Data engineering is a field that involves designing and building systems to collect, store, and analyze data at scale. Data engineers play a crucial role in preparing raw data for analysis by data scientists through various processing techniques. They source, transform, and analyze data from different systems, making data more useful and accessible. To become a data engineer, one typically needs a bachelor's degree in a related field and real-world experience, such as internships. Data engineering is a highly in-demand career, with professionals being well-paid and opportunities for career growth. It is a field that requires technical skills and knowledge in areas such as data modeling, data warehousing, data pipelines, and managing large datasets.