Learning & Community at BarCamp Philly 2015

Our development team came out in full force for this year’s BarCamp Philly, an all-day “unconference” held at Wharton’s Hunstman Hall and centered around community-built talks that attendees sign up to present on the morning of the event.

On top of the fun we had meeting lots of new people, our team also hosted three sessions on topics we’ve been excited to share and discuss with others in our field—technical recruiting, using the future of JS6 now, and making a career transition to web.

BarCamp is one of my favorite conferences of the year because of the the like-minded individuals who attend and bring an appetite for learning and discovery. There are topics for just about every guest to enjoy, including the few children who attend each year (and even present talks). My favorite moment, even though I was nervous, was being able to present my own session for the first time. I can’t wait to do it again next year!

Below, a few of our team members who came out, some for the first time, share what they took away from this community-centered day.

Lucero’s experience

I really enjoyed the format of group discussions, whether they were about transitions, working remotely, or recruiting, because they really showcase our community’s passion for what we do. It was also great to see the range of people who came out… the highlight of my day was seeing an excited 8-year-old girl talk about iMovie and interview people! At the end of the day, BarCamp made me feel totally invigorated to accomplish great things.

Austin’s experience

I’m continually impressed with the group of people that organizes and attends BarCamp. The hosts create a comfortable environment to share, learn, and build community, and there are always tons of interesting people to meet. It was great to attend this year as a member of the TBI team. I also really enjoyed the out-of-the-ordinary sessions this year—especially the talks on the Babel JS transpiler and Bronze Bullet Architecture.

TJ’s experience

This was my third year attending and second leading a session, and each time I’ve felt welcomed by a great group of attendees. My favorite part is how accessible this event is for speakers and attendees of any background or experience level. I think there is a commitment to openness in this space that leads to better and more varied talks every year, all directed to increasingly diverse attendees.

Kevin’s experience

This was my first time attending BarCamp. There were many great presentations and discussions, but I was most pleasantly surprised by the number of talks that were focused on topics that I’ve also been thinking about recently. It’s nice to be able to see others’ perspectives on these topics, and it was especially nice to be able to talk about them in an open environment.

Joe’s experience

We had a very meaningful discussion on technical interviewing. It’s rare that you have managers and developers discussing their expectations in a low-pressure setting. I think each side gained valuable insight into the challenges that the other faces.

Thank you to the BarCamp organizers (all volunteers!) for planning such a valuable event. Did you attend BarCamp Philly this year? What did you learn or enjoy the most?