Tech track · 8 steps · 65 min

Data Engineer

“I want to build the pipelines that move data”

From what the job is to a small pipeline you can show an employer: SQL and modelling, ETL and ELT, storage, testing, orchestration and using AI assistants without leaking data. For people who like building systems more than presenting charts.

2–3 hours a week for 6 weeks

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01

The steps

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  1. 01What a data engineer doesTell the data engineer, analyst and scientist apart, and know which one you want to be.
  2. 02SQL and data modellingWrite the SQL a data engineer uses daily and sketch a simple star schema.
  3. 03Pipelines: ETL, ELT, batch and streamingExplain how data moves, choose between ETL and ELT, and know when streaming is worth it.
  4. 04Warehouses, lakes and lakehousesKnow where data lives, what each kind of storage is good at, and the words employers use.
  5. 05Data quality and testingWrite the checks that catch bad data before your users do.
  6. 06Orchestration and DAGsUnderstand how pipelines are scheduled, ordered, retried and monitored.
  7. 07Using AI assistants safely in data workGet real speed from AI coding help without leaking data or shipping wrong SQL.
  8. 08Build a portfolio pipelinePlan and ship one small, end-to-end pipeline that shows an employer how you work.

02

Quiz and certificate

Data Engineer track quiz

Tick every step, then pass the 10-question quiz with 80% or more. The certificate comes with a link anyone can check.

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03

Where to go next

Free, reputable resources for going deeper. They open on other sites.