How to Get Started
as a Data Architect

Big data has made its way into almost all of today’s industries. It’s been a driving force behind the success of many organizations. However, to take advantage of data, companies and organizations need data architects.

Data architects come up with blueprints and models for data management systems. Read on to find out how to become a data architect, including job requirements, education options, and career outlook.

Data architects are data scientists who design data management systems. This includes the ideas, strategy, and implementation of data migration across several projects. These professionals need to have a comprehensive understanding of data and how to acquire and use it.

A data architect’s duties and tasks will vary from organization to organization. In smaller organizations, they act as database designers with fewer administrative duties. Data architects in larger organizations work with a team of administrators and analysts to set and manage standards for data use.

Data architecture is a specialization within data science. Data science combines all the best practices of computer science, computer engineering, data analysis, information technology, and business.

Data architecture, meanwhile, enables data scientists to use or manage data for organizational needs. To function at the highest level, data scientists are dependent on the existence of proper data architecture. Although it is not as common as data analysis or data management, data architecture is vital to data science.

Becoming a data architect can take five or more years because data architecture is regarded as a senior job position. For this reason, it would be best if you have a few years of experience working in a related field. You should also have a Bachelor’s Degree in Data Science, or maybe even a master’s if you want to get a great data architect job.

Most companies require a comprehensive understanding of databases, programming languages, and development tools. Knowledge of the data science applications of Python and SQL is especially important. Learning these skills can take a few weeks with a boot camp or a few years with a degree.

You can study data architecture at a few different types of schools, depending on your career goals. With that said, your goals should include earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Data Science, or a related field.

If a degree is not an option for you, you can explore more places to study. For instance, you could learn the basics of data architecture at a coding boot camp, where programming languages like Python and SQL are taught. It all depends on your personal preferences and financial status.

Most employers prefer hiring entry-level candidates with a bachelor’s degree. For this reason, you should pursue a bachelor’s degree above any other program. You can also try getting a Master’s Degree in Data Science if you want to move up in the field.

To get a job as a data architect, you need to have technical skills in SQL, Python, and general database software.

According to PayScale, the average salary of a data architect is approximately $120,000 per year. However, this will depend on your skill level, employer, and location. With more education and experience, you can get a job that pays even higher.

A data architect provides support for a host of database-related functions. These include creating user accounts, tuning database performance, designing tables and procedures, and planning backup, recovery, and server capacity.

A data architect has many responsibilities on the job. Below are some of the most important duties and tasks of a data architect.

Structured Query Language, also known as SQL, is used to manipulate data stored in a database. It allows data architects to access data in relational database management systems. As part of their job, data architects are expected to create and maintain existing code in SQL Server.

Data modeling refers to the creation of models that store data in a given database. While data architecture has a lot to do with data infrastructure, data architects are also expected to design, develop, and organize data models for new applications.

System and software architects work with teams to transform data architecture into reality. They often help advise the design and structure. As a data architect, you are expected to work with both system and software architects to meet organizational goals together.

Data architects have a wide set of technical skills that are essential to their duties. To prove your skills as a data architect, you should try to get certifications. Below are some essential data architect skills and the relevant certifications.

There are plenty of reasons to consider a career as a data architect. For one, there are numerous employment opportunities with the recent increase in data collection and analysis. Not only that but data architects are reasonably paid. It is one of the highest-paying jobs not only in data but in all of tech.

If you have a knack for working with data, computers, and programming languages, you should consider a career as a data architect.