Episode 4: In Conversation with Oluwole Oyekanmi

In this episode of CareerQuest, Olawale Oikoni, Data Engineer at Munich Re, shares his journey from finance to data engineering, discussing the skills, challenges, and career strategies needed to thrive in the field. He emphasizes the importance of hands-on learning, technical adaptability, and business impact in building a successful data engineering career.

Key Takeaways:

• Olawale’s Journey: Started in finance before transitioning into data engineering, following curiosity and hands-on learning.
• The Role of Data Engineers: They build and maintain data pipelines, ensuring efficient data flow for analytics and machine learning.
• Top Skills for Success: SQL, Python, cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure), infrastructure automation, and strong problem-solving skills.
• Importance of Projects: Hands-on experience through personal projects accelerates learning and makes candidates stand out.
• Breaking into Data Engineering: Get your foot in the door—start in related roles, build a portfolio, and continuously learn new tools.
• Emerging Trends: With AI and ML adoption increasing, data engineers are more in demand to build scalable, secure, and efficient data systems.