2026 Cohort · Open Track · Free community-powered build sprint

Registration closed See onboarding flow

2026 Cohort / June to November

Community-powered, not classroom-shaped.

DEP Engineering Program

A six-month build sprint where selected builders ship a public GitHub project, a real data pipeline, and a deployable dashboard.

24 Weeks of building
7 Milestone outputs
5 Hours per week
Free Community-led access

What this is

Not a bootcamp. A build sprint.

The site is intentionally simple, but the experience should feel like a serious program launch: a bold open track, real support, and a clear path from application to deployment.

Community-powered

Builders work through an open curriculum with milestone support from volunteers, reviewers, moderators, squad guides, and project mentors.

Project-driven

Each participant builds a public GitHub project, an end-to-end data pipeline, and a deployed dashboard that can be shown beyond the cohort.

How the cohort works

From application to program launch.

The flow is designed to feel like onboarding into a real cohort: selection, announcement, setup, support channels, and a clean start to the build sprint.

Selection

Applications are reviewed by the admissions panel against cohort fit and readiness.

Selection announcement

Selected builders receive cohort instructions, next steps, and onboarding details.

Meetup and onboarding

The cohort meets the organizing team, support team, operating rhythm, and curriculum flow.

GitHub onboarding

Builders set up GitHub, fork or create their project repo, and submit the required repo link.

Cohort channel and check-ins

A dedicated channel anchors questions, updates, and regular check-ins led by James.

Program start declaration

The team confirms support coverage, reviews expected outputs, and officially starts the build sprint.

Open-track fallback

Applicants who are not selected for direct support may still follow the public GitHub curriculum independently. The repo remains free, open, and usable without cohort admission.

Expected outputs

What builders will produce.

The emphasis is on public proof of work: something reviewers can inspect, cohorts can discuss, and future builders can learn from.

Public GitHub repo

A clean, documented project repository with setup notes, source code, and project context.

Data pipeline

An ingestion, cleaning, analysis, and validation flow using free and open-source tools.

Milestone submissions

Seven milestone outputs from problem framing through final deployment.

Launching meet readiness

Clear expectations for the infrastructure, GitHub workflow, and project tech stack.

Live dashboard

A GitHub Pages deployment that turns the final analysis into a shareable project artifact.

Responsible AI

Use AI as a coach, not a substitute.

The guidance stays practical: brainstorm, explain, debug, and review with AI, but keep the thinking, decisions, and final submission yours.

Good uses

  • Brainstorm project questions and data sources.
  • Explain Python, Git, SQL, and data concepts.
  • Debug errors and review drafts against milestone checklists.
  • Improve clarity after you have written your own attempt.

Boundaries

  • Do not invent sources, metrics, results, or conclusions.
  • Do not submit work you cannot explain live.
  • Do not use AI to bypass milestone rules or reviewer checks.
  • Do not hide missing work behind polished wording.
Read the full AI guide

Builder cohort

Public progress, responsibly shared.

DEP tracks the cohort like a data program: builders, milestones, phases, and support signals are reviewed regularly. This public view only shows sanitized fields suitable for the website.

Milestone timeline

Cohort deadlines and current time

Loading milestone deadlines...

Loading the latest sanitized builder snapshot...
50 Selected builders
24 Build weeks
7 Milestones
7 Program phases

Status distribution

Support signal

Phase distribution

Curriculum progress

Milestone funnel

Submitted vs passed

Builder directory

Selected builders and project signals

Snapshot data will appear when JavaScript loads.

Builder snapshot unavailable

The public directory is generated from a sanitized data file and does not expose emails, notes, or reviewer assignments.

Organizing team

The people supporting the 2026 cohort.

Names are grouped by function, like the reference cohort site, so builders can quickly see who handles admissions, systems, curriculum, moderation, and project support.

FAQ

Questions builders usually ask.

Grouped by topic so builders can move straight to the kind of question they have in mind.

General Questions

What is the DEP Data Engineering Open Track?

The DEP Data Engineering Open Track is a six-month, community-powered, project-driven learning journey. It guides aspiring data engineers through building, deploying, and owning a production-grade data pipeline from scratch.

Is this a bootcamp or a traditional course?

No. We treat it as an anti-course: no traditional lectures, no hand-holding tutorials, and no spoon-fed answers. The program provides milestones, review guardrails, and community support, but you are responsible for researching, debugging, and executing your own project.

Is there a tuition fee? What's the catch?

The program is 100% free and community-powered. The only currency expected is your time, grit, and commitment to meeting weekly project milestones.

Will I get a certificate at the end of the program?

Instead of a paper certificate, finishers earn official recognition as a DEP Certified Builder. The real proof is a live end-to-end data pipeline, a well-documented GitHub repository, and a public dashboard hosted on GitHub Pages.

Technical Requirements

How much Python and SQL do I need before joining?

You should already have a solid foundational baseline: basic Python syntax, data types, loops, and fundamental SQL queries like joins, aggregations, and filtering. The cohort focuses on using those tools in real data pipelines and deployable projects.

What are the hardware and system requirements?

You need access to a functional laptop or desktop computer and a stable internet connection. Your system must support a local Python environment, a code editor such as VS Code, and Git commands.

What technologies will we be using?

The curriculum uses a lean open-source stack: Python, SQL, Git/GitHub, and APIs to ingest, transform, move, and visualize data.

Commitment & Structure

What is the time commitment required for the cohort?

You should commit at least 5 hours per week for 6 months, or roughly 120 hours total. The rhythm is self-paced through the week, with milestone target deadlines to help you stay on pace.

I have a full-time job or a heavy school load. Can I still join?

Yes. The pacing is meant to work for students and working professionals, but you still need to protect those 5 hours each week. If you cannot commit to the finish line, do not take a slot from someone who can.

What happens if I miss a milestone deadline?

Your issue remains open and continues through the normal automated checks, prerequisite queue, and human review. The system adds a late-submission indicator so the timing stays visible, but it does not reject or close the issue. Continue on that original issue instead of opening a replacement.

I don't know what project to build. What do I do?

Start with a question you genuinely want answered. Good public-data topics include traffic and transport, crop prices and agriculture, health facility access, flood and typhoon patterns, and education statistics. Your project does not need to be groundbreaking; it needs to be answerable with real data.

Application & Selection

Why is the cohort limited to only 50 participants?

We limit the inaugural cohort to 50 builders so the team can provide meaningful code reviews, mentorship, and community accountability.

How does the Selection Committee evaluate applications?

Applications are reviewed for foundations, resources, intent, and grit: Python and SQL familiarity, the hardware and internet needed to participate, clear motivation to learn and execute, and visible commitment to finishing the six-month journey.

If I don't get selected, what are my options?

Not being selected does not end your journey. You can continue building your skills through free resources from our official partners, DataCamp and WorldQuant University. You can also explore learning materials, past sessions, and community activities available through the Data Engineering Pilipinas website. Stay engaged, keep learning, and feel free to apply again in the next cohort cycle.