My Journey to DP-900 & DP-203 Certifications

Hi Devs! 👋

I’m excited to share that I’ve embarked on a journey to achieve two important Microsoft certifications: DP-900: Azure Data Fundamentals and DP-203: Data Engineering on Microsoft Azure. With a full-time job from 8 AM to 4 PM, this is going to be an intense but rewarding month ahead, and I’d love to document my progress, challenges, and tips with the community as I go through this experience.

Why These Certifications?
As an applications developer with a keen interest in AI, data engineering is a natural next step for me. I’m particularly drawn to how data can be used to power intelligent applications and support innovative solutions in various sectors. Both of these certifications will help me deepen my understanding of Azure's data services, which is crucial for building scalable, cloud-based applications.

My Plan
I have a structured 4-week study plan that balances my work commitments with dedicated study hours. Here’s a rough outline of how I’ll be approaching it:

• Week 1: Focus on DP-900 fundamentals (data concepts, relational & non-relational databases, analytics).
• Week 2: Finish DP-900, take practice tests, and review key concepts.
• Week 3: Begin DP-203 (data ingestion, transformation, and storage solutions).
• Week 4: Focus on advanced data engineering topics (Synapse, Data Factory, Databricks), finalize with practice tests.

Resources I’m Using
To make the most of my time, I’ve curated a list of resources:

• Microsoft Learn: Official learning paths for both DP-900 and DP-203.
• Udemy: Full-length courses with hands-on labs and quizzes.
• Whizlabs & MeasureUp: Practice tests to help simulate the actual exam experience.
• YouTube: Playlists like FreeCodeCamp’s DP-900 and Cloud Academy’s DP-203 for visual learning.
• Azure Free Tier: Hands-on practice with real data engineering tasks.

Why I’m Sharing This
I believe that sharing this journey not only keeps me accountable but also helps others who may be on a similar path. The Azure certifications are well-structured, but balancing work and study can be challenging, and I’m always open to hearing from the community for advice, tips, or words of encouragement.

If you’ve gone through these certifications or are currently preparing, I’d love to hear how you managed your time and resources! Let’s support each other in our goals. 😊

Stay tuned for more updates as I tackle each step of this exciting adventure!