Do I need experience in another technical role like DA, SWE to be a Data Engineer?

I recently completed my bachelor's degree in computer science, and I want to go into Data Engineering. I do want to sharpen my technical skills and knowledge past what I covered in my university career and get certifications for good measure. What would you recommend is the best way to go about getting into a DA role? Is pursuing a master's degree in DA idea? Or should I start out in another role then transition into DA? Or are there any better ways to go about it than the aforementioned?