"IT is a field where much depends on you," — Azamat Madrahimov on work, sports, and development

A data engineer from Tashkent shares how he balances data work, an active lifestyle, and continuous learning. He talks about the role of his environment, inspiration, favorite habits, and why running became a special sport for him.

Azamat Madrahimov, city — Tashkent, data engineer, LinkedIn

About Me

I work as a data engineer at Beelab. We develop the Beepul payment system, which is considered one of the best in Uzbekistan and is part of the Beeline Uzbekistan digital services ecosystem.

I am responsible for data — its quality, accuracy, and correctness. It is a responsible job, as the company makes decisions and earns money based on this data.

I have a standard schedule — 5/2. Sometimes I stay after work if something urgent needs to be done — I view this positively. When the company needs my help, I am happy to support the team.

Weekends are usually active: I train, go running, and spend time with family and friends.

My brother and I have a tradition — every Saturday we go for plov. I also love spending time with my girlfriend — weekends are special for us. We try to discover new places: cafes, restaurants, or simply beautiful spots for a walk. Additionally, I enjoy good food, going to the cinema, theater, or hiking in the mountains.

Where and How I Learn

I constantly strive to learn something new — I believe this is important not only for me but also for my surroundings. As Master Shifu said: “If you only do what you already know how to do, you will never surpass yourself.”

I often take courses on platforms such as Stepik.org, Codecademy, and Datacamp, and recently I started studying materials on Yandex Practicum — I like their approach: there are curators, mentors, and a community where you can ask questions and discuss tasks. If you are just starting out, I recommend Stepik.org — it has many free and practical courses. Coursera and Udemy are also useful — they offer courses for all levels, both free and paid.

Recently, a Data Community has emerged in Uzbekistan, which organizes monthly events.

I attend their events when I have time. Meetings on topics such as “How to Build a Data Warehouse and Data Lakehouse” and “What is Data Governance” were particularly useful. Such events are a great way not only to learn something new but also to meet people from the data field, exchange experience and contacts.

Environment

I am an outgoing person and an extrovert who loves sharing useful things. Since my profession is related to data, I am surrounded by people close to this field — colleagues, former employees, and university friends. At the same time, I communicate with people from other areas — for example, from marketing or finance. I am interested in understanding what they do, what their tasks and challenges are.

Moreover, I run, and during training sessions I meet people from completely different fields — this is always inspiring.

For professional communication, I attend events from Data Community, where you can exchange ideas and contacts with like-minded people. IT is a field where much depends on you personally, but the environment plays a huge role. University became an excellent place for me to form a professional network.

I also recommend events from EPAM Uzbekistan and Yandex Uzbekistan — top specialists often speak there, sharing practical experience and advice.

Where I Spend My Free Time

I prefer active leisure — walks, running, and trips to nature. But sometimes I love just staying home, watching a good movie or series. Among movies, I especially like “Green Book,” and among series, “Game of Thrones.” There have been weekends when I could spend the whole day watching a series — and that is also a good rest.

I have tried different sports, but running has become special for me. Currently, I am preparing for the Samarkand Marathon and training with a professional coach.

This is a completely different level — proper technique, breathing, and regimen. I advise everyone who loves running to train with a coach at least once — it is an invaluable experience.

Where to Buy What

I am not a fan of specific brands — I love experimenting and trying new things. Currently, I use a Google Pixel — it has an excellent camera, and I love photographing nature, architecture, and just interesting moments from life.

I also want to mention Garmin watches — they are an excellent option for those who run. They help track heart rate, pace, distance, recovery level, and even sleep quality. For runners, this is, perhaps, one of the best brands: reliable, accurate, and with rich functionality.

It is difficult to recommend a specific brand because everything depends on your goals, but the main thing is to choose what really suits your tasks, not just follow trends.