Tech Talk with Toni

Pronounced 'seek-will' short for Structured Query Language Like it or not, SQL has been the backbone of data management for decades with 70% of companies use SQL as their primary tool for accessing and analyzing data  (Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2023). My first encounter with SQL was back in 2020, during the pandemic, in a virtual Enterprise Database Systems class. We were writing simple queries, such as SELECT * FROM students WHERE grade = 'A'.  At the time, I thought, “That’s all there is to it? How hard can this be?” By the middle of 2022, I was working with massive, real-world datasets that demanded writing complex queries spanning hundreds of lines of code. Suddenly, SQL wasn’t so simple anymore.  The depth required in professional settings can be overwhelming, but it’s also rewarding. Let me be honest: SQL isn’t my favorite language. But as I’ve learned, you don’t have to love something to be good at it.  (I once disliked Physics, but I still managed to ...

  The title of today's post comes from my friend, who suggested I should "read less and do more". As we start a new month and a new year, I think it is a great time to reintroduce the idea of gaining experience by implementing what you have learnt.  Recent graduates often face a catch-22 scenario: the need for experience to secure a job, yet lacking the experience to begin with. Frequently, we attribute this "scarcity of opportunities" to external factors beyond our control, such as the economy and nepotism. However, every day is a new opportunity to concentrate on what you can influence and take action! I would have mentioned how to go about selecting a project in a previous post . Today, I'll be expanding upon what you should be doing to learn and gain experience while searching for a job in Technology: Form a Study Group Invite your friends to join you on your learning journey; it's more enriching than reading or watching YouTube videos by yourself. E...