How a New Graduate with No Industry Experience Passed the Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate Exam in 3 Weeks

Introduction As the title suggests, I am posting this as a memorandum to keep a record of my learning. It's just a simple summary, but I hope it can be helpful for your studies as well. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to leave a comment. Personal Impressions & Key Points Grasping the Overall Picture By reading the Databricks Quick Start Guide, you can get an overview of the exam's flow and key points. Dealing with SQL Questions For those who have obtained Oracle Silver, the SQL section is relatively easy. There were more than five SQL questions on the exam. Utilizing the Databricks Environment If you have access to a Databricks environment, actually using it and working through tutorials will deepen your understanding. Fortunately, I had access to a study environment where I could freely experiment. Leveraging Official Documentation Going back to the official documentation is ultimately the fastest way to find answers. In my case, I had a shallow understanding of Unity Catalog, DLT, structured streaming, and Git, so I studied by reading the official documentation. Study Timeline 24/12/23 Asked Senior Employees Who Passed for Recommended Study Materials Databricks Certifications: I Took Them All and Summarized Systematically 2024/12/27 Databricks Quick Start Guide Databricks Quick Start Guide Recommended for getting a broad overview. Recommended Points Affordable Price The Kindle version is available for 99 yen (this is the regular price, not a sale). The same content is available for free on Qiita, but the Kindle version is compiled into a single volume, making it significantly easier to read. (Well worth the 99 yen.) Reliable Information Source Published by Databricks Japan, ensuring high reliability. Easy-to-Understand Explanations Clearly explains the background and history of Lakehouse. Practical Content Includes ETL hands-on exercises, making it easy to apply in real-world scenarios. 　 Caution Since it was published in 2022, some information may be slightly outdated. 2025/1/7~8 Official Practice Questions Translated & Explained Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate Practice Questions Questions 1-30 have been translated into Japanese and explained. Unofficial Explanation of Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate Practice Exam Answers (As of January 2024) Questions 31-45 are in English, but explanations are provided in Japanese. 2025/1/8~6 Udemy Course Recommended by Senior Employees Practice Exams: Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate Accuracy Rates: Practice 1: 51% (23/45) Practice 2: 62% (28/45) 2025/1/16~19 Struggled with Structured Streaming, Delta Live Tables, and Git as a New Graduate I found them too difficult to understand, so I searched through documentation and tutorials. Relevant Resources: Delta Live Tables SQL Tutorial Incremental Processing with Structured Streaming Structured Streaming Tutorial Quickstart Guide for Databricks Jobs Overview of Databricks Jobs Azure Databricks Delta Live Tables Update Modes Introduction to Apache Spark Databricks Delta Live Tables Documentation Databricks Delta Live Tables Overview What is Databricks Jobs? Understanding Databricks Workflows Git/GitHub Resources: Git/GitHub Introduction: Learn the Basics in 30 Minutes What is Git/GitHub? 10-Minute Beginner Guide 2025/1/20 Retook the Official Practice Exam Accuracy Rate: 86% 2025/1/20 Registered for the Exam Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate Exam Registration Warning: I do not recommend using a JCB card for payment. (My confirmation email never arrived, but the payment was deducted. The follow-up with support was very time-consuming.) 1/22 Passed the Exam!!

Feb 16, 2025 - 09:23

How a New Graduate with No Industry Experience Passed the Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate Exam in 3 Weeks

Introduction

As the title suggests, I am posting this as a memorandum to keep a record of my learning.

It's just a simple summary, but I hope it can be helpful for your studies as well.

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to leave a comment.

Personal Impressions & Key Points

Grasping the Overall Picture

By reading the Databricks Quick Start Guide, you can get an overview of the exam's flow and key points.

Dealing with SQL Questions

For those who have obtained Oracle Silver, the SQL section is relatively easy.

There were more than five SQL questions on the exam.

Utilizing the Databricks Environment

If you have access to a Databricks environment, actually using it and working through tutorials will deepen your understanding.

Fortunately, I had access to a study environment where I could freely experiment.

Leveraging Official Documentation

Going back to the official documentation is ultimately the fastest way to find answers.

In my case, I had a shallow understanding of Unity Catalog, DLT, structured streaming, and Git, so I studied by reading the official documentation.

Study Timeline

24/12/23 Asked Senior Employees Who Passed for Recommended Study Materials

Databricks Certifications: I Took Them All and Summarized Systematically

2024/12/27 Databricks Quick Start Guide

Databricks Quick Start Guide

Recommended for getting a broad overview.

Recommended Points

Affordable Price

The Kindle version is available for 99 yen (this is the regular price, not a sale).

The same content is available for free on Qiita, but the Kindle version is compiled into a single volume, making it significantly easier to read. (Well worth the 99 yen.)

Reliable Information Source

Published by Databricks Japan, ensuring high reliability.

Easy-to-Understand Explanations

Clearly explains the background and history of Lakehouse.

Practical Content

Includes ETL hands-on exercises, making it easy to apply in real-world scenarios.

Caution

Since it was published in 2022, some information may be slightly outdated.

2025/1/7~8 Official Practice Questions

Translated & Explained Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate Practice Questions

Questions 1-30 have been translated into Japanese and explained.

Unofficial Explanation of Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate Practice Exam Answers (As of January 2024)

Questions 31-45 are in English, but explanations are provided in Japanese.

2025/1/8~6 Udemy Course Recommended by Senior Employees

Practice Exams: Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate

Accuracy Rates:

Practice 1: 51% (23/45)

Practice 2: 62% (28/45)

2025/1/16~19 Struggled with Structured Streaming, Delta Live Tables, and Git as a New Graduate

I found them too difficult to understand, so I searched through documentation and tutorials.

Relevant Resources:

Git/GitHub Resources:

2025/1/20 Retook the Official Practice Exam

Accuracy Rate: 86%

2025/1/20 Registered for the Exam

Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate Exam Registration

Warning:

I do not recommend using a JCB card for payment.

(My confirmation email never arrived, but the payment was deducted. The follow-up with support was very time-consuming.)