBuilder login – but this time linked as a Partner account.

This is clearly confusing, having multiple logins.

SkillBuilder has evolved, and now also offers paid subscriptions for enterprises. For that set of organisations, federated logins (SSO) are available.

Now, the situation is changing again for individuals. AWS has introduced their separate identity store, called the AWS Builder ID.

Login prompt from Skillbuilder, 2023

Luckily, this new AWS Builder ID does not create a separate identity within SkillBuilder, but adds an additional login for the account linked to your existing Login with Amazon identity.

Onboarding to this is easy. The process validates that you have the email address, and then you can simply use the AWS Builder ID login option where you used to use Login with Amazon.

I’d suggest if you are learning AWS, start using your AWS Builder ID to access SkillBuilder.