# AWS Certified Big Data Specialty: A 2025 Guide to What's Retired and What's Next

If you've been searching for the "AWS Certified Big Data - Specialty" exam, you've likely hit a dead end. That's because the landscape of data on AWS has evolved dramatically. The Big Data Specialty certification, and its direct successor, the Data Analytics Specialty, have both been retired. As of July 2025, AWS has streamlined its data certification path to better reflect the modern skills companies in Bangalore and across the globe are demanding.

So, what's the correct path forward for an aspiring data professional on AWS? The answer is the AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate. At Vtricks Technologies, we stay ahead of these industry shifts to ensure our students are preparing for the certifications that actually matter. This guide will explain the changes and detail what you need to know about the current, essential AWS data certification.

## The Evolution: From Big Data to Data Engineering

The retirement of the older certifications wasn't just a name change; it represents a fundamental shift in the industry:

- AWS Certified Big Data - Specialty (Retired): This exam focused heavily on the initial wave of big data tools, primarily the Hadoop ecosystem (like EMR) and data warehousing concepts.
- AWS Certified Data Analytics - Specialty (Retired in 2024): This was the first evolution, broadening the scope to include more modern analytics services like Kinesis for streaming data and QuickSight for visualization.
- AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate (Current Exam): This is the new standard. It moves beyond just analytics to focus on the end-to-end process of building, deploying, monitoring, and maintaining robust data pipelines. It recognizes that a data professional's job today is more about engineering reliable data flows than just analyzing static datasets.

## What the AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate Exam Covers in 2025

This certification validates your ability to build and manage the data infrastructure that powers modern businesses. The demand for these skills in Bangalore is immense, with countless startups and enterprises building out their data platforms on AWS. Key domains include:

- Data Ingestion and Transformation (34%): Using services like AWS Glue, Kinesis Data Streams/Firehose, and AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) to collect and process data from various sources.
- Data Store Management (26%): Choosing the right storage solution (like Amazon S3, Redshift, or DynamoDB) and managing data lifecycles and schemas effectively.
- Data Operations and Support (22%): Automating data pipelines with services like AWS Step Functions and Amazon MWAA (Managed Workflows for Apache Airflow), and troubleshooting operational issues.
- Data Security and Governance (18%): Implementing security best practices using AWS IAM, AWS Lake Formation, and ensuring data quality and compliance.

## Why This Certification Matters for Your Career in Bangalore

In the competitive Bangalore job market of 2025, holding the current, relevant certification is a major differentiator. Companies are actively hiring for "AWS Data Engineer" roles, not "Big Data Specialists." This certification proves you have the practical, hands-on skills to:

- Build cost-effective and scalable data pipelines.
- Work with serverless data processing tools like AWS Lambda.
- Ensure data quality and reliability, which is critical for business operations.
- Implement robust security and governance for sensitive data.

## How Vtricks Prepares You for the AWS Data Engineer Certification

Preparing for the AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate exam requires more than just reading documentation. It demands hands-on experience building and troubleshooting data pipelines. That's the core of our training philosophy.

- Aligned Curriculum: Our Data Analytics and Engineering Course curriculum is meticulously mapped to the official AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate exam guide, focusing on services like AWS Glue, Kinesis, Redshift, and EMR.
- Practical Labs and Projects: You won't just learn theory. You'll get your hands dirty building data ingestion systems, orchestrating ETL/ELT workflows, and setting up data lakes—the exact skills tested on the exam.
- Expert Instructors: Our trainers are AWS-certified professionals who have worked on large-scale data projects. They provide real-world context that helps you understand why you use a certain service, not just what it does.
- Certification Guidance: We provide dedicated sessions on exam preparation, practice questions, and strategies to help you pass the certification with confidence.

Don't chase retired certifications. Position yourself for the future of data engineering. For professionals in Bangalore looking to build a career in data on the world's leading cloud platform, the AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate is the credential that matters.

Contact Vtricks Technologies today to learn how our program can provide you with the skills and the certification you need to succeed.