A data engineer designs and builds the infrastructure that collects, transforms, stores and delivers data. That is Google Cloud’s description of the role, and it is a fair summary of the job.
No statutory body regulates data engineers in South Africa, so there is no registration, licence or legally required qualification. Employers set their own criteria, and the credentials with published requirements are the optional cloud certifications from AWS, Google Cloud and Microsoft.
Entry Requirements at a Glance
- No licence or registration is required to work as a data engineer
- Employer criteria vary, so read each advert for the degree, experience and tools it asks for
- Vendor certifications are optional. Google lists “None” as the prerequisite for its Professional Data Engineer exam
- Hands-on experience is what the certification providers recommend before sitting their exams
Education and Subject Requirements
No official source sets a degree or school-subject requirement for data engineers, and none of the vendor certifications lists a formal qualification as a prerequisite. If a particular employer asks for a degree, its advert will say so. Check the advert rather than assuming one is needed.
The skills the certifications test show what the work involves. Microsoft’s Microsoft Certified: Fabric Data Engineer Associate expects you to be skilled at loading, transforming and orchestrating data using SQL, PySpark and Kusto Query Language (KQL). The exam is DP-700, and Microsoft shows the English version updating on 19 October 2026.
Age, Fitness, Licence and Background Requirements
There is no age, fitness or licensing requirement set by a regulator for this role. Any checks an employer runs are its own and differ by company, so ask the employer what it checks.
Documents and Evidence Required
What you need to submit is set by the employer, so follow the advert. If you take a vendor certification, keep the certificate from the vendor as your proof.
Google’s Professional Data Engineer certification is valid for 2 years, so note the renewal date if you hold it.
Application and Selection Process
Apply directly to the employer through its careers page or a recruiter, and expect questions on the tools named in the advert. Certifications can support an application, but none is required.
- AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate: 130 minutes, 65 questions, 150 USD. AWS describes the ideal candidate as having 2-3 years in data engineering or data architecture and at least 1-2 years of hands-on experience with AWS services.
- Google Cloud Professional Data Engineer: no prerequisites. Google recommends 3 or more years of industry experience, including at least 1 year designing and managing solutions on Google Cloud.
- Microsoft Certified: Fabric Data Engineer Associate: exam DP-700, see the Microsoft page for the current skills list and price.
Vendor fees and recommended experience are as published on each vendor’s page in October 2026 and can change. The AWS fee is in US dollars.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a data engineer do?
Google Cloud says a data engineer designs and builds robust data infrastructure, optimised for performance and security: collecting, transforming, storing and delivering data.
Do I need a degree to be a data engineer?
No regulator or certification provider requires one. Employers decide, so check the degree and experience each advert asks for.
Do I need a certification?
No. Google lists no prerequisites for its Professional Data Engineer exam, and certifications from AWS, Google Cloud and Microsoft are optional credentials.
What technical skills matter most?
It depends on the employer’s stack. The Microsoft Fabric certification, for example, expects SQL, PySpark and Kusto Query Language, plus data loading patterns, architectures and orchestration. Read the advert for the tools it names.
How much experience do the certifications recommend?
AWS suggests 2-3 years in data engineering or data architecture and 1-2 years hands-on with AWS. Google Cloud recommends 3 or more years of industry experience, including 1 or more years on Google Cloud.
Employers set the requirements for this role, so confirm them with the employer and with the certification provider you choose. See job requirements and browse all career requirements.