This Saturday was SQL Saturday for Raleigh. Attendance was strong, classrooms were filled, and the event was a success. When I attend these events it amazes me how strong the SQL community is. Speakers travel from states away, volunteers setup and plan the event, vendors sponsor the event and meet at their booths with participants, and people come to learn on an Saturday.

That really says something about SELECT individuals who INNER JOIN with each other ON a Saturday WHERE the goal is to learn from each other as a GROUP BY sharing knowledge we are lucky enough HAVING such a great community. I’ll stop now in ORDER to show some pictures of day!

Here are some actions shots of the day from classrooms, the clinic, and the prize raffle.

Why Attend SQL Saturday?

If you are a working professional with SQL Server, attending a SQL Saturday is a great idea! Where else can you train with speakers who are prominent in the field all day for no cost?. There are usually 5+ different sessions going on at the same time on topics ranging from DBA issues, developer material, Business Intelligence / Analytics, to career development. Attending is a good idea because is it a great way to learn something new in a 1 hour session or to be in a position to deeper your knowledge by asking the speaker questions about a pain point at work.

The event is run by volunteers and there is no pressure to buy something, no marketing pitch to see you a time-share, etc. There is no cost or commitment – just cool vendor swag and free training from experts in the field. Stop by for 1 session or stay for all of them.

SQL PASS

SQL Saturday are free learning events that different SQL PASS chapters give once a year. They are free to attend and are often a great way to increase your knowledge, network, and spend the day learning. If you’re a SQL Server professional they are worth your time.

Check them out! Here is the list of upcoming events: SQL Saturday