Powering Public Services: Data Engineering at DWP Digital

Speaker: Kopiga Kugananthavel — Senior Data Engineer, DWP Digital

About DWP Digital

DWP Digital is the technology and data organisation within the UK’s Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). It designs, builds, and operates the digital services that support the department’s mission - delivering welfare, pensions, and support to millions of people across the UK every day.

Abstract

In today’s data driven world, the line between data engineering and data science is increasingly blurred. While data scientists focus on extracting insights and building models, data engineers are the architects who make those insights possible designing scalable systems, ensuring data quality, and enabling real-time analytics.

In this session, Kopiga Kugananthavel, a Senior Data Engineer at DWP Digital shares how these professions work together, and how in DWP Digital they can use data to drive meaningful change and deliver better public services.

Session outline

1. Introduction

• Brief intro to DWP Digital and our vision and purpose.
• Role and team’s focus within DWP Digital.

2. What is Data Engineering?

• Definition and key responsibilities.
• How it differs from Data Science
• Tools and technologies commonly used

3. Impact at DWP Digital

• Examples of projects you’ve worked on
• What’s unique about working in data within a government department, e.g. size and scale, impacting millions of lives.

4. Collaboration between data engineers and data scientists

• Importance of clean, well-structured, and accessible data.
• How the role of a data engineer allows a data scientist to do their job effectively
• How the two roles complement each other and collaborate

5. Career

• What skills are useful for transitioning from data science to data engineering
• Opportunities at DWP Digital for graduates
• Tips for students interested in exploring data engineering