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For DBAs, data engineers, SQL, ETL & BI professionals

Become an AI Data Engineer & Architect.

AI for Data Engineers is a 12-week live program for people who already work with data (DBAs, data engineers, SQL, ETL and BI developers) and want to move into Data + AI. Take what you know about databases and pipelines to the AI layer: embeddings, RAG, agents and governance on your company's data. You build on Microsoft Azure, Azure Databricks and Microsoft Fabric, finish with a capstone you can demo, and get career support along the way.

See pricing & enroll → Browse the curriculum

46,000+ professionals trained by K21 Academy · 12-week live, instructor-led program · Recordings after every session

12week live program
9job-oriented modules
24build deliverables
3Microsoft certification courses
1capstone you can demo
Limited seats · Live cohort

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The problem

Every company wants AI on its own data. Few people know how to make it work.

AI is only as good as the data behind it. Gartner predicts that 60% of AI projects without AI-ready data will be abandoned through 2026, and most firms say they are not yet ready for agentic AI. The gap is data, not models.

That gap is where you sit. Most data professionals have not been shown how to turn what they know into an AI job. If that is you, you probably recognise this.

🤔You watch AI reshape roles and wonder where you fit

You run the databases, build the pipelines or write the queries every AI system depends on. Nobody has told you what the AI version of your job looks like.

🧩You are learning from scattered tutorials

A video here, a blog post there. No order, no labs that connect, and nothing that adds up to something you can show an employer.

📭The interview calls are not coming

Your resume says SQL, ETL and warehouses. Hiring teams are asking about RAG, vector search, agents and governance.

🛠️You want to do AI, not just know about it

You do not need another overview. You need to build something that works on real data and explain every decision in it.

Our coaches and alumni work at these companies

JPMorgan ChaseJPMorgan ChaseMicrosoftMicrosoftAccentureAccentureWiproWiproTCSTCSInfosysInfosysCapgeminiCapgeminiPwCPwCAT&TAT&TBNY MellonBNY Mellon
Curriculum · The main agenda

Nine modules, built around the job.

A 12-week live program organised into nine modules: foundations, Python and SQL, Azure, Databricks and Spark, Delta Lake, pipelines and orchestration, Microsoft Fabric, AI-powered data engineering, then real projects and job preparation. 51 topics and 24 build deliverables. Open any module to see what you cover and what you build.

CoreAzureDatabricksAICareer
🧱Module 1Core

Data Engineering Foundations

The data lifecycle and the modern data stack

5 lessons · 2 labs
What you cover
  • The data lifecycle and the modern data stack
  • Relational databases vs data lake vs lakehouse
  • Where the AI Data Engineer sits in a delivery team
  • AI-assisted work: coding assistants, text-to-SQL and prompting
  • Verifying AI-generated SQL and code before it ships
What you build
  • Your Azure environment, set up and ready
  • AI-generated SQL compared against hand-written SQL
Module 2Core

Python and SQL for Data Engineers

SQL for engineers: joins, aggregates, window functions, CTEs

5 lessons · 2 labs
What you cover
  • SQL for engineers: joins, aggregates, window functions, CTEs
  • Query performance and execution plans
  • Python fundamentals for data work
  • pandas and PySpark DataFrames side by side
  • Reading and writing files, APIs and databases
What you build
  • A set of production-grade SQL transformations
  • A Python ingestion script with error handling and retries
Module 3Azure

Microsoft Azure Data Engineering

Azure subscriptions, resource groups and cost control

5 lessons · 2 labs
What you cover
  • Azure subscriptions, resource groups and cost control
  • Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 and the storage account model
  • Azure SQL Database and Cosmos DB for engineers
  • Microsoft Entra ID, managed identities and secure access
  • Azure Data Factory: pipelines, datasets and linked services
What you build
  • A landing zone on Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2
  • A Data Factory pipeline moving data into the lake
Module 4Databricks

Azure Databricks and Apache Spark

Workspaces, clusters, PySpark, performance, Unity Catalog and streaming

6 lessons · 3 labs
What you cover
  • Azure Databricks inside your Azure subscription: workspaces and clusters
  • Apache Spark and PySpark: transformations, actions and the execution model
  • Performance: partitioning, caching, shuffles and skew
  • Notebooks, jobs and Lakeflow orchestration
  • Unity Catalog: governance, lineage and access control
  • Streaming with Structured Streaming and event sources
What you build
  • A Spark transformation job on real volume
  • A streaming flow landing events continuously
  • A governed workspace with Unity Catalog permissions
Module 5Databricks

Delta Lake and Lakehouse Architecture

Why the lakehouse replaced the warehouse-plus-lake split

5 lessons · 2 labs
What you cover
  • Why the lakehouse replaced the warehouse-plus-lake split
  • Delta Lake: ACID transactions, time travel and schema evolution
  • File and table formats: Parquet, Delta and Iceberg
  • Medallion layers: bronze, silver and gold, in practice
  • Dimensional modelling for the gold layer
What you build
  • A medallion lakehouse with bronze, silver and gold tables
  • An incremental load using a watermark pattern
🔁Module 6Core

Data Pipelines and Workflow Orchestration

Batch ingestion, ETL vs ELT and when each wins

6 lessons · 2 labs
What you cover
  • Batch ingestion, ETL vs ELT and when each wins
  • SQL transformations and modular, testable pipeline code
  • Orchestration: scheduling, dependencies, retries and backfills
  • Data quality tests and contracts
  • Monitoring, alerting and on-call reality
  • Troubleshooting: late data, schema drift, duplicates and failed runs
What you build
  • A scheduled, tested pipeline with quality gates
  • A runbook for the three failures that happen most
Module 7Azure

Microsoft Fabric

Fabric and OneLake: one copy of the data, many engines

6 lessons · 2 labs
What you cover
  • Fabric and OneLake: one copy of the data, many engines
  • Lakehouse and warehouse items in Fabric
  • Dataflow Gen2 and data ingestion pipelines
  • Real-Time Intelligence and Eventstreams
  • Power BI on the gold layer with Direct Lake
  • Workspaces, domains and deployment pipelines
What you build
  • The same medallion flow, rebuilt in Fabric
  • A Power BI report reading straight from the lakehouse
🤖Module 8AI

AI-Powered Data Engineering

Embeddings, vector search, RAG, agents and governance on your data

8 lessons · 4 labs
What you cover
  • Embeddings and vector search, including vectors in Azure SQL
  • Chunking strategies, hybrid search and index tuning
  • RAG architecture on your own data, with grounding and citations
  • Ingesting unstructured documents at scale
  • Azure OpenAI and Azure AI Search in a data pipeline
  • Agents and tool use, including a text-to-SQL agent
  • Governance for AI on data: access control, masking, audit and lineage
  • Evaluation sets, prompt-injection tests and cost control
What you build
  • Embeddings generated and queried with similarity search
  • A chat-with-your-data app with citations
  • An agent with a read-only role, an allow-list and an audit log
  • An evaluation report covering groundedness and accuracy
🚀Module 9Career

Real-World Projects and Job Preparation

Capstone end to end: ingest, transform, serve, retrieve, govern

5 lessons · 5 labs
What you cover
  • Capstone: the full flow end to end: ingest, transform, serve, retrieve, govern
  • Mentor check-ins during the build
  • Demo day: presenting a design and defending it
  • Resume and LinkedIn for AI data engineering roles
  • Mock technical interviews: SQL, Spark, pipeline design and troubleshooting
What you build
  • An architecture diagram you can talk through
  • A working repository on GitHub
  • An evaluation report and a cost note
  • A 5-minute demo
  • Resume bullets written with the career coach
Bonus learning modules · Included free · Self-paced

New to data, cloud or AI? Start here.

The core curriculum assumes you can already write SQL and find your way around a cloud console. If you are coming from further back, these six self-paced courses are included at no extra cost. Take them before the program starts or alongside it: they are preparation, not part of the 12-week live program.

Bonus 1

Cloud Computing for Beginners

What cloud computing is and why it matters: regions, service models and pricing.

Lessons & labs5 lessons · 2 labs
  • What is cloud computing and why it matters
  • IaaS, PaaS, SaaS explained simply
  • Public cloud providers and what each is good for
  • Core cloud concepts: regions, availability zones, scalability
  • Cloud pricing models and cost basics
  • Lab: Create an Azure Free Tier account
  • Lab: Install Visual Studio Code, Python and Git on a cloud VM
Bonus 2

Azure for Beginners

Azure portal, subscriptions and resource groups, and the core services around them.

Lessons & labs5 lessons · 4 labs
  • Azure portal, subscriptions and resource groups
  • Core Azure services: compute, storage, networking, databases
  • Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) and identity basics
  • Setting up your first Azure environment
  • Azure governance: policies, blueprints, management groups
  • Lab: Register an Azure free trial account
  • Lab: Create budget & billing alerts
  • Lab: Create a Windows VM (quick start)
  • Lab: Open an Azure support request
Bonus 3

SQL Fundamentals

What a relational database actually is, from SELECT to indexes.

Lessons & labs6 lessons · 2 labs
  • What a relational database actually is
  • SELECT, WHERE, ORDER BY and LIMIT
  • Joins explained without the jargon
  • GROUP BY and aggregate functions
  • Subqueries and CTEs
  • Indexes and why queries get slow
  • Lab: Query a sample database end to end
  • Lab: Rewrite a slow query and measure the difference
Bonus 4

Python Fundamentals

Variables, types and control flow, through to pandas and environments.

Lessons & labs5 lessons · 2 labs
  • Variables, types and control flow
  • Functions, modules and packages
  • Working with files and JSON
  • pandas basics for tabular data
  • Virtual environments and dependency management
  • Lab: Build a small ETL script in Python
  • Lab: Read an API and write the results to a file
Bonus 5

Data for Beginners

What data engineers actually do all day, and why pipelines break.

Lessons & labs5 lessons · 2 labs
  • What data engineers actually do all day
  • Databases, warehouses, lakes and lakehouses
  • Batch vs streaming, in plain terms
  • What a pipeline is and why it breaks
  • Data quality and why it decides everything downstream
  • Lab: Load a public dataset into a cloud warehouse
  • Lab: Schedule your first pipeline run
Bonus 6

AI, ML and GenAI for Beginners

AI, machine learning and generative AI explained, including embeddings, without the maths.

Lessons & labs5 lessons · 2 labs
  • What is AI, Machine Learning and Deep Learning?
  • Generative AI and Large Language Models explained
  • Real-world AI use cases across industries
  • How models learn: training, inference and evaluation
  • What an embedding is, without the maths
  • Lab: Create API keys for the OpenAI and Anthropic models
  • Lab: Build your first simple AI chatbot
Certifications · Included to complement your learning

Credentials that back the work, not replace it.

The program is built around the job first. These three Microsoft certification courses come with it as supporting preparation: take them alongside the curriculum if a credential helps your search. Exam fees are paid directly to Microsoft.

DP-900 · start hereThe Azure data foundation every later module builds on.
AI-901The AI half: ML, GenAI, agents and Microsoft Foundry.
DP-700The associate-level engineering credential on Fabric.
Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Fundamentals badge

Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Fundamentals

The Azure data foundation: core data concepts, relational and non-relational data on Azure, and large-scale analytics with Fabric, Synapse and Power BI.

DP-900 · START HERE · 5 MODULES · 16 LESSONS · 12 LABS

M0Course Overview3 lessons
Lessons
  • Welcome and how to use the course
  • Course overview
  • How to register for a free Azure cloud account
M1Explore the Fundamentals of Data3 lessons
Lessons
  • Overview
  • Explore core data concepts
  • Data roles and services
M2Fundamentals of Relational Data in Azure3 lessons · 3 labs
Lessons
  • Explore Azure services for relational data
  • Explore relational data concepts
  • FAQs
Labs
  • Lab 1: Explore Azure SQL Database
  • Lab 1a: Explore Azure Database for PostgreSQL
  • Lab 1b: Explore Azure Database for MySQL
M3Fundamentals of Non-Relational Data3 lessons · 2 labs
Lessons
  • Fundamentals of Azure Storage
  • Fundamentals of Azure Cosmos DB
  • FAQs
Labs
  • Lab 2: Explore Azure Storage
  • Lab 3: Explore Azure Cosmos DB
M4Fundamentals of Data Analytics4 lessons · 7 labs
Lessons
  • Large-scale data analytics
  • Streaming and real-time analytics
  • Data visualization
  • Course wrap-up
Labs
  • Lab 4: Explore data analytics in Microsoft Fabric
  • Lab 5: Explore Azure Stream Analytics
  • Lab 6: Explore real-time analytics in Microsoft Fabric
  • Lab 7: Visualize data with Power BI
  • Lab 8: Explore Spark Streaming in Azure Synapse Analytics
  • Lab 9: Explore data analytics in Azure with Synapse Analytics
  • Lab 10: Explore Azure Synapse Data Explorer
Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals badge

Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals

The AI half of the foundation: machine learning and generative AI concepts, NLP and computer vision, responsible AI, and building apps and agents on Azure AI services and Microsoft Foundry. Replaces the retired AI-900 exam.

AI-901 · 4 MODULES · 25 LESSONS · 16 LABS

M1Introduction to AI Concepts8 lessons · 8 labs
Lessons
  • Introduction to AI
  • Fundamental AI concepts
  • Fundamentals of machine learning
  • Fundamentals of generative AI
  • Natural language processing concepts
  • Computer vision concepts
  • Implement responsible generative AI
  • Principles of responsible AI
Labs
  • Lab: Explore generative AI & agents
  • Lab: Explore text analytics
  • Lab: Explore AI speech
  • Lab: Explore computer vision
  • Lab: Explore AI information extraction
  • Lab: Explore AI workloads
  • Lab: Explore retrieval augmented generation (RAG)
  • Quiz, knowledge checks and FAQs
M2AI Applications & Agents on Azure8 lessons · 8 labs
Lessons
  • Fundamentals of Azure AI services
  • Introduction to Azure AI Studio
  • Get started with Microsoft Azure
  • Microsoft Foundry
  • Generative AI and agents
  • NLP capabilities in Azure
  • Computer vision capabilities in Azure
  • Azure AI Search
Labs
  • Lab: Get started with Microsoft Foundry
  • Lab: Get started with GenAI & agents in Foundry
  • Lab: Get started with text analysis in Foundry
  • Lab: Get started with speech in Microsoft Foundry
  • Lab: Get started with computer vision in Foundry
  • Lab: Get started with information extraction in Foundry
  • Lab: Get started with Foundry IQ
  • Quizzes, knowledge checks and FAQs
D1Exam Domain 1: AI Concepts & Responsibilities4 lessons
Lessons
  • Describe AI workloads and responsible AI
  • Identify AI workloads
  • Identify AI model components and capabilities
  • Describe the principles of responsible AI
D2Exam Domain 2: AI Solutions using Foundry5 lessons
Lessons
  • Describe AI solutions using Foundry
  • Implement generative AI apps and agents
  • Implement AI solutions for text and speech
  • Implement AI solutions for vision and images
  • Implement AI for information extraction
Microsoft Certified: Fabric Data Engineer Associate badge

Microsoft Certified: Fabric Data Engineer Associate

The associate-level engineering credential: Synapse, Azure Databricks and Microsoft Fabric end to end: lakehouses, Spark, Delta, Dataflow Gen2, real-time intelligence, warehousing, CI/CD and governance.

DP-700 · 22 MODULES · 28 LESSONS · 29 LABS

M1Azure Synapse Analytics & Serverless SQL4 lessons · 4 labs
Lessons
  • Introduction to Azure Synapse Analytics
  • Use an Azure Synapse serverless SQL pool
  • Work with Azure Synapse serverless SQL pools
  • Create a lake database in Azure Synapse Analytics
Labs
  • Lab 1: Explore Azure Synapse Analytics
  • Lab 2: Query files using serverless SQL
  • Lab 3: Transform files using a serverless SQL pool
  • Lab 4: Analyze data in a lake database
M2Data Engineering with Synapse Apache Spark Pools3 lessons · 3 labs
Lessons
  • Analyze data with Apache Spark in Azure Synapse
  • Transform data with Spark in Azure Synapse
  • Use Delta Lake in Azure Synapse Analytics
Labs
  • Lab: Analyze data in a data lake with Spark
  • Lab: Transform data with Spark in Synapse Analytics
  • Lab: Use Delta Lake with Spark in Azure Synapse Analytics
M3Data Engineering with Azure Databricks3 lessons · 5 labs
Lessons
  • Explore Azure Databricks
  • Use Apache Spark in Azure Databricks
  • Run Azure Databricks notebooks in Azure Data Factory
Labs
  • Lab: Explore Azure Databricks
  • Lab: Use Apache Spark in Azure Databricks
  • Lab: Automate an Azure Databricks notebook with ADF
  • Lab: Use Delta Lake in Azure Databricks
  • Lab: Use a SQL warehouse in Azure Databricks
M4End-to-End Analytics with Microsoft Fabric9 lessons
Lessons
  • Create a Fabric account and environment overview
  • Delta and medallion architecture implementation
  • Data strategy designs: lambda architecture
  • What is a task flow, and designing task flows
  • How do we organise Fabric
  • Demonstrate a lakehouse in Fabric
  • Medallion architecture on batch and streams
  • What is the Fabric setup, and why do we need domains
  • Dataflow Gen2 and data ingestion pipelines
M5Lakehouses in Microsoft Fabric1 lab
Labs
  • Lab: Create a Microsoft Fabric lakehouse
M6Apache Spark in Microsoft Fabric1 lab
Labs
  • Lab: Analyze data with Apache Spark
M7Delta Lake Tables in Microsoft Fabric1 lab
Labs
  • Lab: Use Delta tables in Apache Spark
M8Ingest Data with Dataflow Gen21 lab
Labs
  • Lab: Create and use Dataflow Gen2 in Fabric
M9Orchestrate Processes and Data Movement1 lab
Labs
  • Lab: Ingest data with a pipeline in Microsoft Fabric
M10Organize a Lakehouse with Medallion Architecture1 lab
Labs
  • Lab: Organize a lakehouse using medallion architecture
M11Real-Time Intelligence in Fabric1 lab
Labs
  • Lab: Explore Real-Time Intelligence in Fabric
M12Real-Time Eventstreams in Microsoft Fabric1 lab
Labs
  • Lab: Ingest real-time data via Eventstream in Fabric
M13Work with Real-Time Data in an Eventhouse1 lab
Labs
  • Lab: Work with data in a Fabric eventhouse
M14Data Warehouses in Microsoft Fabric1 lab
Labs
  • Lab: Analyze data in a data warehouse
M15Load Data into a Fabric Data Warehouse1 lab
Labs
  • Lab: Load data into a Fabric warehouse using T-SQL
M16Monitor a Microsoft Fabric Data Warehouse1 lab
Labs
  • Lab: Monitor a data warehouse in Microsoft Fabric
M17Secure a Microsoft Fabric Data Warehouse1 lab
Labs
  • Lab: Secure a Microsoft Fabric data warehouse
M18Implement CI/CD1 lab
Labs
  • Lab: Implement deployment pipelines in Microsoft Fabric
M19Monitor Activities in Microsoft Fabric1 lab
Labs
  • Lab: Monitor Fabric activity in the Monitoring Hub
M20Secure Data Access in Microsoft Fabric1 lab
Labs
  • Lab: Secure data access in Microsoft Fabric
M21Administer Microsoft Fabric3 lessons
Lessons
  • Domain 1: Implement and manage an analytics solution
  • Domain 2: Ingest and transform data
  • Domain 3: Monitor and optimize an analytics solution
EXExam Preparation & Mock Exams6 lessons · 1 lab
Lessons
  • Sample exam questions and answers
  • Practice exam question set 1
  • Practice exam question set 2
  • Practice exam question set 3
  • What is next
  • FAQs
Labs
  • Live simulation mock sets 1, 2 & 3
The demand

The market is moving toward people who can do both.

Where AI skills and data meet is where the hiring is.

Tech job postings that now list AI skills73%
AI projects without AI-ready data predicted to be abandoned60%
Data and analytics postings that mention AI45%
Firms fully ready for agentic AI15%
$155,000median posted salary for data engineers across 18,786 US postings
+88%year-on-year growth in AI and ML postings, vs 17% for tech overall
$900B → $4.2Tprojected global AI market, 2026 to 2035

Also: DBAs and database architects have about 7,300 US openings a year, with a median pay of $126,760.

Who is behind this

Built by people who have run data systems.

Atul, K21 Academy

Atul, K21 Academy

About 25 years in IT as a multi-cloud, data and AI architect. His own career includes Oracle DBA, Apps DBA and data engineer roles, so he knows the path you are on from the inside. K21 Academy has trained 46,000+ professionals.

Clients across his career include:

RBSUK NHSScottish GovernmentToyota (Brussels)ICC (Switzerland)Saudi RailwaysWorldPayOracleHP
Verified reviews

What our learners say.

★ Trustpilot

★★★★★

K21 Academy: The Real Deal for Tech Leaders

As a VP of Software Engineering making a deliberate career transition into AI/ML and Cloud leadership, I've been extremely selective about where I invest my time and money. Enrolling in K21 Academy's program has been one of the best professional decisions I've made this year. I've completed four courses and passed three Microsoft certification exams: AI-900, AZ-900, and AB-731.

Marcos OliveiraVP of Software Engineering · 21 May 2026

★ Trustpilot

★★★★★

Recommendation of K21 Academy

Very pleased with K21 Academy thus far. The instructor of the Agentic AI Mastery program is very knowledgeable and a very good communicator. The team in the Interview/Job Preparation area are extremely helpful in assisting with resume modification, LinkedIn profile optimization, and job application preparation. I highly recommend K21 Academy.

Dale McAnally5 Jul 2026

★ Trustpilot

★★★★★

Best Learning Avenue

I have been part of a few training programs by K21 Academy and they are doing justice with what they are offering. They have a detailed program structure, professional trainers and their support system is excellent. The learning portal SKOOL is the real differentiator. I would recommend K21 Academy to all serious learners.

Chandan Raj8 Jun 2026

★ Trustpilot

★★★★★

Excellent guidance and support throughout

I wanted to express my special appreciation to Atisha and the team for their constant support throughout my job search and interview preparation journey. The interview guides have been invaluable study material and remarkably accurate in reflecting the types of questions asked during my interviews. It has made a real difference to my preparation and confidence.

Reny4 Jul 2026

★ Trustpilot

★★★★★

Great experience learning AI/ML and Cloud

I had a great experience learning AI/ML and Cloud Engineering concepts with K21 Academy. The training was very practical and helped me strengthen my skills in Python, cloud technologies, data pipelines, and real-world projects. Career support included resume building, LinkedIn optimization, interview preparation. Highly recommend.

Sadia14 May 2026

★ Trustpilot

★★★★★

Mock interview gave me real clarity

Thank you for arranging the mock interview and for helping me better understand what the company is looking for. The discussion gave me much greater clarity about the role and its expectations. The mock interview was extremely valuable in identifying gaps in my knowledge and helping me understand where I need to improve.

Shanti Mandal20 Jul 2026

★ Trustpilot

★★★★★

I was LOST and then was FOUND

I started my first program yesterday and was LOST on the first day. Sahid made sure that I regained my bearings and put me on the right track. I was surprised at the dedication and additional time he was willing to take. It is truly AH-MAZING to learn from instructors who are EXCITED about the content. So far, So GREAT!

Anissa Webb19 Jul 2026

★ Trustpilot

★★★★★

Wonderful consultation with realistic timelines

I had a wonderful consultation session with Shahid. He took his time to explain my roadmap and proper structure to follow with realistic timelines. What I appreciated was how personalized the guidance felt, he understood exactly where I was in my journey and what I needed to do next. Keep the good work up!

Akash Tiwari18 Jul 2026

★ Trustpilot

★★★★★

Patient, knowledgeable team with a clear roadmap

I had a great experience with Sahid, Gracy and the team. They were very patient, knowledgeable, and took the time to address all my questions. The session helped clarify many of my doubts and gave me a much clearer understanding of the learning roadmap. As a working professional, I especially appreciated their practical guidance.

Oves Khan14 Jul 2026

Rated 4.6/5 on Trustpilot · 267+ reviews

Hear it directly from them

Video stories from K21 learners.

Real K21 Academy learners on how they moved into high-paying AI, Data & Cloud roles.

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More learners who landed roles through K21 programs

✓Devesh Azure Solutions Architect✓Poulami Beginner to Cloud Architect✓Kennedy Senior Technical Advisor (UK)✓SJ Salary doubled, husband hired too✓Shouvik Senior Enterprise Architect✓Meghana Career gap to working with BT✓Kwame Job offer, relocated to USA✓Rajalakshmi Career gap to job at Infosys✓Winifred Job offer in Canada✓Bezzel Cloud Ops Engineer
In their own words

From our learners who landed the role.

Verified reviews from Google and Trustpilot. Every profile links to the real person on LinkedIn.

“I'm thrilled to share that I've recently landed a role as a Generative AI Engineer.”

The hands-on projects let me confidently describe an end-to-end AI solution in the interview. The interviewer was genuinely impressed.

S
SteveGenerative AI Engineer✓ GOOGLE REVIEW VERIFIED
in

“I've successfully landed a job as an AI Engineer.”

Worked hands-on with Azure AI services, Azure AI Foundry, and OpenAI. Later received a second offer as a Generative AI Engineer. K21 gave me the skills and confidence to choose.

DD
Debasish DashAI Engineer to Generative AI Engineer✓ GOOGLE REVIEW VERIFIED
in

“Enrolling in K21 Academy's AI/ML program has been one of the best professional decisions I've made this year.”

As a VP of Software Engineering transitioning into AI/ML, I completed four courses and passed three Microsoft certification exams: AI-900, AZ-900, and AB-731. The hands-on projects on Azure gave me practical experience that actually shows up in interviews.

MO
Marcos OliveiraVP of Software Engineering✓ TRUSTPILOT REVIEW VERIFIED
in

“I have finally secured a contract-to-hire role as a Generative AI Engineer.”

I was deploying a RAG pipeline to a web app during the actual hiring process. The projects I built at K21 were exactly what the company needed.

II
Ike ImalaGenerative AI Engineer (contract-to-hire)✓ GOOGLE REVIEW VERIFIED
in

“I got cracked that role.”

The Azure AI/ML trainee landed the job after completing the program and building out her portfolio.

S
SemantiAzure AI/ML Engineer✓ GOOGLE REVIEW VERIFIED
in

“K21 Academy is a great professional institution to meet your AI/ML career aspirations.”

The right training, courseware, job application support, and placement guidance to help students achieve their goals. I particularly like the quality and depth of the faculty's knowledge.

SS
Sanjeev SaksenaAI/ML Career Transition✓ GOOGLE REVIEW VERIFIED
in

“The support is extremely awesome for labs, doubts and even resume updates.”

I am 3 weeks into the AI/ML program. The team creates a custom game plan and learning path for everyone. The real-world project experiences and hands-on lab experience is a key differentiator.

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Gaj ParanjapeAI/ML Program, USA✓ TRUSTPILOT REVIEW VERIFIED
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“I joined K21 Academy at a time when I felt stuck and unsure about my career direction.”

Connecting with Shahid was a turning point. He gave me clarity, practical guidance, and renewed confidence. The AI curriculum is exhaustive and serves as a one-stop shop for AI and ML.

GB
Gunita BajajFull Stack AI Program, USA✓ TRUSTPILOT REVIEW VERIFIED
in

“Excited to share that I have successfully passed the Microsoft AI-900 certification!”

Credits K21 Academy guidance for the preparation and is now moving on to the next Azure AI certification.

AA
Adnan AhmedAI Engineer, AI-900 Certified✓ TRUSTPILOT REVIEW VERIFIED
in

“I decided to explore AI as part of a career change, but coming from a non-technical background made me hesitant.”

I joined K21 Academy and I'm really glad I did. The course is well-structured, catering to both beginners and advanced learners. The emphasis on hands-on experience truly enhances the learning process.

MV
Monica VarryAI Career Changer✓ GOOGLE REVIEW VERIFIED
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“I've secured a position as an OpenShift Architect.”

Credits the structured training and support system for making the transition into a cloud architecture role.

SA
Stephen AgborOpenShift Architect✓ TRUSTPILOT REVIEW VERIFIED
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“The structured curriculum, supportive mentors, and proper guidance have given me a lot of clarity.”

When I first started learning AI and Azure, I was quite confused about where to begin. K21's structured approach gave me direction and I now feel more confident in my learning journey.

RS
Rahul SyalAI/ML Learner, India✓ TRUSTPILOT REVIEW VERIFIED
in
Pricing

Two plans. One program.

Both plans include the full 12-week program, all three certification courses and the capstone. Job Prep adds the career support on top.

Best value

Upskill

$2,997$1,997

One payment. Full program access.

You save $1,000
  • 12-week live, instructor-led program
  • 9 job-oriented modules, from foundations to capstone
  • 3 Microsoft certification courses: DP-900, AI-901 and DP-700
  • 6 bonus foundation courses if you need them
  • Capstone: repository, architecture diagram, evaluation report and demo
  • 1-year access to recordings, labs and materials
Enroll in Upskill: $2,997 $1,997

Covered by the 6-month money-back guarantee

From where you are today to an offer

Three steps, mapped to what AI data engineering job descriptions ask for.

01

Skills

Not confident, then confident

  • 9 modules and 24 build deliverables
  • DP-900, AI-901 and DP-700 courses
  • A capstone you can demo
Both plans
02

Visibility

No calls, then interview calls

  • Resume rebuilt for AI-on-data roles
  • LinkedIn profile rebuilt
  • Job-search strategy and application tracking
Job Prep
03

Offer

Interviews, then an offer

  • Mock technical interviews: SQL, Spark, pipeline design
  • Defending your capstone design
  • On-Job Support after placement
Job Prep
6-month money-back guarantee

Six months. Do the work, or get your money back.

Attend the live sessions, complete the labs and finish the capstone. If the program does not deliver, you get your money back. Applies to both plans.

  • Attend the live sessions
  • Complete the labs and build deliverables
  • Finish and present the capstone
  • Ask for support when you need it, don't go silent

Did all that within six months and still not satisfied? Full refund. Action-based, no fine print.

Common questions

Before you enroll.

Do I need to know how to code?

SQL is your starting point, and the early modules include a SQL and Python refresher. Python is taught inside the labs, and you do not need an AI or ML background. If you are newer than that, the free bonus courses on SQL, Python, cloud and data get you ready first.

Will this get me a job, or just a certificate?

Certifications are a credibility signal, and the program is built around proof of work. You finish with a capstone repository, an evaluation report and a 5-minute demo you can show employers. Module 9 covers your resume, LinkedIn and mock interviews, and the career coach helps you write resume bullets from the work you did. On the Upskill + Job Prep plan you also get On-Job Support after placement.

It is a big investment. How do I know it is worth it?

For reference, data engineers have a median posted salary of $155,000 across 18,786 US postings, and 73% of tech job postings now list AI skills. You are also covered by the 6-month money-back guarantee, if you do the work.

I do not have much time. How much does this take?

The program runs for 12 weeks of live, instructor-led sessions, and the batch schedule is shared before you start so you can plan around work. Set aside time each week for the labs and your build. Recordings are available after every session, so you can catch up if you miss one.

Why not just learn this from free videos or vendor documentation?

Free material is a good place to start. What it rarely gives you is order, live help and a finished project. This program puts the topics in sequence, gives you hands-on work at every stage, and ends with a capstone you present on demo day.

Will AI replace DBAs and data engineers?

The research points the other way. AI depends on data, and Gartner predicts that 60% of AI projects without AI-ready data will be abandoned through 2026. Data and analytics leads every field at 45% of postings mentioning AI. The people who understand the data are the ones companies need to make AI work.

Which certifications are included, and who pays the exam fees?

Preparation courses for three Microsoft certifications are included in both plans: Azure Data Fundamentals (DP-900), Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901) and Fabric Data Engineer Associate (DP-700). The exam fees are paid directly to Microsoft.

Do I need to pay for cloud accounts for the labs?

Most labs run on free and trial accounts, and the bonus courses walk you through creating an Azure free account and setting budget and billing alerts before you start. Some services can cost a small amount once trial credit runs out, so every lab shows you how to keep costs down and shut resources off afterwards.

Can I pay in instalments?

Yes. Upskill can be paid as 3 monthly payments of $797, and Upskill + Job Prep as 4 monthly payments of $797. Switch to “Pay monthly” in the pricing section to see the details.

I need to think about it.

That is fair. Join the FREE live class, AI Data Engineer Roadmap, to see the path before you decide. You also get the Top 25 AI Data Engineer Interview Questions when you register. Register for the free class →

You already have the data. Add the AI.

Twelve weeks. Nine modules, three platforms and a capstone you can demo.

See pricing & enroll →
AI for Data Engineers, by K21 Academy