Data Engineer: Career Path

Data is the fuel of the modern economy and Data Engineers provide the necessary knowledge to extract as much knowledge out of it as possible – a key role!

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What does the Data Engineer career path entail?

Data Engineer

If 'data is the new oil' then data engineers are the equivalent of refineries which turn crude raw oil into usable forms like petrol and other forms of fuel. A key role in the modern economy in a wide variety of businesses, from startups to big tech. This shows in the meteoric growth of data engineering roles and the salaries that are shooting up to new heights.

The best part – other than data scientists, data engineering career paths are more accessible. Strong communication and being a team player is as important – if not more – compared to the ability to crunch some data.

Best books to explore the Data Engineering career path

A well-written and thorough book can be an amazing path to build deeper understanding and also act as a handbook as you discover the internet's vast resources.

These are our and our experts top picks to get started building career-relevant skills.

Designing Data-Intensive Applications

Designing Data-Intensive Applications

A practical guide to the core ideas behind modern data systems, including databases, distributed systems, stream processing, replication, and consistency. It is a strong pick for Data Engineering because it helps you reason about tradeoffs in real architectures, not just memorize tools or buzzwords.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

Advanced Topics in Database Research

Advanced Topics in Database Research

This volume focuses on current research in databases, software engineering, and systems analysis, with attention to data models, storage, and advanced database applications. It is a better fit for someone who already has the basics and wants to understand deeper database ideas that connect to data …

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

Big Data

Big Data

This book is a practical introduction to designing and running big data systems on clustered hardware. It walks through the core architecture, implementation choices, and day-to-day operations using a realistic example, which makes it a solid pick for someone learning Data Engineering at scale.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

Spark: The Definitive Guide: Big Data Processing Made Simple

Spark: The Definitive Guide: Big Data Processing Made Simple

Learn how to use, deploy, and maintain Apache Spark with this comprehensive guide, written by the creators of the open-source cluster-computing framework. With an emphasis on improvements and new features in Spark 2.0, authors Bill Chambers and Matei Zaharia break down Spark topics into distinct se…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

Designing Data-Intensive Applications: The Big Ideas Behind Reliable, Scalable, and Maintainable Systems

Designing Data-Intensive Applications: The Big Ideas Behind Reliable, Scalable, and Maintainable Systems

Data is at the center of many challenges in system design today. Difficult issues need to be figured out, such as scalability, consistency, reliability, efficiency, and maintainability. In addition, we have an overwhelming variety of tools, including relational databases, NoSQL datastores, stream o…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

Fundamentals of Data Engineering: Plan and Build Robust Data Systems

Fundamentals of Data Engineering: Plan and Build Robust Data Systems

Data engineering has grown rapidly in the past decade, leaving many software engineers, data scientists, and analysts looking for a comprehensive view of this practice. With this practical book, you'll learn how to plan and build systems to serve the needs of your organization and customers by eval…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

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Courses to deepen your Data Engineering skills

These days, courses are no longer a sequence of videos. They are usually accompanied by projects and a learning community, keeping you accountable and on the path.

Our experts recommend these courses, from free selections to paid programs.

Data Engineering Career Path

Data engineering has seen explosive growth recently as more industries depend on data to drive key business decisions. Take advantage of the surge in demand by becoming a data engineer with Dataquest.

Available on dataquest.io

Data engineering and smart analytics

The need for data analysis skills grew by 86% from 2013 to 2018. 1 Become data-driven with Google Cloud. Leverage data and gain real-time insights that improve your decision-making and accelerate innovation. Learn how to design and build data processing systems.

Available on provider

Data Engineering

Learn to design data models, build data warehouses and data lakes, automate data pipelines, and work with massive datasets. At the end of the program, you’ll combine your new skills by completing a capstone project.

Available on udacity.com

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Advanced Database Administration

Learn the fundamentals of administering relational database management systems, including managing concurrency and creating objects in the database

Available on edx.org

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Learning through online courses can be challenging. Get 1:1 guidance from an experienced mentor who can help you stay accountable and answer your questions along the way.

Data Engineering Foundations

Build the Foundation for a Data Engineering Career. Develop hands-on experience with Python, SQL, and Relational Databases and master the fundamentals of the Data Engineering ecosystem.

Available on coursera.org

Data Integration Guide

Learn how data can be integrated : following which principles and for what business outcomes

Available on udemy.com

Top Data Engineering Certifications

Understanding all core concepts of Data Engineering is key to claiming your next certificate. If you need help brushing up on your skills, consider reaching out to one of our mentors.

Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate

Demonstrate understanding of common data engineering tasks to implement and manage data engineering workloads on Microsoft Azure, using a number of Azure services. Prices start at $165.

Data Engineering Certification Coaching

Consider reaching out to a coach specialized in Data Engineering certifications. They can help you prepare for your exam, and provide you with the necessary resources to succeed. MentorCruise is the best place to find a coach for your Data Engineering certification.

IBM Data Engineering Professional Certificate

Prepare for a career as a Data Engineer. Build job-ready skills – and must-have AI skills – for an in-demand career. Earn a credential from IBM. No prior experience required. Prices start at Free.

Google Professional Data Engineer Certification

A Professional Data Engineer makes data usable and valuable for others by collecting, transforming, and publishing data. This individual evaluates and selects products and services to meet business and regulatory requirements. A Professional Data Engineer creates and manages robust data processing …

AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate Certification

AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate validates skills and knowledge in core data-related AWS services, ability to ingest and transform data, orchestrate data pipelines while applying programming concepts, design data models, manage data life cycles, and ensure data quality. Prices start at $150.

Preparing for Google Cloud Certification: Cloud Data Engineer Professional Certificate

Google’s Cloud Data Engineer Professional Certificate is a flexible online certificate program that provides you with a strong foundation in key big data and machine learning products in Google Cloud in five months or less. It incorporates hands-on labs using Qwiklabs. Designed for professionals wi…

Data Engineering Workshop

Consider joining a workshop specialized in Data Engineering. Workshops are a great way to learn new skills, and get hands-on experience. MentorCruise is the best place to find a workshop for your Data Engineering certification.

Meta Database Engineer Professional Certificate

Meta’s Database Engineer Professional Certificate is a flexible online certificate program that prepares learners for entry-level database engineering roles in six months or less. Designed for beginners, you’ll learn the key skills required to create, manage, and manipulate databases, along with pr…

Get the guidance you need on the Data Engineer career path

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Accelerate your Data Engineer career with professional consulting

Already working in the Data Engineer field? Our Data Engineering consultants can help you and your team overcome challenges, implement best practices, and achieve your professional goals faster.

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Growing into a Senior Data Engineer role pays off – $30,000 up to per year

Not only is the progression from individual Data Engineer to a Senior role a natural progression, it also makes all the difference in your average salary.

On a global average, Senior Data Engineer receive a $30,000 salary hike over entry-level Data Engineers when they go from individual contributor to senior personnel.

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Where will you stand in the digital revolution and uprising of the data engineering role? We say it's time to prepare – pick up some data engineering skills with our vetted mentors!