The Community Zone is the best place all of Summit, you run into so many people, have so many conversations. It’s a chance to rejoin and have a reunion with the #SQLfamily. Monica Rathbun, Consultant at Denny Cherry and Associates.

Monica perfectly sums up the purpose of the Community Zone at PASS Data Community Summit. It’s a place for attendees to come together in a relaxed and social setting to build relationships that can help you grow professionally and advance in your career, but more importantly it’s a place to form friendships.

This year we want to expand the value of the Community Zone. As well as being a comfortable and open space to take time out or mingle with likeminded attendees throughout the day, you’ll also , find meet and greet sessions to start each day, fun interactive elements, and a range of drop-in sessions scheduled. These informal sessions will be run by the community, for the community. The topics selected will focus on key areas of career and professional development with hosts who can offer first hand tips from their own experience.

So, what can you expect from the Community Zone?

The Community Zone opening hours are as follows, and also listed in the Schedule at a Glance:

• Wednesday | 9.30am – 8pm
• Thursday | 9.30am – 6pm
• Friday | 9.30am – 2pm

All the sessions are available in the session catalog and ready for you to add to your schedule builder. Here’s a round-up of the daily drop-in sessions…

Wednesday November 15

Community Leaders Meet & Greet | 9.30-10.15am

Come and meet the user group leaders who champion a tech community spirit around the world!

If you’re a community leader, come along to welcome new and returning community members, and share how being part of your tech community can level up their career. For a bit of fun, we encourage you to bring along treats from your region to share and add your user group to the community world map!

Professional Power Hour: Journey to Management | 1-2pm

Join Chris Yates & Kellyn Gorman for our first Professional Power Hour focused on their journey to management. Learn from their experiences as they share their successes and hard-earned lessons along the way.

Afternoon AMA: New Speakers | 3-4pm

Join Ben Weissman as he chats with the New Stars of Data for this year, and years gone by. Hear about the New Stars experiences of speaking at Summit for the first time, combined with tips on how to get started, or take the next leap, with your own speaking opportunities.

Thursday November 16

Meet a Mentor | 9.30-10.15am

Are you looking to connect with a mentor in the community?

Or perhaps you’re keen to connect with a mentee that you can offer some support and guidance to?

Join us on Thursday morning in the Community Zone and get to know some new faces in the awesome data community. And if you want to get organized, find a like-minded data professional to connect with in advance by posting on this tweet.

Professional Power Hour: Technical Writing | 1-2pm

Join Tony Davis, Louis Davidson, and Tonie Huizer for our second Professional Power focused on writing technical content. Through their combined experience in writing and editing articles and books, learn how to get started, what to focus on (and what not to!) and tips to build your confidence.

Afternoon AMA: PostgreSQL | 3-4pm

Join the PostgreSQL experts, beginners, and wider Postgres community, as they answer your questions on getting started with PostgreSQL, extending your learning beyond SQL Server, how to meet others in the PostgreSQL community, and where to learn more.

Friday November 17

MVP Mingle | 9.30-10.15am

Microsoft MVPs assemble! Head on down to the Community Zone on Friday morning and connect with friends old and new.

This isn’t just for MVPs – perhaps you attended an inspiring session earlier in the week and would like to meet your data hero? Now’s your chance.

Professional Power Hour: Technical Writing | 1-2pm

Join Kathi Kellenberger and Kendra Little for a Professional Power Hour focused on navigating a career change. Learn from their experiences, successes, and discover their top tips for making a change in your own career.

We look forward to welcoming a growing data community to the Community Zone for a catch up, drop-in session and maybe even a game of giant Summit Jenga 😊

If you haven’t yet registered for Summit, happening in person, in Seattle, November 14-17, now’s the time! Register now or join the mailing list to get the latest news and updates direct to your inbox.