Amy Watson

9 April 2024

Top 5 reasons to attend PASS Data Community Summit 2024

I don’t know about you, but after the pandemic I was really left with a newfound appreciation for attending in-person events and connecting with people in real life. Don’t get me wrong, I love the flexibility that comes with hybrid events, and I attend my fair share of virtual meetups throughout the year, but they never seem to have as much of a lasting impact on me.

Shortly after joining the Events team at Redgate in 2023, I was very lucky to be able to attend my first PASS Data Community Summit. There was something very special about seeing the data community come together to connect, share and learn at this event. PASS has been highly rated by the data community for decades, and 2024 marks the 25th anniversary of the event. So, if you’ve not been before, let me introduce you to PASS and explain why 2024 needs to be the year you join us in Seattle!

The top 5 reasons to attend PASS 2024

1. Networking

So many people have repeatedly told us that attending PASS Data Community Summit has changed their lives. That’s quite a bold claim, but whether it’s been finding new job opportunities, making connections that have helped accelerate their careers, or making new friends, attending PASS has certainly made a huge impact on the data community. Check out this blog post from Cathrine Wilhelmsen and this recent Reddit thread from previous attendees who all explain how PASS has helped them over the years.

The atmosphere at this event, which really is all about the data community, is very special and it’s something I got to witness for myself last November. As one attendee told us, “in a career where most people are either solo or have a very small team, it’s a great opportunity to engage with an amazing and supportive community.”

2. Quality and variety of sessions

Did you know that there were 250 hours of content and experiences by 224 speakers during the five days of PASS Data Community Summit 2023?!

If you’re looking to boost your skills and learn from industry leaders in 2024, attending PASS is seriously one of the best investments you can make. PASS is the go-to conference for data professionals to connect, share and learn with peers and industry leaders for a whole week of learning and networking opportunities. Previous speakers have included Bob Ward, Kimberley Tripp, Brent Ozar, Deborah Melkin, Kevin Kline and Steve Jones.

Plus, if you register for a 3-day ticket, you’ll automatically get access to on-demand recordings included in your ticket price. You’ll be able to watch back all general sessions until the end of January 2025 (with the option to extend access for a small fee).

A 2023 attendee told us, “as a first-time attendee, I found everyone to be very welcoming and engaging, with a high level of knowledge both in the speakers and attendees overall.”

3. Keep up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies

Redgate’s recent industry survey, ‘The State of the Database Landscape’, includes data from every sector and every company size. The findings indicate that data management is becoming far more complex, with increased complexity and skill diversification cited as top challenges when dealing with multiple databases.

Max Drobot, Product Manager at Redgate, said: “I’ve rarely met a data professional whose organization wasn’t experiencing data growth and making more demands of their data. It’s not just the growth in data being stored that’s an issue, it’s also where it’s being stored. Behind the scenes, the number of different databases and platforms being used across every business sector has been steadily increasing.”

To help support your learning, there are hundreds of sessions to choose from at PASS, with a huge variety of talks delivered to suit different skill levels and backgrounds. Sessions are organized into four levels, ranging from introductory through to advanced. Five different tracks help to separate topics across Analytics, Architecture, Database Management, Development and Professional Development, with a variety of tools and databases being discussed – including Microsoft, AWS, Google, PostgreSQL and more.

4. Troubleshoot issues with fellow attendees and vendors in-person

Attendees are always encouraged to bring a real workplace scenario they’re looking for help with to PASS. Not only can this be a great way of breaking the ice (and prove to be a fantastic conversation starter), it’s also an effective way of making the most of the unique opportunity to troubleshoot issues on site with industry leaders and your fellow attendees.

For example, you might like to ask a speaker for guidance on a particular topic after you’ve been inspired by one of their talks, or you might like to find a solution to an issue you’re encountering by talking to our vendors and sponsors (including Redgate) in the Exhibit Hall. Don’t just take my word for it, though – one of last year’s attendees said: “I very much enjoyed talking to vendors about solutions and in some cases even ‘white-boarding’ problems and solutions on the spot.”

5. Return-on-investment

“I always come away with items that provide me with a ROI that make the conference worth it. The conference keeps me up-to-date on current items and helps guide my decisions on what is best to implement.”

I really think this quote from a 2023 attendee speaks for itself. Given busy workloads, and the various personal and professional demands we all have, it can be tricky to justify having time away to attend conferences. Arguably, one of the most valuable benefits of attending PASS is seeing a return-on-investment. Many attendees tell us how much they value being able to apply practical insights they learned at PASS to their day-to-day work – ultimately saving them, their companies and even clients’ time and money in the long-term. Come to PASS in November and you won’t have to solve those workplace challenges on your own anymore; you’ll have the database community there alongside you to connect, share and learn.

Getting time out of the office to attend professional events isn’t always easy, so if you need help drafting a letter to your boss to get advance approval for your travel to attend PASS, why not download our handy ‘Convince your Boss’ letter template?

PASS Data Community Summit is taking place November 4-8, 2024, in-person in Seattle. Launch price tickets are available to buy until 23:59 PM PT on May 7.

Connect, share and learn at PASS Data Community Summit 2024

Guarantee your place at PASS Data Community Summit 2024 at the best possible price by taking advantage of launch pricing (closes May 7 at 11:59 PM PT).

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