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Being awarded VMware vExpert and being part of the program has been a highlight of my professional career. It started as recognition for community involvement but has grown into something more impactful which shapes how I learn, how I approach my professional role and how I engage with the community.

Invitations and deeper insight

One of the biggest advantages of the vExpert program is the direct access it provides to both VMware by Broadcom and the wider community of users in our Discord who work with these technologies every day.

We regularly receive invitations to briefings, webinars and deep dive sessions that offer far more than high level product overviews. These sessions often explore the reasoning behind product decisions, architectural changes and future roadmap direction. vExperts are encouraged to actively participate, ask questions and provide feedback which makes these discussions even more valuable.

This level of access has helped me anticipate upcoming changes, make better informed design and roadmap decisions and understand how new features will be applied to our environments.

The insights shared through the vExpert program consistently go beyond what’s available in official documentation or release notes. Hearing directly from product managers and engineers provides context that’s not always readily accessible. This was especially important during periods of rapid change such as the shift of focus toward VMware Cloud Foundation.

Having this visibility has made a noticeable difference in my confidence when discussing VMware technologies both internally and externally. These sessions don’t just keep me updated on what’s changing but they help me understand why it’s changing and this is ultimately what makes me much more effective in my role.

Giving back to the community

In my opinion, the most important part of the vExpert program is the emphasis on community. Being a vExpert isn’t just about consuming and knowing information, it’s about taking the opportunities to contribute back.

The vExpert program encourages sharing real world experiences of incidents or issues and providing feedback on products or features Engaging in discussions that help shape the wider VMware platform.

Knowing that feedback from the community is genuinely listened to makes participation feel extremely meaningful. It’s empowering to feel like your content, however small, can help improve the community.

Hands on learning with Evaluation Licences

Another hugely valuable benefit of the vExpert program is access to VMware product licences for evaluation and lab use. Having the ability to run full featured versions of products in my home lab environment removes a massive barrier to learning.

Rather than relying solely on documentation or controlled demos, I can build and break my lab environment, test upgrades and explore new features.

This hands on experience has been instrumental in deepening my technical understanding and gives me the confidence to back up theory with real experience.

VMUG Advantage

A great perk that comes with being a vExpert is complimentary access to VMUG Advantage which delivers a huge amount of value without the additional cost of the subscription.

VMUG Advantage also includes evaluation licenses giving you full featured VMware product licenses for lab use but also discounts on training, exam certifications and events. It also provides access to exclusive content, educational resources and another global community.

Broadening my skills with a Pluralsight subscription

In addition to VMware specific benefits, being a vExpert gets us a subscription to platforms such as Pluralsight. This has had a significant impact on my broader technical development and is particularly valuable because it enables learning beyond the VMware we all love. I’ve been able to develop skills in other technologies and learn about other vendors products and platforms.

This example of a subscription and access to a broader development opportunities has helped me become a more well rounded Engineer. It can be easy to become siloed within a single vendor stack but access to Pluralsight encourages continuous learning across the wider IT landscape and something that directly benefits my real-world design and troubleshooting.

Career growth and credibility

From a career perspective, being a vExpert has helped reinforce my professional credibility. It’s a recognition that goes beyond certification and acknowledges community involvement and a willingness to share.

Perhaps most importantly, it pushes me to keep learning and sharing which has had a lasting positive impact on my professional growth.

Final thoughts

Being a vExpert has been far more than a badge or title for me. From webinars and discussions on Discord, to evaluation licences and broad training access via Pluralsight, it’s enabled better learning and more meaningful community contribution. The ability to stay up to date with the VMware technologies while also expanding beyond a single vendor has played a significant role in shaping my career so far.

If you’re passionate about VMware technologies and enjoy sharing knowledge with others then the vExpert program is absolutely worth the effort. It’s not just for what you gain but for what you can give back.