The Plumbers of the AI World

AI models need data. Lots of it. But who builds the pipelines to move that data? Data Engineers. In 2026, for every 1 Data Scientist, a company needs 5 Data Engineers.

🗺️ The Roadmap

Step 1: The Foundation (Months 1-2)

• SQL: You must be a wizard at SQL. Joins, Window Functions, CTEs.
• Python: Focus on Pandas and scripting for automation.

Step 2: The Cloud (Months 3-4)

• Pick one: AWS (Redshift/Glue) or Azure (Data Factory/Synapse). 80% of jobs are on these two clouds.

Step 3: Big Data Tools (Months 5-6)

• Spark (PySpark): The industry standard for processing massive datasets.
• Airflow: For orchestration (scheduling your pipelines).
• Snowflake: The modern data warehouse.

Step 4: The Project

Build an "ETL Pipeline."

1. Extract stock market data using an API.
2. Transform it (clean it) using Python.
3. Load it into a SQL database.
4. Automate it to run every morning.

💰 Salary Expectations

A fresher Data Engineer in India in 2026 commands a package of ₹8-12 LPA, significantly higher than a generic software developer.

Build the pipes, control the flow. 🛠️📊