As long as there is data to process, Data Engineers will be in demand by playing a vital role in providing easier access to what data scientists, analysts, and decision-makers need to do their jobs.
Data is the new oil and so is a Data Engineer. We are talking here about IT professionals whose primary role is to prepare, protect, centralize and integrate data from different sources for analytical or operational uses inside an organization. Data Warehousing, Database Architectures, Extract-Transform-Load (ETL) jobs and system management are some of the mandatory skills. Common programming language proficiency includes SQL, NoSQL, Python, Java, R, and Scala.
In a world where we will be producing about 463 exabytes of data every day by 2025, a Data Engineer makes definitely all the difference. According to the latest Data Science Interview Report, Data Science interviews grew by 10% compared to Data Engineering interviews which grew by 40%. Besides, DICE Tech Job Report says that Data Engineer job postings had the most significant year-over-year growth – 50%. Also, LinkedIn listed it as one of its jobs on the rise. There is no doubt: Data Engineers are in high demand and if you feel motivated by all it involves… just go for it!
To help you in this journey, we leave you with some tips for a successful career path in your critical and extremely recognized mission of collecting and managing data at scale. Note that this isn’t always an entry-level role. Many people start off as Software Engineers or Business Intelligence Analysts. As you advance, you may move into managerial roles or become a Data Architect, Solutions Architect, or Machine Learning Engineer, for example.
Undergraduate and master’s degree
The best bachelor’s include software engineering, computer science, information technology, applied math, physics, statistics, or a related field. Regardless of them, just make sure to take courses in some connected areas such as coding, data architecture, data structures, algorithms or database management. It will help you a lot. You may also want to pursue a master’s in the area. Data science or computer engineering are some good options.
Professional certifications
No matter which education degree you have, it is always important to also get professional certifications to fine-tune your analysis, computer engineering and big data skills. In this case, there are several available from which you can choose. For instance Google’s Professional Data Engineer Certification, IBM’s Professional Certificate in Data Engineering, Cloudera’s Certified Professional Data Engineer, and Microsoft’s MCSE Data Management and Analytics. But you can find a lot more.
Deep knowledge of some technologies
Knowledge of programming languages is mandatory for Data Engineers. There are various specific ones like SQL, Python, R, Java, and Scala. You must also have an in-depth understanding of database languages and big data tools. In fact, most companies mention “Knowledge of Big Data tools” as important for a Data Engineer vacancy. A mastery of Spark, Hadoop, MongoDB and Kafka will come in handy.
Soft skills matter as much as hard skills
Data Engineers are not some technical gurus living in a basement. You have to think creatively and find unusual ways to solve problems, and this is easier when working collaboratively and listening to management, data scientists and data architects. Teamwork, communication and outside-the-box thinking are key, as well as a firm awareness of how data and pipelines drive business value.
The job is (always) changing
Data engineering and data management technology are constantly evolving, so it is also important for Data Engineers to have their hand on the pulse of what’s happening in their field and enrich their knowledge at the same pace. Join communities, never stop learning, participate in forums, check use cases, read and be inspired by experts.
As long as there is data to process, Data Engineers will be in demand by playing a vital role in providing easier access to what data scientists, analysts, and decision-makers need to do their jobs. Programming and problem-solving abilities are the basis for them to create scalable solutions.
Ready to move forward? At InnoTech we continuously need Data Engineers for the innovative and challenging projects we are engaged with top customers. And you can work from anywhere 😊. Know more about this job opening and come re-imagine technology with us.
