What Is Data Engineering? Complete Data Engineer Roadmap 2026 | AWS Project + AI
Published 4 Oct 2026· 10 chapters
Open on YouTubeWhat this video covers
If you are planning to become a data engineer and don't know where to start, this is the map: what the job really is, the skills that matter, and how they come together in a real pipeline.
The skills, in learning order
| Skill | What to focus on |
|---|---|
| SQL | Joins, CTEs, window functions, query optimisation |
| Python | Fundamentals and automation |
| Data modeling | Star schema, fact and dimension tables |
| Warehousing | Data lakes, warehouses and lakehouses |
| PySpark | Distributed processing for big data |
| AWS | S3, Glue, Redshift, IAM |
| Apache Airflow | Workflow orchestration |
| Snowflake | Modern cloud data warehousing |
| AI in data engineering | AI-assisted development with ChatGPT and Claude |
The real-world pipeline
FlowchartSwipe to explore →Technical diagram
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The full, documented version of this architecture — with code, failure handling and an honest verification record — is the flagship case study.