Hello,

I face a similar issue, and I agree with the answers that the best thing to do is install Developer Edition somewhere, create a sizable amount of data and start playing with it.

But to add to that, I find it helps to read what others are doing on places like this, and Simple-Talk, and the blogs of other good DBAs. This helps me to see things that I won't encounter in my daily work. I also find it helpful to write. This gives me a motivation to explore things I might not otherwise look at, and then forces me to actually organize my thoughts on the the topic. I write articles here and recently started my own blog for precisely that reason.

Also, I think pursuing certifications is helpful. Once you have some real experience they are not all that significant on a resume, but the process of preparing for a certification gives you a goal to work towards and helps organize your study.

Finally, you can look for SQL Challenges in other places. If your current employer and your time schedule both allow, you may be able to find contract work or volunteer work with SQL Server on the side.

Good luck with your studies.

Tim