The Ultimate Data Engineering Roadmap (2025) – Built by a Data Engineer

How I would learn Data Engineering (if I could start over)

May 13, 2025

Hey friends — Happy Tuesday!

Yesterday a friend called me and asked: “Baraa, how do I become a data engineer like you?”

So I walked him through the entire roadmap—step by step—exactly how I would do it if I were starting from scratch today.

And then I thought...
Why not share it with all of you too?

I’m Baraa. I have a master’s degree in Data Engineering and have been leading big data projects for over a decade at companies like Mercedes-Benz. I’ve also interviewed and hired many data engineers—so what you’re about to see is based on real experience, not theory.

And this is the guide I wish I had when I was starting. Let’s start with a simple question…

🛠 What is a Data Engineer?

Think of a data engineer as the person working in the engine room of a data-driven company.

You’re the one behind the scenes—moving data from dozens of messy sources, transforming it, cleaning it, storing it properly, and making sure it’s accessible to everyone else.

You are the builder.
You are the reason the rest of the company can work with clean, useful data.
You’re not building shiny dashboards.
You’re not designing web apps.

So I asked my friend this question, and I’ll ask you too:

Does this excite you !?

If yes—welcome to the club.
Let me walk you through how to become one.

🧭 Data Engineering Roadmap

I broke this journey down into 3 clear phases. And I built a Notion roadmap so you can follow along, track your progress, and stay focused.

📘 Notion Roadmap Template → Click here

Phase 1: Build Core Skills

Back in 2012, when I started this journey, I felt completely lost.

There were too many tools. Too many languages. Too many buzzwords.

It felt like I had to learn everything to get anywhere.

Spoiler: You don’t.

You just need to learn the right things in the right order.

I’ve narrowed it down to just 7 skills. Learn these, and you’re ready to go:

SQL – your most important language
Python – your main engine for logic and automation
PySpark – how you’ll handle big data at scale
Git & GitHub – to work in teams like a pro
Data Pipelines – how to move and transform data end-to-end
Cloud Platforms – Databricks, Snowflake, BigQuery (pick one)
Data Engineering Project – to tie everything together and show what you can build

And don’t worry—I’ve included tools, checklists, and even free courses (including my own) right inside the template.

How Long this phase take?

Honestly? It depends. If you’re learning part-time, expect 12–18 months to cover the phase 1.
Could be faster. Could be slower. That’s fine.

Phase 2: Get Hired

Let’s be honest. This part is hard.

It’s not just about skills—it’s about positioning yourself. And most people get stuck here.

They build skills… but no one sees them.
They apply… and get rejected.
And then they get emotional and stop trying.

I’ve been there. When I applied for my first job in Germany, I got in on the very first application.
I thought—“This is easy!” But a few years later, when I applied to move to another company… I sent out over 100 applications before I got accepted !

So here’s the truth: rejection is not about you.
It’s about market timing, fit, and luck.

What you can control is how well you present yourself:

A clean CV that highlights your top 1–2 projects
A LinkedIn profile that actually tells your story
A GitHub portfolio with real code, structure, and readmes
A mindset that says: I’m ready to apply weekly—no overthinking

🎯 This is the phase where people give up. Don’t. Just keep moving.

Phase 3: Level Up

Let’s say you landed a job—or you’re still applying and have some free time.

Most people stop learning here. Big mistake !

I made that mistake too.
When I got my first job, I thought: “I made it. I can relax now.”

But what I found out fast was… I had only scratched the surface.

In this phase, you level up from junior to professional.

Here’s what you need to grow:

Cloud Fundamentals – Azure, AWS, or GCP
CI/CD – how your code moves from dev to production
Apache Kafka – for real-time streaming systems
Data Architectures – how to design scalable systems
Processing Techniques – batch vs stream, incremental loads, SCD
Data Modeling – star schema, snowflake, data vault
Partitioning – to optimize performance and cost
Logging & Monitoring – so you can sleep at night

⏳ How Long Will It Take?

If you’re learning part-time, give it at least 1-2 years. And that’s totally okay.

What matters is that you stay focused, consistent, and don’t waste time on tools you don’t need.

This roadmap will guide you.

🎁 Ready to Start?

Here’s everything you need:

📘 Notion Roadmap Template → Click here
📺 Full YouTube Walkthrough → Click here

If this helps you, please consider sharing it with a friend, or supporting my channel by liking or commenting—it helps the content reach more people just like you.

Thank you for reading.
Now go make some progress.

Let’s go.
—Baraa

Hey friends —

I’m Baraa. I’m an IT professional and YouTuber.

My mission is to share the knowledge I’ve gained over the years and to make working with data easier, fun, and accessible to everyone through courses that are free, simple, and easy!

Visit My Youtube Channel