Hi @Naziam,

You’re already approaching this in the right way, and I think the biggest thing at the start is not trying to learn everything at once. If I were advising someone beginning a Databricks-focused Data Engineering / AI Engineering journey, I’d say start with the core foundations first. Understand the Lakehouse concept, become familiar with how data flows through bronze, silver, and gold layers, and build confidence with SQL, Python, Delta Lake, and basic Spark. The Databricks documentation is a very good starting point, and the getting started tutorials are beginner-friendly and practical.

From my own experience, I’d also strongly recommend aiming for a certification. Not because certification alone makes someone an expert, but because it gives structure, discipline, and a clear goal to work toward. The Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate is a good milestone for that. Databricks also runs learning festivals and other events from time to time, and those can be really helpful for staying motivated and learning alongside others.

I’d also recommend picking up a good Udemy course or something similar alongside the official docs. Sometimes having another structured path, along with practice tests, helps reinforce the concepts and keeps learning more consistent. The combination of official documentation and a more guided course format tends to work well, especially early on.

Another thing that really helps is doing real-world projects as early as possible. Even small ones make a big difference. You can use Databricks Free Edition, which is good enough for learning and experimentation, even though it does come with some limitations. It still gives you a great environment to explore data, build pipelines, and get hands-on experience without needing a full paid setup. That practical exposure matters a lot more than only reading or watching videos.

I’d also definitely encourage you to make full use of this community. Ask questions, even if they feel basic. Everyone starts somewhere, and no question is silly when you’re learning. In many cases, asking the question early saves hours of confusion later.

Most importantly, have a clear target in mind. For example, decide that you want to complete the certification in the next four months, or by the end of the year, depending on how much you already know and how much time you can invest each week. Having a milestone makes it much easier to stay consistent. Motivation is great, but a timeline gives that motivation direction.

If you stay consistent, focus on fundamentals first, and keep building small projects while learning, you'll make solid progress.

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