Studies suggest that we generate more than 2.5 quintillion bytes of data every day. Thanks to data science, we now have innovative methods to make sense of this data. But it is a long and arduous journey for data in its raw format to get converted into fancy graphs and pie charts.
Data engineers are responsible for creating the data pipeline or an ecosystem that systematically processes this data. From business intelligence, machine learning, data stream analysis to a host of analytical applications, this processed data can then be used in many different ways. If you are looking for how to become a data engineer, here are a few things you should know-
Data Engineering Overview
- Duties of a Data Engineer
The primary roles of a data engineer are as follows-
- Building and maintenance of data pipelines
- Serving the needs of internal data analysts and data scientists
- Managing costs of storing and moving data
While the job profile can vary across organizations, they are more or less related to the data engineering roles listed above.
- Average Salary of Data Engineers in India
According to PayScale, entry-level data engineers in India have an average salary of close to Rs. 4 lakhs per annum. Data engineers with 2-4 years’ experience can earn anywhere close to 7-8 lakhs per annum.
Mid-level data engineers with 5-10 years of experience can expect to earn around 12 lakhs a year. However, top employers such as Capgemini, Deloitte, Accenture, IBM, and Amazon are known to offer higher compensation.
- Demand for Data Engineers
According to a report by DICE on tech, data engineering job postings has experienced the most phenomenal growth in 2020. As businesses are still getting in terms with Big Data, and there is a rising demand for data engineers who can help them set up their data systems.
Hard Skills to Become a Data Engineer
- Strong Coding and Database Skills
Your developer and database skills should be strong to thrive as a data engineer. SQL and NoSQL database technologies are mostly used for moving the data around. As for the coding, you should be well-versed with Java, Python, R, C++, and Scala.
- Experience in Using Big Data Platforms
One of the most critical data engineering skills is the ability to use Big Data platforms. These include platforms such as Spark, Hadoop, Flume, Pig, Kafka, and Microsoft Azure. Experience in using these platforms is an excellent way to make your resume stand out.
- Basic Machine Learning Knowledge
Models or machine learning algorithms are now commonly used by data scientists for making predictions on the basis of historical and current data. Most employers now expect entry-level data engineers to at least have a basic understanding of machine learning.
Soft Skills to Succeed as a Data Engineer
- Excellent Communication Skills
A typical workday of data engineers involves a lot of communication with data analysts, developers, and CTOs. They also often work with business units or teams. This makes communication skills critical for every data engineer.
- Work on Your Presentation Skills
Performing data analysis and presenting the same to the stakeholders is another common duty of data engineers in several companies. Your public speaking skills and ability to explain complex technical concepts can be very useful in this regard.
- Self-Learning is Important
While there are data engineering courses available in India, the field requires a lot of self-learning. As technologies change frequently, you cannot rely on your academic knowledge to make it big in the industry. Keeping abreast with new technologies, tools, and paradigms is critical for growing as a data engineer.
- Postgraduate Degree for Boosting Your Career
If you are more interested in the management aspect of Big Data, data engineers can consider a postgraduate course such as MBA in a related field. NMIMS now offers Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning DevOps course so that working data engineers can continue learning and growing.
Becoming a Data Engineer in India
With the growing importance of Big Data and data engineering across business sectors, the demand for data engineers is at an all-time high. While there are institutes that offer data engineer training, beginners should work on their technical and coding skills to land an entry-level job.
Many of the skills can then be learned at the job, and you can always obtain other professional certifications to grow in your career.
