Author and big brain Sir Arthur Conan Doyle once said, “Data! Data! Data! I can’t make bricks without clay,” suggesting that while data is imperative to making sound decisions, it is the person analyzing that data—or shaping the bricks!—who is the real star of the show. Just so with the Data Engineers of today.

 

What they do

With data being more valuable than just about any resource on earth, data engineers are critical to the work of businesses, individuals, industries, and even national economies. Their job is to collect, manage, and analyze vast quantities of data. Even with the advances of AI and machine learning (which definitely speed up many of the once manual data analysis processes), we can’t live without the data engineers who guide data collection, process the raw data, and share it in meaningful ways with others.

 

How they can help

Data engineers basically support every other aspect of businesses (in nearly every industry). Their data analyses guide leadership with the direction to take their company, help marketing better understand their customers’ needs, and support HR with developing and enforcing governance and policies. They also ensure that data that their teammates use is collected, stored, and transmitted safely and securely.

 

What tools they can use

Not surprisingly, this is a tech-heavy field, so the tools of the trade are quite technical.  Data engineers are programmers, proficient in SQL, Python, Java, and other languages and they are confident using cloud computing tools like AWS and Google Cloud. They ‘re also comfortable building and using databases and writing scripts that guide AI automation.

 

How they got there

Data engineers are rarely entry level employees, rather gaining their footing as software engineers, analysts, or coders. Because it’s how they analyze and apply data (not just enter or collect it) that makes them important, being a data engineer requires some business savvy as well, so gaining some managerial experience along the way will be key to their success.

 

Where you can start

Most data engineers start with a BS in Computer Science, giving them a solid foundation in computing in general. A Master’s degree will further deepen their knowledge, set them up for higher salaries, and broaden their experience to include the managerial skills that will complement their technical acumen. If college isn’t in the immediate cards, building a portfolio is a great way to demonstrate skills and, as with most technical careers, adding some certifications to their resume is a terrific first step. These Cloud Computing certifications and these Meta Data Engineer certs can jumpstart a career in data engineering.