Unlocking the Potential of In-Person Learning

Reflections from Trailblazer Bootcamp London

The enthusiasm was contagious and thirst for knowledge palpable as we kicked off the highly anticipated Trailblazer Bootcamp London at the beginning of the May. It felt fantastic for our extended EMEA team to welcome almost 200 Trailblazers from 17 countries to the UK, and know that we were going to spend the next few days inspiring each other and learning together.

As always with these in-person events, the days whizzed by but nonetheless we witnessed an incredible display of commitment and progress during our short time together. Over 130 certifications were taken.......... but that's just the beginning of the remarkable stories that unfolded.

Celebrating representation

One of the most uplifting things about Trailblazer Bootcamp is how it brings diverse people at different stages of their journey together.?

For example, it was wonderful to catch up with familiar faces from?Blue Road Academy, including Ozge Oz (2023’s ‘Next Gen Trailblazer of the Year) and Frahnaz Mohammadi (who found a job during Bootcamp last year?and has since graced the Salesforce World Tour stage). Both successfully passed advanced certifications and generously shared their plans for next steps in the ecosystem.?

We were also lucky to be joined by several MVPs and Community Leaders, including?Louise Lockie, Francis Pindar, Zoe Fisher, Burak Sezgin, Tom Bassett and Sudhir Kulkarni.?

However, it’s?Christine Marshall, Community and Course Director at Salesforce Ben, MVP, and Bristol Salesforce Admin User Group Leader, who deserves a special mention.?Driven by an unwavering passion, she went above and beyond, sitting her eighth certification exam on the Friday before Bootcamp even began.

And she hasn’t stopped there.?

Christine was so inspired that in the two weeks following Bootcamp, she went to on pass not one but TWO other certs - Data Architect and Sales Representative - bringing her total to 10!?

Insights and Exploration

For those just starting out in the ecosystem, we organised a special Discovery Day. The day offered a thorough grounding in all things Salesforce, and was a great way to welcome fledgling Trailblazers with less than six months experience.?Abi Green from Supermums deserves a special mention as she embarked on an overnight bus journey to be able to attend. We were happy to hear that, by the end of that week, Abi had achieved her first Salesforce Associate cert. She said: “My takeaways include that it doesn’t matter where you start. Anything is possible with the support of the Trailhead and Salesforce communities.”

This was also the first year that we opened Bootcamp up to a few employees, and they enthusiastically rose to the occasion. A team of four from Tableau Sales Ops (Jess, Emma, Kallah and Jenna) joined the Discovery Day - and all have since passed their certs - while others, including Christopher Parsons, dedicated themselves to week-long cross training tracks.

It was gratifying to hear Chris say afterwards that he thought everyone should attend a Bootcamp or Trailhead Academy class as part of their onboarding journey with Salesforce’s technology, but perhaps it wasn’t a surprise. Our instructors are the backbone of Bootcamp, and positive feedback from customers started rolling in almost immediately:?"I completely trust him. He's incredibly knowledgeable and makes learning so enjoyable." "She's very detailed in how she teaches (and) ensures there’s a positive vibe in the classroom, which is perfect for learning.”

A Growth Mindset

During the week, the tales of improvement and resilience continued to unfold. From Trailblazers connecting and gaining invaluable insights, to individuals who initially stumbled but ended up exceeding their own expectations, Bootcamp was a catalyst for personal and professional growth - sometimes in unanticipated ways.?

For example, one jet-lagged participant realised he’d signed-up for?Tableau Desktop instead of Tableau CRM, but decided to go with it: “That’s the kind of surprise that can happen at Bootcamp but it makes you richer with new skills and ideas. You learn as much from the course as from other participants.”

We’ve discovered that, as Bootcamp has only come to the EMEA region annually - so far! - , businesses can find it challenging to grasp the transformative impact and value it holds, particularly for employees who haven’t experienced it before.?

But the truth is, learning alongside peers in such an immersive environment provides an unrivalled opportunity for accelerated expertise and it was interesting to see customers at Bootcamp realise this: “Businesses need to understand the ROI, and just how much employees can benefit. Learning with others in this environment is like nothing else. You get so much concentrated information so fast, in a way that your brain absorbs quickly. The value is incredible - it’s all ‘must know’ information. Yes, it gets you prepared for certifications which is great, but it also gives you a real-world understanding of how everything works.”?

And so, with this Bootcamp drawn to a close,?our heartfelt appreciation goes out to our exceptional instructors, the extended Trailhead & Ecosystem teams, and everyone who contributed to making this remarkable event a reality. Together, we have unleashed the true potential of in-person learning and paved the way for countless individuals to become true trailblazers in their respective fields........ and who knows how far those ripples of learning and connection might go?

For those who couldn't attend, there are other opportunities to #GetOnTheTrail. We have both Gold Coast Bootcamp (24-28 July) and Dreamforce on the horizon. And don't forget that?Trailhead Academy?runs expert-led courses all year round.?