First Drupal Meetup Nara Held ：Expanding Career Possibilities with DX
On January 31, 2025 (JST), DXTimes staff participated in Drupal MeetUp Nara, an event held at the Nara Convention Center, aimed at expanding career possibilities through the power of DX. Here’s a recap of the event!
What is a Meetup?
Since meetups are not yet widely recognized in Japan, especially in Nara, we started by introducing the concept.
A meetup is different from a seminar or a study session—it’s a space where participants can share information, engage in discussions, and build connections in a relaxed and enjoyable way.
Insights from Guest Speakers
We had the opportunity to hear from representatives of Nara City Hall, Ms. Suzuki, and Mr. Naoe.
Participants actively engaged by asking questions in real time and sharing comments via Zoom chat. The event fostered meaningful interactions both online and offline.
Additionally, Michael from IronStar joined, making the meetup a truly global gathering.
Nara City's Initiatives
A representative from the Nara City Corporate Attraction Department introduced the unique advantages of working in Nara.
While Nara is well known as a tourist destination, it also offers an excellent environment for professionals. The city actively promotes its peaceful atmosphere, where rich nature and historical landscapes coexist, along with well-developed infrastructure and strong administrative support for businesses.
With growing recognition as an attractive place to work, Drupal MeetUp Nara will be held regularly, so we encourage you to join future events!
Building a DX Career: Ms. Suzuki’s Story
Ms. Suzuki shared her story of how she built her career while raising her child alone and how she embarked on the path of becoming a Drupal engineer.Through questions from the participants, we also learned that even those who are not engineers can be involved in Drupal-related work.
There were still many things she couldn’t fully share this time, but in the next session, we will hear more about how she balances work and family. Stay tuned!
Insights from Mr. Naoe, Organizer of Drupal MeetUp Haneda
Mr. Naoe, a key figure in Ms. Suzuki’s career path, provided an in-depth look at Drupal:
- What is Drupal?
- Drupal case studies and success stories
- Strict version release cycles
- Recent trends: Drupal vs. Drupal CMS
- Upcoming events in the Drupal community
Participant Feedback
- "There were many female staff members, which made it easier to ask questions. Since I have a young child, it's hard to attend in person, but Zoom made it accessible. The content was a bit advanced for me, but I’ll keep attending to improve my skills!"
- "It’s great to know that age doesn’t matter—you can start learning now and turn it into a career! I’d love to learn more about how to get a job in this field."
- "DX seemed like a complex topic, but this event made me want to give Drupal a try!"
- "The Nara City representatives provided great support, and other participants answered questions precisely."
Next Meetup Announcement
Drupal MeetUp Nara will continue with fresh topics at each session. If you couldn’t join this time, don’t worry—be sure to join the next one!
Next time, we’ll dive into career paths in DX, helping you explore new career ideas alongside like-minded peers.
Next Event Details
Date: Friday, February 28, 2025
We look forward to seeing you there!
