Career Guide
What is data engineering?
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In an increasingly connected world, data engineering has become essential for companies. But what exactly does it entail? Discover this field in detail to better understand its importance and implications. Also explore the necessary training to work as a data engineer and the various tasks assigned to this role.
In summary:
- Data engineering is crucial for the development of businesses.
- It involves the collection, storage, organization, processing, and security of data.
- A solid training, often at the Master’s level, is essential to acquire the skills needed in this profession.
- The ECE offers a program focused on this field.
What is data engineering?
Data engineering is a complex discipline that revolves around computing data. It involves collecting, storing, and organizing data to process it in an appropriate and optimal manner. To achieve this, it creates specific methods and tools governed by well-defined standards.
Data engineering is essential in the data ecosystem, distinct yet complementary to data science. The latter focuses on analysis and interpretation, while the former is directed toward structuring data flows.
According to experts, it is about making data accessible to various users. The field is booming and affects all companies regardless of their sector of activities. In recent years, the demand for data engineers has seen an annual growth exceeding 30%.
Thanks to data engineering, companies can make better decisions in improving their services and products. It also plays a role in their new innovation initiatives. It is a pillar of the digital revolution.
Data engineering aims to ensure the quality and relevance of data. It ensures that data is accessible and scalable, but most importantly reliable. Key skills in data engineering include handling massive data, software engineering, database management, and distributed systems.
What is the purpose of data engineering?
Data engineering is a real asset for companies. It facilitates major decision-making, improves their operations, promotes their overall development, and helps them innovate.
To achieve this, it handles the processing and management of large-scale data. In other words, it allows organizations to effectively leverage their data by transforming it into actionable insights.
Its main role is to design, build, and maintain the infrastructures necessary for data manipulation. Thus, it operates on different levels, namely:
- data collection: it helps establish efficient systems to gather data from various sources. This can include sensors on connected devices, cookies on a website, databases, social media, etc.
- data storage: it implements databases and distributed archiving systems;
- data processing: it develops algorithms and data processing pipelines. These allow for sorting, grouping, and transforming data into actionable insights;
- data analysis: it designs infrastructures that execute advanced analyses and machine learning algorithms on large amounts of data. This way, companies can extract valuable insights;
- data security: it includes security and confidentiality mechanisms to protect data. It safeguards against unauthorized access, losses, and alterations. It also ensures compliance with regulations such as the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation);
How to train in data engineering?
To train in data engineering, it is advisable to pursue higher education in an engineering school or a computer science school. These institutions offer a specialized master’s degree in Data Science, Big Data, or artificial intelligence. A bac+5 level is required to access this position.
By choosing this path, you will acquire all the necessary knowledge to work in this field. You will cover both theory and practice.
What are the missions of a data engineer?
As an expert, the data engineer is responsible for preparing the infrastructure to receive data. This task is similar to that of a software engineer. It involves designing and building a structure for the integration of the company’s data as well as its cleaning.
They are responsible for creating large data reservoirs intended for storage and testing. Subsequently, their mission consists of supervising processing systems and large-scale databases. This is to ensure their proper functioning. They must master systems and networks.
Which curriculum to choose at ECE to train in data engineering?
The ideal curriculum to train in data engineering is the MSc Data Engineer. Our specialized school ECE offers this program at the initial rhythm. It is accessible to holders of a bac +3 degree in scientific & technical fields (computer science) and lasts 2 years. It leads to a bac +5 level diploma.
It prepares students for careers in:
- AI developer;
- AI project manager;
- AI consultant;
- data analyst;
- data scientist;
- data engineer.