Across 14 countries, Data Days Study Groups 2026 helped learners prepare for Microsoft Fabric, SQL, and AI certifications while building practical skills, confidence, and connections within their local data communities. Microsoft MVPs leading these study groups are linked to their public MVP profiles throughout the story.
Across 14 countries, Microsoft MVPs and local user group leaders helped turn certification preparation into a community learning experience. In Butwal, Nepal, students worked through a sample question about external models in Azure SQL Database. In Lima, a presenter introduced Fabric Data Engineer fundamentals on a Microsoft Reactor stage. In Yogyakarta, Indonesia more than 30 people gathered after a Saturday session on Microsoft Fabric.
The settings were different, but the purpose was the same: make certification preparation more practical, easier to follow, and community-led.
The PL-300, DP-600, DP-700, and DP-800 exams are completed individually, but no one has to prepare for these role-based certifications alone. Each study group started with certification-aligned content created by the Microsoft product teams behind Fabric and SQL, then adapted that material for local learners.
What changes in the room
Hosts consistently described the same shift. Attendees often arrived seeing certification as difficult or out of reach. They left with a clearer learning path, a better understanding of the exam experience, and more confidence to continue.
MVP Dean Jurecic says (Atlanta Microsoft Business Intelligence Users):
A lot of them did not have Fabric experience and had never taken a Microsoft exam before. This first session introduced Fabric, explained the exam experience, and shared preparation tips.
A DP-800 session in Kathmandu works through common table expressions and correlated subqueries.
MVP Anupama Natarajan says (Wellington Data Management and Analytics Meetup):
They are more confident to take the exam, which they were originally reluctant about because peers had told them DP-800 would be complex.
That shift—from "this is too complex for me" to "I know what is covered and how to prepare"—appeared in feedback from communities around the world.
MVP Inturi Suparna Babu says (NextGen Data Aspirants Community):
Through NDAC, we organized four deep-dive sessions on DP-600 and one focused session on PL-300. It created a structured learning path for attendees. Our speakers explained the DP-600 Fabric Analytics Engineer Associate exam objectives, topics, and real-world scenarios, and open Q&A helped answer attendee questions. Overall, these five sessions provided clarity and confidence and helped attendees walk away with a stronger understanding of both PL-300 and DP-600 exams.
Certification builds career momentum
A DP-600 session on Dataflow Gen2 hosted at a Microsoft office in the USSeveral hosts emphasized that attendees were not collecting credentials for their own sake. They were building skills they could use in current roles, future projects, and new career opportunities.
MVP Ning Qulyati says (Microsoft Imagine Community):
Together with my co-user group leader, we conducted the sessions and helped attendees understand why Microsoft Fabric matters and how it can help them grow beyond Power BI. We showed the long-term value of moving from Power BI to Fabric for career growth and solution-building capability.
For some attendees, the sessions connected directly to work already underway. One participant was exploring what a move to Fabric could mean for their organization. Another found the exam preparation pages useful as a single place to understand what to study.
For many others, certification was a starting point.
MVP Arwa Aldoud Omer says (Sudan Microsoft Fabric User Group):
For many of our attendees, PL-300 is their first Microsoft certification and often the starting point for a career in data analytics. In our region, it is widely recognized as the foundation for anyone beginning their journey in Power BI and data analysis.
The Lima data community after a Data Days session.
Practice makes the learning stick
Hosts who used live demos and hands-on exercises reported strong gains in attendee confidence. Practical work helped participants connect the exam objectives to real tasks and gave them a safe place to ask questions.
MVP Inturi Suparna Babu says (NextGen Data Aspirants Community):
We had hands-on demos, and attendees could follow the steps. I also explained the fundamentals before moving to the level expected for the exam.
MVP Anna Efeturhi says (Data & AI Development Initiative):
The study group added immense value by bridging theory with practice. It created a collaborative environment where participants could clarify doubts, explore open-source resources, and engage with interactive demos. The hands-on exercises fostered deeper learning, encouraged knowledge sharing, and built a supportive community beyond the event itself.
That community connection matters. A study group is not only a session to attend; it is a way to meet people who can continue learning together long after the event ends.
The Yogyakarta group after a Data Days study session.Local language and local leadership matter
Hosts adapted the experience for their communities because they understood what learners needed. In some places, that meant delivering sessions in the local language. In others, it meant choosing examples, pacing, and formats that matched the audience.
MVP Masatoshi Ohata says (Japan Microsoft Data Platform User Group):
I translated all of the study materials into Japanese and delivered the live session in Japanese. As a result, participants in the Japanese community had the opportunity to learn the content thoroughly in their native language, making the learning experience more engaging and easier to follow.
A DP-600 session delivered in Spanish at Microsoft Reactor.
Another DP-600 study group met online each week and delivered every session in Spanish. That kind of local relevance cannot be created by a global campaign alone; it comes from leaders who are part of the communities they serve.
Why the model works
Data Days Study Groups work because three groups each contribute something essential:
- Product teams provide certification-aligned material for Fabric, SQL, and AI, including exam readiness guidance and certification voucher offers.
- MVPs provide practical experience, context, and trusted local guidance that help attendees understand what an exam question is really asking.
- User groups provide the audience, venue, promotion, language, and ongoing connection that bring people back.
Together, those contributions turn certification content into an accessible learning experience: product teams create the foundation, MVPs make it practical, and user groups make it local and lasting.
MVP Ning Qulyati says (Microsoft Imagine Community):
Participants benefited from a well-defined learning path, shared materials, and exam vouchers. This structure helped them stay consistent, set achievable milestones, and get certified.
MVP Jesus Enrique Gonzales Azcarate says (Microsoft User Group Peru):
Attendees are always looking to earn technical certifications. These free days gave them the course content, exam vouchers, and excellent technical material.
What hosts get back
The Himalayan Data Community in Kathmandu after a DP-800 study group.
MVP Ilgar Zarbaliyev says (Azerbaijan Data & AI Community):
This is the second time I have hosted a study group, and I truly enjoy the experience. It is especially rewarding when people who learned from my sessions successfully pass their certification exams. I previously received messages from attendees who passed the DP-600 and DP-700 exams after participating in my sessions.
For user group leaders, the message is simple: you do not need to build a curriculum, design every slide, or become an exam expert before starting. The material is available. What the community needs from you is the invitation, the space, and the encouragement to begin.
Start where you are
If you are thinking about a Microsoft data certification, start with the preparation page for the exam that matches your goals—PL-300, DP-600, DP-700, or DP-800. Each page lists the skills measured, links to free Microsoft Learn modules, and explains what to expect on exam day.
- Prepare for DP-600: Fabric Analytics Engineer Associate
- Prepare for DP-700: Fabric Data Engineer Associate
- Prepare for DP-800: SQL AI Developer Associate
Then find your community. Search for a Microsoft data or Fabric user group near you, attend a session, and ask what they are studying next. If there is not a group nearby, that may be your opportunity to start one. Every group in this story began with someone who decided to host.
Data Days Study Group Butwal 2026 at the end of a session.
Want to Learn More About the MVP Program and the People Behind These Communities?
To find an MVP and learn more about the Program visit the MVP website and follow our updates on LinkedIn.
Join a future Microsoft Reactor session to learn what the MVP Program is, what it recognizes, and how nominations work. You will hear examples, ask questions, and see how the community work you are already doing can grow into the kind of impact the MVP Program celebrates.
Microsoft
