What to expect from Pluralsight LIVE 2018
A new event for the Computer Weekly Developer Network, but one with what appears to be oodles of developer, programmer and data engineering morsels is Pluralsight Live 2018.
For those that need a reminder, Pluralsight is an enterprise technology learning platform specialist.
The company focuses on what it calls a unified end-to-end learning experience for businesses.
The subscription-based Pluralsight platform provides an on-demand set of learning tools, including adaptive skill tests, directed learning paths, expert-authored courses, interactive labs and live mentoring.
Pluralsight LIVE 2018
So onward to Pluralsight Live 2018 and the manifold delights of Utah’s state capitol metropolis Salt Lake City from August 28-30 this year — what can we expect?
In terms of its business model, the company pays its course authors a royalty based upon how often their videos are viewed. In 2013, author Scott Allen became the first of its authors to earn over US$1 million in royalties from his courses.
One imagines that many of these course authors will be present at the show itself.
The firm claims to now have more than 1,400+ expert authors feeding into what are over 6,700 learning courses.
For developers, we note the presence of Code.org CEO Hadi Partovi and Microsoft general manager of cloud and AI developer relations Jeff Sandquist. Pluralsight’s own developer champions include Nate Walkingshaw, chief experience officer.
“Pluralsight LIVE is all about bringing together the brightest innovators and visionaries to inspire one another and push the boundaries of what’s possible with technology. Technologists and enterprise leaders come to LIVE to learn about emerging tech trends and strategies from world-renowned experts and practitioners. The learning, networking and collaboration that takes place at LIVE gives tech leaders an edge on closing the skills gap and creating the next big innovation faster,” said Aaron Skonnard, Pluralsight CEO, speaking directly to Computer Weekly in advance of the event.
As previously reported on TechTarget, Pluralsight IQ measures a developer’s technology skills based on a percentile ranking for the skill area or technology.
It consists of 20 test questions that developers can answer in roughly five minutes… and they can gain a Skill IQ on more than 60 skills, spanning languages, frameworks, tools and processes.
This includes popular programming languages, such as Angular, C#, JavaScript and Python.
Security will be one of the technology zones covered by the Live event in Utah… you can read more analysis of this aspect in a previous Computer Weekly report here, which noted that creating a security culture can ease tensions between developers and security professionals and raise an organisation’s cyber defence capability… a proposition offered by Troy Hunt, Pluralsight author and security expert.
This realisation has led to the development of a course on creating a security-centric culture for Pluralsight.
Pluralsight senior VP for EMEIA Sean Farrington also spoke to Computer Weekly in advance of this Utah technology summit to say that his firm will be bringing many partners and customers over from Europe and APAC.
“The technology leaders we work with in these [Europe and APAC] regions are laser-focused on driving transformation programmes for their businesses as they equip their teams to meet the changing needs of their customers and take advantage of the latest machine-learning, cloud and security capabilities on the market,” said Farrington.
The company has noted that a big moment at LIVE 2017 [last year] was joining the Pledge 1% movement through Pluralsight One . This is all about social impact and equipping ordinary people and non-profits with technology skills.
The message is: talent exists everywhere, in all parts of the globe… but, unfortunately, opportunity is not as pervasive… and it should be.
Sessions smorgasbord
From the sessions available in the agenda, we have picked a few that stand out (not to lessen value of any sessions not mentioned here, obviously):
Going pro: lifestyle systems for the exceptional developer. By Cory House – Pluralsight Author
Kotlin and Android – this changes everything! By Jim Wilson – JW Hedgehog
A day in the life of a Pluralsight author: how courses get made. By Greg Shields – Pluralsight author.
Interactive coding challenges and the future of learning. By AJ Foster – Pluralsight.
From developer to manager: things you should know before making the jump. By Amy dredge – Pluralsight.
The mindful developer: the science of stress management. By Matthew Renze – Pluralsight author.
Let’s also mention the event’s special guest Malala Yousafzai.
As the youngest Nobel Prize laureate to date and renowned female education activist, Malala has refused to be silent and risked her life for something that’s fundamentally important to us all: equal opportunity and the right to receive an education.