Numbers change every time
The right tool for 2 GB is not the right tool for 2 TB. Cases are generated from rules, so memorised answers fail.
Launch offerFree to try out. Practice and the exam cost nothing while we launch. Register, try a case, and see what you can decide.
DataKern Certification
Prove what you can decide, not what you can memorise.
Each exam is a working day at a fictional company. You read the emails, logs and tables, then decide what to use where, how to brief an AI assistant, whether its plan is safe, and what changes when the rules change. No code. No trick questions.
Open-book. Unproctored. 90 minutes. The badge says so, in plain words. The exam is for you, so answer it yourself.
- Read
- Decide
- See why
A message arrives on your first day.
Priya, Head of Sales
to the data team
Why is the report always late?
Our sales report was not ready at 8:00 again. We need it for the morning meeting. Can you find out why?
- Reading the file
- 4 minutes
- Adding the rows to the database
- 2 hours 51 minutes
Why it is different
Decisions depend on the situation.
Open-book, and honest about it
Check your notes and the documentation, like real work. But the answers must be yours: the exam is for you, not for us. Every badge states the conditions, so it is never overstated.
Practice teaches, the exam measures
Practice shows answers, reasons and the common mistake behind each wrong option. The exam shows your profile, not the key.
The five steps
Every case asks the same five questions.
Each case is a short story followed by five questions, always in this order. Your result is a profile of these five skills, so you know exactly what to practise next.
Spot the problem
Read a real situation and find what actually matters, using the numbers in front of you.
Pick the solution
Pick the best option, and say why. The best choice depends on the numbers.
Ask the AI
Write a request that an AI assistant can really use: the facts, the limits and the rules.
Check the plan
An AI assistant suggests a plan. Keep the good parts, fix the weak ones, and reject the risky ones.
Handle the change
Something changes in the middle of the work. Decide what the plan now needs.
Two tracks, two levels
Choose your track.
DataKern Certified Data Engineer
Azure, Databricks, Spark and the data foundations underneath them: what to use where, and why.
- Open to any registered student.
Associate
45 questions in 9 cases
- Opens after you pass Associate in the same track.
Professional
30 questions in 6 cases
DataKern Certified AI Engineer
LLMs, retrieval, agents, evaluation and running AI in production: what to build, and what to leave out.
- Open to any registered student.
Associate
45 questions in 9 cases
- Opens after you pass Associate in the same track.
Professional
30 questions in 6 cases
The two tracks are separate. You can work on both at the same time.
How it works
From request to verified badge.
Register
Tell us who you are and which track you want. The exam form states the rules, so there are no surprises.
Confirm your email
We send one link to the address you gave. This proves the address is yours.
Get your login
Kiran reviews each request and emails your username and passcode himself. Nothing is sent automatically.
Practise or sit the exam
Practice shows you the answers and the reasons. The exam does not. Practice never affects the exam.
See your Judgment Profile
You get pass or fail, a score band, and a profile of five skills with a level for each.
Share a verified badge
If you pass, Kiran approves your badge. Anyone can check it on data-kern.com/verify.
Stay safe. DataKern never asks for your passcode by email reply or on any other website. The only official address is data-kern.com.
Your Judgment ProfileIllustrative
Spot the problemPick the solutionAsk the AICheck the planHandle the change
- Spot the problem
- Pick the solution
- Ask the AI
- Check the plan
- Handle the change
A level for each of the five skills, so you know what to practise next.
Check a badge
Verify someone's DataKern badge.
Every badge has an ID and an official page. Only trust a badge that opens on data-kern.com.
DataKern Certified Data Engineer
Associate level
- Badge ID
- DK-DEA-7Q2M-9XKD
- Holder
- [Holder name]
- Conditions
- Open-book · Unproctored · 90 min
Verified on data-kern.com/verify
Questions
Straight answers.
Is the exam proctored?
No. It is open-book and unproctored on purpose. Nobody watches you, and you can check your notes and the documentation. Please do not ask an AI to answer the questions. We cannot check, but the exam is for you: it shows what you can decide today and what to practise next. The only control is the 90-minute server clock. The badge says this clearly, so anyone reading it knows the conditions.
Does it cost anything?
No. Practice and the exam are a launch offer and free to try out.
Do I have to write code?
No. You read a situation like a working day at a fictional company, then make decisions: what to use where, how to brief an AI assistant, whether an AI plan is safe, and what to change when the rules change.
Why can I not just memorise the answers?
The best answer depends on numbers in the story, and the numbers change every time a case is generated. "Spark is always right" fails as quickly as "Spark is always wrong". You have to read the situation.
What does the badge prove?
That you made good decisions in cases like the ones engineers face, under conditions the badge states. It is DataKern's own credential. It is not a Microsoft, Databricks or other vendor certification.
What if my internet drops during the exam?
Your timer pauses for up to 10 minutes in total while your connection is down, so you can fix it. Your answers stay on your computer and are sent as soon as you are back. If you are still offline after those 10 minutes, the timer runs again. If you are signed out, log in again and your attempt continues where you left it. The server keeps the time, so the browser cannot add or remove any.
How many attempts do I get?
Two, within 14 days of your login. Starting the exam uses one attempt. Logging in again or resuming does not. If our platform fails, we cancel that attempt and give it back.
Can I take Professional first?
No. Professional opens after you pass Associate in the same track. The two tracks are independent, so you can work on both at the same time.
Will I see the right answers after the exam?
Not for the exam. You see your result, your score band and your Engineering Judgment Profile. Practice is different: it shows answers and explanations after every question.
Is my data safe?
We keep the minimum: your name, email and exam record. We never store a passcode in readable form. Read the privacy policy for retention and your rights.
Launch offer
Free to try out. See what you can decide.
Practice and the exam cost nothing while we launch. Register, try a case, and see what you can decide.