What is the AWS Community and How I Got Started

The AWS Community is a vibrant, global network of builders, learners, and innovators who share a passion for cloud computing and AWS technologies. For me, the AWS Community is more than just meetups and events - it is a space where curiosity meets collaboration. It is where ideas turn into projects, and where support and learning go hand in hand.

My First Steps into the AWS Community

My journey into the AWS Community started with a simple curiosity. I attended my first AWS meetup with the intention to learn and connect. Little did I know, this first step would lead me down a path filled with opportunities and experiences I had never imagined. What began as attending events quickly turned into organizing them. I found joy not just in learning from others but in creating spaces where others could learn too.

It wasn’t long before I became a User Group Leader, eventually founding the Förderverein AWS Community DACH e.V. I discovered that the community wasn’t just about gaining knowledge but also about giving back, sharing insights, and enabling others to explore their potential.

What is the Förderverein AWS Community DACH e.V.?

The Förderverein AWS Community DACH e.V. is an organization dedicated to supporting and promoting the AWS community across the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland). Our mission is to empower community leaders, foster collaboration, and create opportunities for learning and growth within the cloud computing ecosystem.

We achieve this by organizing and supporting key community-driven events such as:

AWS Community Day DACH: An annual flagship event where community members share their knowledge, showcase projects, and connect with like-minded professionals. It is a platform for everyone from beginners to experts to engage in deep technical sessions, hands-on workshops, and networking opportunities. More information can be found at aws-community-day.de.

Community Stage at AWS Summit Berlin (and this year in Hamburg): We provide a dedicated community stage at the AWS Summit, offering community speakers the chance to present their projects, insights, and experiences to a larger audience. This initiative amplifies the voice of the community, showcasing real-world solutions and fostering peer-to-peer learning. Details about our initiatives and upcoming events can be found at aws-community.de.

The Förderverein AWS Community DACH e.V. is run by volunteers who are passionate about cloud technology and believe in the power of community-driven knowledge sharing. Our work ensures that the community remains vibrant, inclusive, and well-supported, creating lasting value for both individuals and organizations.

How I Approach Projects: Learning by Building

When it comes to learning and growing within the AWS Community, my approach is all about building. I often start by submitting a talk proposal for an event, which creates a tangible goal to work towards. For example, my first talk at the AWS Summit in Berlin was the catalyst for exploring a small machine learning use case involving data augmentation. The opportunity to present in Berlin motivated me to not only learn something new but also to create a project that could demonstrate real-world value.

This approach of setting a goal, diving into a hands-on project, and sharing my learnings is a method I have repeated many times. It keeps the process exciting and ensures that every project serves a dual purpose: advancing my own skills and providing value to others in the community. By presenting my work, I also contribute back to the community, showing others that learning through building is a powerful way to grow both personally and professionally.

For me, the process often looks like this:

• Ideation: I identify a problem or an interesting concept that I want to explore.

• Project Setup: I quickly set up a prototype or a small project to test my hypothesis.

• Learning Through Building: I learn along the way, often tackling real-world problems with a practical, hands-on mindset.

• Sharing and Presenting: Once I have something tangible, I share my learnings through talks, blog posts, or community events.

This method not only helps me stay engaged and motivated but also aligns perfectly with my philosophy of "learning by building." Presenting my work also allows me to contribute back to the AWS Community, inspiring others to take on their own projects and embrace a similar mindset of curiosity and exploration.

The Power of Explorative Learning

One of the core values I hold dear is explorative learning through real-world problems. I believe that the best way to learn is by doing—by building things, testing ideas, and sometimes failing forward. This approach is not just about gaining technical skills but about developing the mindset to tackle challenges head-on. When you build something from scratch, every step is a lesson. You learn not only about technology but also about problem-solving, project management, and perseverance.

For me, building is a creative and empowering process. It is the bridge between theory and practice. It transforms abstract concepts into tangible results, and this transformation is incredibly fulfilling. It is also why I advocate for finding projects that resonate with you personally. When a project aligns with your interests and values, it no longer feels like work—it becomes a passion project, and maintaining it feels natural.

What’s Next?

This blog is the beginning of a series where I want to dive deeper into why building is so important and how finding the right project can make all the difference. I’ll share more about my journey, the projects that shaped my path, and how you too can find inspiration within the AWS Community. Stay tuned!