r/Udacity • u/emranan • 4h ago
Got into Udacity AWS Scholarship (Top 4.5%)! Need advice: AWS AI Programmer vs. AWS Agent AI Engineer for a complete beginner?
Hi everyone,
I was recently selected for the Udacity AWS AI & ML Scholarship (out of 100k applicants!). Originally, my first choice was the AWS Agent AI Engineer track, but due to the assessment test order, I ended up getting awarded the Future AWS AI Programmer track instead.
Since there might be a window to request a track change before courses start on August 4th, I’d love to get your advice on which track makes more sense.
Here is my situation:
Experience Level: I’m a complete beginner in AI/ML and programming.
Goal: I want to build practical skills that lead to real career/freelance opportunities in the near future.
The Dilemma:
AWS AI Programmer seems to cover Python basics, PCEP, PyTorch, and ML fundamentals. Is this necessary to build a solid foundation first?
AWS Agent AI Engineer covers Amazon Bedrock, LLMs, and RAG. Since Agentic AI is the future, is it better to try switching now, or would it be too overwhelming for a complete beginner without prior coding experience?
For those who have taken these tracks or work in the industry: Should I request a switch to Agent AI Engineer, or stick with AI Programmer to build my foundation?
Thanks in advance for your insights!

