System i Developer to turn focus to other forms of training
System i Developer announces today that its 2021 Virtual RPG & DB2 Summit, scheduled for October 20-26, will be its final conference-style training event. Citing the projected long-term effects of COVID-19 on demand for in-person conferences, the group plans to sunset its cornerstone event to focus on training that developers can more easily schedule around their daily work.
The RPG & DB2 Summit has played a key role in training over 2,000 IBM i developers since its premier in March 2007. Hosts Susan Gantner, Jon Paris and Paul Tuohy attribute the Summit’s longevity to the expertise and approachability of their guest instructors, and to the loyalty of their alumni and ISV sponsors.
“This has been a very difficult decision for us,” says Gantner. “The Summit community is like family to us. Over the past year we’ve heard from so many people who miss the in-person Summits and have been looking forward to the next one. We have been, too! But it’s difficult to predict when companies will again support education that requires spending multiple days away from the office. Despite our strong desire to continue the Summit, at this point in our careers we felt we had to make this painful decision. Now we’re focusing all our attention on celebrating the rich history of the Summit by making the final event the most memorable one yet!”
IBM i Chief Architect Steve Will, who was lead singer at the RPG Five debut at the Summit in 2018, will deliver the Summit’s final Keynote address. The keynote will be open to the public.
The heart of the Summit, five days of sessions, will bookend a weekend to minimize learning fatigue. Each day features two tracks of five 75-minute sessions, delivered live online to facilitate real-time interaction with instructors. Session recordings will be available to all attendees through November 30, 2021.
“Live is best, but recordings allow you attend more sessions than you could at an in-person event,” Paris says. “Many people use the month after the conference to catch up on sessions that they couldn’t attend live. It also allows folks from places like Australia to attend the Summit without having to stay awake all night!”
In addition to technical classes, several informal social activities will be woven into the schedule, including a lunch-time panel where Summit speakers will tell their favorite behind-the-scenes stories of past Summits. Other activities will feature pictures of past events, memories shared by attendees, and other stories.
Registration for the October RPG & DB2 Summit is open now at the Super Saver rate of $495 ($395 for Summit Alumni.)
In 2022, System i Developer will continue to offer hands-on workshops and their popular Lunch & Learn series.
For additional information, visit www.systemideveloper.com or email
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