ETL is an acronym for extract, transform, load. This describes a computer programming process that automatically extracts, transforms, and loads multiple forms of computer data from a variety of data sources, and then transmits them to a data storage facility or data warehouse repository. ETL was introduced half a century ago in computing circles to help computer techs better integrate and load data into large computer mainframes for computation purposes and data analysis. The ETL process was originally designed to support business intelligence needs. It is still used today, generally for smaller repositories of data, and other forms of data integration software are being used for larger volumes of data.

Why is it important to learn about ETL?

Learning about ETL can help you further your data storage knowledge, which is such a huge part of today's interconnected networks. Knowing ETL will help you understand why companies use the process to sort through their data, decide what to keep, and what to eliminate. Learning ETL can help you manage data projects more efficiently. This is especially true for anyone eager to learn about scalable data analytics processes and optimal business intelligence warehousing.

What type of careers use ETL?

The typical careers for someone who has learned ETL include data warehousing, data storage, network functionality, computer networking, systems architecture, and other similar roles within companies or agencies. Realistically, you could work in just about any data-intensive industry and find employment as an ETL developer. Many industries are moving toward big data repositories, and having the knowledge of ETL processes can be a tremendous asset for someone aspiring to find ETL work.

How can taking online courses help me learn ETL?

When you take online courses about ETL, you can learn the basics of data warehousing for business intelligence. But that's just the start. Within the wide variety of online courses about ETL, you can branch-off to pursue your interests in data warehousing, data storage, SQL database learning, visual modeling, and much more. Learning about these interconnected specialties can help you stay ahead of the big data revolution.

What are the benefits of taking an online Extract Transform Load (ETL) course?

Online Extract Transform Load (ETL) courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Extract Transform Load (ETL) skills. Choose from a wide range of Extract Transform Load (ETL) courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Extract Transform Load (ETL) courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Extract Transform Load (ETL), it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Best ETL Courses & Certificates [2025]

Explore the ETL Course Catalog

Status: Free Trial
IBM
BI Foundations with SQL, ETL and Data Warehousing
Skills you'll gain: Data Warehousing, SQL, Extract, Transform, Load, Apache Airflow, Linux Commands, IBM Cognos Analytics, Data Pipelines, Apache Kafka, Bash (Scripting Language), Shell Script, Data Visualization, Dashboard, File Management, Star Schema, Unix Shell, IBM DB2, Business Intelligence, Databases, Stored Procedure, Relational Databases
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
24K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Coursera Instructor Network
Data Warehousing: Schema, ETL, Optimal Performance
Skills you'll gain: Data Warehousing, Extract, Transform, Load, Snowflake Schema, Star Schema, Business Intelligence, Data Modeling, Database Design, Data Management, Data Integration, Performance Tuning, Databases, Data Transformation, Scalability
4.3
Rating, 4.3 out of 5 stars
15 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
IBM
ETL and Data Pipelines with Shell, Airflow and Kafka
Skills you'll gain: Extract, Transform, Load, Apache Airflow, Data Pipelines, Apache Kafka, Data Warehousing, Data Transformation, Data Migration, Web Scraping, Data Integration, Shell Script, Data Processing, Real Time Data, Data Cleansing, Big Data, Performance Tuning, Scalability
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
414 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
Microsoft
Extract, Transform and Load Data in Power BI
Skills you'll gain: Extract, Transform, Load, Power BI, Data Validation, Data Transformation, Data Cleansing, Data Storage, Data Quality, Data Analysis, Data Integration, Data Storage Technologies, Business Intelligence
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
897 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Status: AI skills
IBM
IBM Data Engineering
Skills you'll gain: NoSQL, Data Warehousing, SQL, Apache Hadoop, Extract, Transform, Load, Apache Airflow, Web Scraping, Linux Commands, Database Design, IBM Cognos Analytics, MySQL, Apache Spark, Database Administration, Data Store, Generative AI, Professional Networking, Data Import/Export, Python Programming, Data Analysis, Data Science
Build toward a degree
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
59K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Coursera Instructor Network
Data Engineering: Pipelines, ETL, Hadoop
Skills you'll gain: Data Pipelines, Apache Hadoop, Extract, Transform, Load, Data Transformation, Apache Hive, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Big Data, Data Warehousing, Data Infrastructure, Data Lakes, Data Architecture, Apache Spark, Data Integration, Data Processing, Data Management, Data Analysis, Scalability
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

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Status: Free Trial
IBM
IBM Data Warehouse Engineer
Skills you'll gain: Data Warehousing, SQL, Extract, Transform, Load, Apache Airflow, Linux Commands, Database Design, IBM Cognos Analytics, MySQL, Database Administration, Data Pipelines, Apache Kafka, Database Management, Bash (Scripting Language), Shell Script, Database Architecture and Administration, Data Store, IBM DB2, Data Visualization, Relational Databases, Dashboard
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
6.2K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Google Cloud
ETL Processing on Google Cloud Using Dataflow and BigQuery
Skills you'll gain: Data Pipelines, Extract, Transform, Load, Dataflow, Data Processing, Scripting, Google Cloud Platform, Big Data, Scripting Languages, Cloud Storage
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
11 reviews
Intermediate · Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Status: Free Trial
IBM
Databases and SQL for Data Science with Python
Skills you'll gain: SQL, Databases, Stored Procedure, Relational Databases, Database Design, Query Languages, Database Management, Data Analysis, Jupyter, Data Manipulation, Pandas (Python Package), Python Programming, Transaction Processing
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
22K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: New
Status: Free Trial
Status: AI skills
IBM
IBM Relational Database Administrator
Skills you'll gain: Data Engineering, Data Warehousing, SQL, Extract, Transform, Load, Apache Airflow, Web Scraping, Linux Commands, Database Design, Database Administration, MySQL, Data Pipelines, Apache Kafka, Database Management, Bash (Scripting Language), Shell Script, Database Architecture and Administration, Data Store, Generative AI, Data Import/Export, Data Security
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
59K reviews
Intermediate · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Duke University
Excel to MySQL: Analytic Techniques for Business
Skills you'll gain: Predictive Modeling, Data Storytelling, Database Design, Dashboard, MySQL, Relational Databases, SQL, Tableau Software, Business Analytics, Business Metrics, Data Visualization Software, Analytics, Data Visualization, Business Process Improvement, Business Intelligence, Microsoft Excel, Business Analysis, Data Analysis, Big Data, Business Communication
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
15K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
IBM
Data Engineering Foundations
Skills you'll gain: SQL, Web Scraping, Database Design, MySQL, Data Transformation, Data Store, IBM DB2, Extract, Transform, Load, Relational Databases, Data Architecture, Data Pipelines, Big Data, Database Management, Data Warehousing, Data Governance, Databases, Stored Procedure, Data Import/Export, Programming Principles, Python Programming
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
57K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months