Data Engineer Academy Reviews

Data Engineer Academy Reviews: Mihir’s Honest Take on Learning SQL and Data Skills

By: Chris Garzon | July 16, 2025 | 6 mins read

If you’re on the fence about whether the Data Engineer Academy can help you, there’s no better place to start than hearing from real students.

Mihir’s Background and Why He Picked Data Engineer Academy

Mihir isn’t brand new to tech. He learned some tough concepts in university, especially with Python. But it was all theory—searching, sorting, algorithms—“much more complex stuff” but nothing that really focused on doing the work.

Here’s how Mihir explains that shift:

I’m not new to programming, but even to someone who’s new, I think [they] could really pick it up the way these tutorials are designed.
Through university classes… everything was very conceptual, very theoretical.
What I liked was the perfect balance between technical complexity and a high-level overview.

Why is this important? Most people feel lost sorting through free YouTube tutorials, trying to connect the dots. Mihir tried that too. But he found himself bouncing between videos, struggling to build a clear learning path. Data Engineer Academy gives you structure from the ground up. You don’t have to guess what to learn next.

Here’s Mihir’s breakdown:

  • University experience: Heavy on theory, algorithms, little hands-on work.
  • At the Academy: Practical, hands-on tutorials. Concrete projects. Clear progression from basics to advanced data skills.

It’s a big deal. When you finally see everything organized step by step, the pieces click into place. You can browse exactly what’s covered on the Data Engineer Academy coursework page, too.

What Makes the Tutorials Stand Out

If you ask Mihir straight up why these tutorials work, he cuts to the chase. The lessons aren’t just videos—they’re step by step, real, and effective. The mentors break things down so you never feel out of your depth.

One thing Mihir pointed out was how Chris, an Academy mentor, tackles data modeling:

  1. Conceptual Level: Why does this data exist? What’s the big picture?
  2. Logical Level: How do tables and relationships fit together?
  3. Detailed Level: What are the actual fields, data types, constraints?

This three-step approach makes concepts stick. Mihir said he appreciates how “Chris would break down data modeling into three levels,” allowing him to digest these topics more easily. There’s no need to be overwhelmed.

What else does Mihir mention?

  • Strong mix of technical detail and overview: Not just surface-level, not too deep to lose you.
  • Plenty of extras: Online portal, downloadable PDFs, reference material.
  • Room for growth: Resources guide you toward further study if you want to go deeper or fill in a knowledge gap.

When content is organized with the right step-by-step process, your confidence grows after each lesson.

Structure, Progress, and Real Practice

Mihir brings up something almost everyone misses when hunting for quality courses—clear progression and instant feedback. You move from beginner to advanced at your own pace, but you always know what’s next.

A few things Mihir points out:

  • Practice exercises everywhere: SQL challenges, fundamentals, schema design.
  • Instant feedback: When you solve a problem, your “question goes green”—a quick win and a mental boost.
  • Real-world focus: Explanations show how data flows in actual business settings, not made-up textbook examples.

Let’s make this practical with Mihir’s favorite example. The vending machine data flow:

  • Data comes in from the vending machine.
  • It moves through the system so you can see what’s selling.
  • You follow the data as it’s tracked, stored, and used in real decisions.

That’s more useful than any dry lecture. It’s data engineering in action.

On top of that, Mihir loved the hands-on feel.

Just gives you that satisfaction of… you’ve completed something, you’ve understood a concept.

Every completed exercise is a check on your skills.

Support That Keeps You Moving Forward

There’s nothing worse than getting stuck with no way out. That’s why Mihir found the Academy’s extra support such a huge help.

  • Solutions and guides right in the portal: If you get stuck, answers are there to nudge you forward, not leave you hanging.
  • Live Q&A sessions: Haven’t used them yet? That’s fine. They’re there the minute you hit a wall.
  • Interview prep PDFs: Packed with facts on things like fact tables, dimension tables, and everything critical for real data jobs.

Here’s Mihir in his words:

Especially because you have like solutions right there. So, if you’re stuck, you can just look it up.

With this kind of support, you’re set up to leave guesswork behind and focus on building real skills. Want to get this level of support for yourself? Book a call with a mentor and see what fits you best.

What’s Next: Projects, Challenges, and Moving Forward

Mihir isn’t stopping now. He’s hyped for the upcoming projects that move learning from theory to action. It’s one thing to follow a video, but building a real project locks in your skills.

Here’s what Mihir plans:

  • Tackle hands-on data engineering projects with new confidence.
  • Use Q&A sessions when things get hard, not as a last resort.
  • Use all those PDFs and instant feedback tools to review and stay sharp.
  • Connect theory and practice so the next interview or on-the-job challenge doesn’t feel like guesswork.

Ready to start your journey? Take Mihir’s approach:

  • Find a course that gives you structure and real support.
  • Don’t just watch—practice each step, from beginner to advanced.
  • Use resources like sample questions, PDF guides, and live support.
  • Build projects, not just notes.
  • Reach out for help when you need it.

If you’re thinking about switching to data engineering or want to sharpen your skills, Mihir’s story is proof anyone can start—even if you come from a purely theoretical or coding background.

Final Thoughts: Mihir’s Review in His Words

Data Engineer Academy stands out in a field crowded with generic tutorials. Mihir’s review says it all. He found the structured pathway, real practice, and helpful resources turned confusion into clarity. The lessons work for new learners and those with coding backgrounds who want real-world skills.

I’m excited to do the projects and I’m having a good learning journey so far.

If you want more stories like this and a shot at your own breakthrough, head to our Data Engineer Academy testimonials and see what real students have to say.

Real stories of student success

Frequently asked questions

Haven’t found what you’re looking for? Contact us at [email protected] — we’re here to help.

What is the Data Engineering Academy?

Data Engineering Academy is created by FAANG data engineers with decades of experience in hiring, managing, and training data engineers at FAANG companies. We know that it can be overwhelming to follow advice from reddit, google, or online certificates, so we’ve condensed everything that you need to learn data engineering while ALSO studying for the DE interview.

What is the curriculum like?

We understand technology is always changing, so learning the fundamentals is the way to go. You will have many interview questions in SQL, Python Algo and Python Dataframes (Pandas). From there, you will also have real life Data modeling and System Design questions. Finally, you will have real world AWS projects where you will get exposure to 30+ tools that are relevant to today’s industry. See here for further details on curriculum  

How is DE Academy different from other courses?

DE Academy is not a traditional course, but rather emphasizes practical, hands-on learning experiences. The curriculum of DE Academy is developed in collaboration with industry experts and professionals. We know how to start your data engineering journey while ALSO studying for the job interview. We know it’s best to learn from real world projects that take weeks to complete instead of spending years with masters, certificates, etc.

Do you offer any 1-1 help?

Yes, we provide personal guidance, resume review, negotiation help and much more to go along with your data engineering training to get you to your next goal. If interested, reach out to [email protected]

Does Data Engineering Academy offer certification upon completion?

Yes! But only for our private clients and not for the digital package as our certificate holds value when companies see it on your resume.

What is the best way to learn data engineering?

The best way is to learn from the best data engineering courses while also studying for the data engineer interview.

Is it hard to become a data engineer?

Any transition in life has its challenges, but taking a data engineer online course is easier with the proper guidance from our FAANG coaches.

What are the job prospects for data engineers?

The data engineer job role is growing rapidly, as can be seen by google trends, with an entry level data engineer earning well over the 6-figure mark.

What are some common data engineer interview questions?

SQL and data modeling are the most common, but learning how to ace the SQL portion of the data engineer interview is just as important as learning SQL itself.