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RE: Do we do enough?

GSquared — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 11:06:47 GMT

I know there are free (and not-free) training events available in my area. Many of them are aimed at a level I'd be better off teaching than studying, but there are others that I could definitely benefit from.And Lord knows, I spend a LOT of time in the SQL community in one capacity or another. (About to submit another article to this site, for example.)But I still don't make it to the SQL events, mainly because I'm already so swamped with all of the other things I do in life. I give blood, I volunteer time around the community, I do all kinds of charity/community events with my church, I help out with "underprivileged schools", and so on. If I have to choose between learning a piece of SQL Server, and helping a couple of hundred kids get free innoculations so they can attend public schools, I don't have a decision to make, because it's already been decided which I'm going to do.And that also means the free time I get (not much) is spent with my wife and my dogs. Again, no contest when it comes to that decision.

RE: Do we do enough?

Ninja's_RGR'us — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 10:56:06 GMT

[quote][b]Doug Lane (4/19/2011)[/b][hr]Speaking strictly about my own experience, when I became truly interested in seeking out additional training, I found it relatively easily. Searching for technical solutions led me to SSC, and once I wanted to really get better at my job, I started reading articles, editorials, and forums. It's possible to better advertise training events, but those who put forth an effort to find it will find it.[/quote]In the same train of thoughts : :hehe::w00t:[url]http://lmgtfy.com/?q=sql+server+training[/url]

RE: Do we do enough?

Doug Lane — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 10:52:11 GMT

Speaking strictly about my own experience, when I became truly interested in seeking out additional training, I found it relatively easily. Searching for technical solutions led me to SSC, and once I wanted to really get better at my job, I started reading articles, editorials, and forums. It's possible to better advertise training events, but those who put forth an effort to find it will find it.

RE: Do we do enough?

Jennifer Levy — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 10:11:15 GMT

Pushing it within our teams (and non-technical social groups if we have SQL folks in those groups) is about the only way I can think of. I found out about the SQL Server community through two of my team leads (after floundering on my own for 6 years or so) so I've been trying to make my newer teammates aware of it as well. For the longest time we had no training budget (and my personal training budget is pretty small due to things like mortgage payments ;-) ), so the free training options (user group meetings, webinars, and SQLSaturdays) were my only real way to learn aside from teaching myself out of books, and they're an excellent resource. I've been flooding my team with information in hopes of them getting connected too. At this point, the only ones who aren't taking advantage of the available opportunities are, like chrisn-585491 indicates, not interested.

RE: Do we do enough?

david.r.buckingham — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 07:45:32 GMT

I think technical recruiters would be a good avenue to disseminate the word as it would benefit both parties. It gives the technical recruiter a good reason to call their contacts that work with SQL and those that may not be on the necessary mailing lists, visit social networking sites often, etc. would be notified of the upcoming free training opportunities.David R BuckinghamSQL Server DBA/developer

RE: Do we do enough?

chrisn-585491 — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 04:15:07 GMT

My co-workers do know the local user group and the three SQL Saturdays hosted by the group exist. They are either too busy to attend or don't want to attend. Then again they learn just barely enough SQL Server to get the job done, so there's not much point in forwarding emails or posting meeting notices any more. Not even the lure of free food and give-aways can entice them from the couch.

RE: Do we do enough?

James Stover — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 18:16:15 GMT

I know this sounds very silly, but offering food & (soft) drinks is a very easy and effective way to entice people to events. Especially ones in the evening. Techies love a pizza and coke. Get your local Microsoft rep to pay for it :-)

RE: Do we do enough?

camassey — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 13:57:49 GMT

I want to make it really clear that I'm [b]not [/b] suggesting that UG leaders, event organizers, etc. aren't already doing tremendous work. They really are, and they're reaching a great audience. Likewise, I wasn't trying to start a debate about / involving people who [i]are[/i] connected (& being a member of SSC counts), but who don't make it to events for whatever reason. We at least know that we (as a community) can reach those people, and what's niggling are the known & unknown unknowns.On the flip-side, this probably isn't a 100% ideal place to ask where your nearest UG meeting is, although if there's nowhere else you feel you can ask, then I guess here's as good a place as any, for the time being.EDIT: I meant that I wasn't thinking about people who are connected *and know that events are taking place* when I wrote the editorial. If people are online & have no idea that free events are taking place, then they're also people that we are somehow not reaching (the known unknowns, if you like, with unknown unknowns being people who are not connected at all).

RE: Do we do enough?

Ninja's_RGR'us — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 12:12:21 GMT

[quote][b]Manie Verster (4/17/2011)[/b][hr][quote]Then I also have to say that I have been so busy the last couple of months that I could not spent as much time in the community as I'd like to. [/quote]If you guys would READ you would have seen that I said I have been very busy and not so active in the community. Touchy feely here now.[/quote]That's called a story. The problem is that you are telling it fooling yourself. And only yourself with it.If you don't want to do more of "it" that's fine, just don't make excuses and assume your choice instead of blaming it on circumstances.

RE: Do we do enough?

GilaMonster — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 11:14:19 GMT

[quote][b]Manie Verster (4/17/2011)[/b][hr]If you guys would READ you would have seen that I said I have been very busy and not so active in the community.[/quote]I did read. It doesn't change the fact that I have given you the usergroup URL before (on this forum when you previously mentioned that you didn't know of any usergroups in JHB) and that the registration for the mailing list is on that site and that notifications have been going out every month. Fairly close to the event sometimes I admit, I'm hellishly busy at the moment.

RE: Do we do enough?

Manie Verster — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 10:46:20 GMT

[quote]Then I also have to say that I have been so busy the last couple of months that I could not spent as much time in the community as I'd like to. [/quote]If you guys would READ you would have seen that I said I have been very busy and not so active in the community. Touchy feely here now.

RE: Do we do enough?

GilaMonster — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 09:08:22 GMT

[quote][b]Ninja's_RGR'us (4/17/2011)[/b][hr][quote][b]Manie Verster (4/17/2011)[/b][hr]I joined a website about developers and SQL users group in South Africa but hadn't heard from them in a long time. Then I also have to say that I have been so busy the last couple of months that I could not spent as much time in the community as I'd like to. So, if anyone know of any events in South Africa please let me know.[/quote]Don't worry about it Gail, he's just giving himself an excuse to not do anything and have a reson not to go. Seen it 1000 times over the years. Nothing wrong with it, just let him go.[/quote]The not attending is fine. I'm not going to force anyone to attend. What I don't like is the implication that I'm not doing my part as one of the usergroup leads in keeping people informed.

RE: Do we do enough?

Ninja's_RGR'us — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 08:44:48 GMT

[quote][b]Manie Verster (4/17/2011)[/b][hr]I joined a website about developers and SQL users group in South Africa but hadn't heard from them in a long time. Then I also have to say that I have been so busy the last couple of months that I could not spent as much time in the community as I'd like to. So, if anyone know of any events in South Africa please let me know.[/quote]Don't worry about it Gail, he's just giving himself an excuse to not do anything and have a reson not to go. Seen it 1000 times over the years. Nothing wrong with it, just let him go.

RE: Do we do enough?

GilaMonster — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 07:06:06 GMT

[quote][b]Manie Verster (4/17/2011)[/b][hr]I joined a website about developers and SQL users group in South Africa but hadn't heard from them in a long time. ... So, if anyone know of any events in South Africa please let me know.[/quote]Oh come on.....I know I've given you the usergroup URL more than once. The mailing list is self-signup, so if you want to be contacted (and I send out a invite every single month and I have since the usergroup started) you don't need to contact anyone or depend on anyone to do it for you.[url]http://www.sqlusergroup.co.za/[/url]Or, if you're on the East Rand[url]http://erddug.new-heights.co.za/[/url]Or if you are for some reason in Cape Town[url]http://www.sqlcape.org.za/[/url]

RE: Do we do enough?

Manie Verster — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 05:37:16 GMT

I joined a website about developers and SQL users group in South Africa but hadn't heard from them in a long time. Then I also have to say that I have been so busy the last couple of months that I could not spent as much time in the community as I'd like to. So, if anyone know of any events in South Africa please let me know.

Do we do enough?

camassey — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 18:02:06 GMT

Comments posted to this topic are about the item [B]Do we do enough?[/B]