5 Things You Should Know For A Career In Data Engineering

Data is like valuable gold nuggets that are collected to create masterpieces. Raw data is the hub of information that is obtained after processing data into information. Data engineers are the brilliant brains that identify, extract, transform and deliver valuable information from the bulk data.

Similar to an engineer in any other field, data engineers are inventors of valuable information.

Well, it’s all in the BIG DATA! Now, what is big data? Big data is a term given to today’s data demands that need to be more refined, valuable and must flow at a faster speed. So, all the related terms and data processing techniques come under this. The various roles in processing the complex and voluminous data require a higher level of skill set that is very different from traditional database processing. To get a better understanding, let's have a look at the basic categories and roles in processing the data, which shall also help us identify the actual role and responsibilities of a data engineer.

Data Engineer

A data engineer is primarily responsible for designing, building and arranging data pipelines. These pipelines optimize the data flow to be used throughout the organisation and mainly by the data scientists. The data is first processed in presentable form by the data engineers and is further worked upon by data scientists according to the requirement.

Well, by now you must be clear with what a data engineer does.

Let’s now move to the 5 things you should know for a career in data engineering.

1. Who can become a data engineer?

Data engineering enthusiasts with a bachelor’s degree in computer science will always have a better chance to get absorbed into the field. Pursuing a degree from Chandigarh Group of Colleges Jhanjeri, which ranks among the top Computer Science Engineering Colleges in India is a good decision for a strong foundation. As discussed earlier, the job profile of a data engineer revolves around data transformation into valuable information. For this, good knowledge of technical concepts like algorithms, databases, software engineering, data structures, basic programming concepts and a few other skills are required. Moreover, a good hand in mathematics is always an added advantage. So, if you are interested in becoming a data engineer, you must opt for a degree in computer science engineering and then try for this job at the entry-level. Also, as you gain experience in this discipline, you create a strong portfolio for yourself to excel in the job role you take up.

2. What are the benefits of a career in data engineering?

Big Data is a booming field that now acts as the backbone of every enterprise. Data engineers play a vital role in this field by cleaning up the raw data, aligning it to the business needs and putting it into real-time pipelines for further processing by the data scientists. The benefits of becoming a data engineer are:

1. Rewarding job profile with good salary.
2. Immense job openings.
3. Continuously growing field.
4. Provides a competitive experience to excel with professional dexterity.

It is not wrong to say that the job of a data engineer requires a lot of hard work with smart analytical and presentation skills. On the flip side, the hard work pays well. As the demand for data processing is increasing, it is bringing along with it a wide spectrum of job opportunities that add value to the career.

3. What skills are required to become a data engineer?

For rigorous data filtering, several data processing tools and other skills are required. Being a data engineer does not need to learn all the tools, but for sure some of them are a must as per the organisation you are working for. Various skills that are integral to a data engineer role are:

The popular data engineering tools - Apache Hadoop, Apache Spark, Apache Hive, Apache HBase, Apache Impala, Apache Kafka, Apache Crunch, Hue, Azure, Apache Oozie, Apache NiFi, Apache Flink, Apache Apex, IBM DB2, Apache Storm, Heron, Apache Cassandra, Oracle Database, Redis, SQLite, MongoDB, Amazon Web Services, and others.

1. Good communication skills.
2. Technical Knowledge in the field of Data Warehousing, Machine Learning and Cloud Computing.
3. Adaptability.

4. Is the data engineer job profile high paying?

Yes, data engineers earn well. According to a survey, data engineers earn a high package, which may sometimes be even more than that of a data scientist. There has been a steady increase in the demand for data engineers in recent years, with high salary packages at great places to work. At present, industry experts believe that data engineers are in the highest demand since not many data engineers are there in the market. The youth in their career years are still exploring this field as a professional and the demand does not seem to be satisfied anytime soon.

5. Does a data engineer do coding?

Well, coding skills are an integral part of a data engineer’s job. Programming languages constitute an important part of the job description for this role. To this, Python programming language is the most preferred coding skill in demand for data engineers. Apart from this, Scala, JAVA, C++, .Net, Shell Scripting, etc are in the loop.

The Inference

Data engineering is a flourishing domain that opens up huge career prospects for professionals with a strong technical background, especially in the field of computer science. As the best Computer Science Engineering College in Punjab, CGC Jhanjeri enriches its students with all the necessary skills required to explore great career options.