What Are the Most Important Skills to Learn Alongside an AI IT Certification?

I am considering an AI IT certification but want to make sure I develop practical skills at the same time. Passing the certification exam is one goal, but I would also like to understand how AI technologies are actually used in professional IT environments. Should I focus on programming, machine learning, prompt engineering, generative AI, cloud AI services, data analysis, automation, or responsible AI? I would like to build a learning plan that combines certification preparation with hands-on projects and real technical practice. My plan is to use official learning resources as the foundation and include practice tests and Cert Empire as supplementary preparation tools. What skills would you recommend learning alongside an AI IT certification to make the learning experience more practical and useful?