AWS Community: How User Groups Transformed My Cloud Career

. Here, I’ll share how this experience changed everything for me. Welcome, here we talk about events, experiences, and knowledge, especially in the cloud computing stack. I’m ília. I’ve been working with technology since 2011, and in this space, I will tell you how the user groups positively impacted my journey, which began to transform in 2023.

First, let me tell you a little bit about myself. I’m passionate about Minas Gerais, my beloved hometown, from where I still maintain strong roots today. I love technology because I believe in its power to change lives and difficult realities. Additionally, I value my family and the tech communities I am a part of.

My story with technology truly began in 2009, when I arrived in Brasília. Yes, I’m a resident of the “quadradim” — as we affectionately call the Distrito Federal in Brazil. Although I love this land, I’m a true Minas Gerais native at heart, and my passions go beyond just pão de queijo! I love taking care of people, learning more about cloud technology, connecting organizations, and democratizing the power to innovate and create.

I will share important details about how my life has changed since I joined the User Groups. This is our main theme here, so how about we discover together what this means?

My journey in the world of technology took an incredible turn when I discovered the AWS User Groups. Since I started participating in 2023, these communities have not only expanded my technical knowledge but also opened doors to valuable connections and unforgettable experiences.

In this post, I’ll share how these groups impacted my life, from transformative events to friendships and achievements that changed my perspective on collaboration, personal growth, and the professional universe.

, many of these communities were created by the companies themselves as a strategy to spread their culture, trends, updates, etc.

But in my view, the creation of technology communities goes beyond that. The benefits are always shared among all. Those who are highly knowledgeable on a subject teach and continue learning even more, while those who are lost or just starting their journey find in the community support and resources to study and grow. Through communities, it is possible to share more than just tools and technologies: they are controlled and safe spaces where everyone can develop and deliver something valuable.

Here in Brasília, we have several communities, from the more traditional ones to the emerging ones. Communities like , and . Let me tell you how they came about!

AWS User Groups (UGs) are communities where developers discuss , evolved from an online bookstore to operate in areas like e-commerce, cloud computing, streaming, and artificial intelligence. Known for its strong culture of innovation, Amazon, through its cloud division AWS, created its communities. More specifically, in September 2007, the Rochester AWS Users Group (RAWSUG) was founded in New York.

“Mitch Garnaat and David Kavanagh, both long-time enthusiastic AWS developers, said: ‘We’re proud to announce the formation of a local Amazon Web Services user group.’ It’s hard to say who’s prouder — them or the AWS team here in Seattle. It’s going to be a fun and interesting night!”

(Source: . This is amazing!

Generally, these groups are created in cities, whether in large metropolises or even small localities, as in the case of the groups in (National Institute of Standards and Technology) in the United States, which can help us understand the technological focus of User Groups (UGs). NIST describes cloud computing as a model that enables access to multiple services in a ubiquitous, convenient, and on-demand manner. It is a set of shared resources, such as networks, servers, storage, applications, and services, that can be quickly provisioned.

This is one of the most respected definitions of Cloud Computing globally. Later, we will explore its fundamentals in more detail and advance to more sophisticated topics. But this is the core stack, the center of meetings and studies in user groups. Many of us, when we first joined user groups, had not yet used cloud services for our projects. Within the community, we learned how to begin our journey and/or enhance our toolbox for the cloud solutions we create.

The fact is that a lot of knowledge isn’t learned just from books or the internet; learning comes from day-to-day deployments and teamwork within cloud service providers. Additionally, much of this practical knowledge is acquired through meetups — informal events that promote knowledge exchange and moments of fun. These typically include inspiring talks, technical workshops, and rich discussions, often accompanied by pizza, soda, or beer.

These gatherings have been my main source of practical learning about the cloud. Through them, I not only deepened my knowledge of AWS concepts but also developed skills that I directly apply in my work as a Digital Business Manager.

, but that’s a topic for another post.

It was incredible how participating in various initiatives within the community helped me grow, even in my second language, English. The AWS community goes far beyond technical learning. Here, I found people with similar passions, built strong friendships and felt part of something larger. Exchanging experiences with colleagues from different fields taught me that, in technology, the diversity of ideas is as important as innovation.

, and other events within our community. The fact is that if you get involved with a user group, fun is guaranteed. There will be many happy hours, group trips, tours, visits to large offices, and other things you won’t want to miss.

So, one tip we give here on the channel is for you to find out today which local user group is active in your city, through the link I will leave here shortly. Or didn’t find a local user group? Don’t get discouraged, we can help you create your local user group. Just click on this link and talk to us; we’ll guide you on how to set up your group in your city. AWS has an entire support program for creating new groups. You must connect with an existing group and talk to someone to learn how to navigate this path.

Well, this is an interesting topic that will be the focus of another post, but you can already download the necessary information, here in the This event, led and conceived by a great colleague in the community, , takes place every year in Goiânia. It’s a pretty cool, well-organized event, filled with opportunities for fun, great people, and speakers who come to share their knowledge with us. I learned about the event in 2023, and it was my first experience with tech events. I was trying to understand how to approach this world, get a better grasp of Cloud Computing, and figure out how I could incorporate this knowledge into my career.

I found out about Cloud Summit Cerrado through the internet, bought my ticket, and left Brasília after work hours. It was quite hectic and rushed! I arrived in Goiânia towards the end of the event, just a few hours before it concluded, but it was worth it because, through this event, I met some amazing people. The event was supported by the user community, represented by , who was also in Brasília. We were challenged to create the first user group in Brasília. Well, I didn’t even know what that was, but I love challenges and accepted the invitation. When I got back to Brasília, I started talking to Nelly about the groups, and we began to build the structure of our community.

I must say that this first experience was fantastic for me, and everything I’ve done in the community up until today has roots in that event. I also must mention that 2024 was another interesting year, as I had the chance to return to the same event, the Cloud Summit Cerrado, but this time as a speaker, alongside . Seeing the impact these events had on others was one of the most rewarding experiences of my journey.

If you’re seeking professional growth, new friendships, or simply want to learn more about the cloud, don’t miss the chance to join an AWS User Group. No matter where you are, the impact these communities can have on your career is transformative.

Since 2023, my experience with AWS User Groups has been a journey of great learning and achievements. I’ve tried to summarize a lot of what happened from 2023 to 2024, but I can’t leave out so many other things. We’ll have other opportunities to specifically talk about

Leading the Brasília community has allowed me to turn dreams into reality, create deep connections, and contribute to the growth of other professionals. Along the way, I’ve received a lot and made new friendships that I wish to carry forever! Today, I see how the power of collaboration and knowledge-sharing can shape careers, build friendships, and strengthen communities.

If you’re not yet part of an AWS User Group, here’s my invitation: join, connect, and let this community transform your life, just as it transformed mine.

I’ll leave some “Purple Pilules” with valuable links for you to start your journey in a user group!

Purple Pilules

1. Discover your local user group:
   
   

   
   
   
   
   
   1. Want to create your own UG? Talk to us!
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