Our week of intensive learning and networking at Master Skills University in Munich may have ended, but my head is still buzzing from the excitement of it all!

This was my first time attending a Master Skills event, and I have to say that my high expectations were exceeded. It was such an absolute treat to talk with dozens if not hundreds of our IBM Security customers in order to better understand the security challenges you’re confronting and the types of resources you need to overcome those challenges. And the free-flowing  Bavarian beer at each evening reception didn't exactly hurt!

In an industry where change is the only constant, it’s essential to build relationships with other security professionals who understand and empathize with the threats facing us all. So as much as Master Skills University is about expanding our technical knowledge and discovering the latest product features, capabilities and integrations, in my personal view it’s equally valuable as an opportunity to connect with our peers on a human level.

And now that we’re all back at home, the best news of all is that we can continue fostering the relationships we initiated last week right here in our Security Community.

On that note, we officially welcome our 150+ new members and encourage you to get started by joining a product group, posting a question for discussion or registering for an upcoming webinar.

And for all our members who weren’t able to attend Master Skills University, please check out our ongoing “My Favorite Thing about #MasterSkills” thread and enjoy some photographic highlights from this fantastic event.

We also invite all of our product users to take 5-10 minutes to help your fellow security professionals and contribute to an important cause — Girls Who Code — by completing a product review on the independent G2 review site.