A Successful Kubernetes Workshop at Swisscom

Learning complex technology works best when you can practice it hands-on. This was our main idea when our Natron team - Jan Fuhrer, Sven Gerber, and Jan Lauber - ran a two-day Kubernetes workshop for 24 Swisscom employees in June.

Learning Kubernetes Step by Step

We held the workshop at Swisscom's office in Bern. Our goal was simple: help participants become skilled Kubernetes developers and prepare them for the CKAD certification exam.

We covered all the important Kubernetes topics:

• Basic concepts and fundamentals
• Networking and storage
• Security and access controls
• Scaling workloads
• Using Helm for deployments

Our teaching approach was clear: understanding comes first, not just completing tasks. We structured the course so every theory lesson was followed by hands-on practice using our KubeLab platform at https://kubelab.ch. Participants could test what they learned right away through labs that ranged from simple exercises to complex challenges.

Why KubeLab Made the Difference

KubeLab was the star of our workshop. This platform bridges the gap between learning theory and applying it in practice. It gives learners a safe space to make mistakes and learn from them - something that's often missing in traditional training.

With KubeLab, participants could:

• Create and manage their own Kubernetes deployments
• Experiment with different configurations
• Debug problems in a safe environment
• See the results of their actions immediately

The platform simulates real-world conditions, making the learning experience much more valuable and engaging.

Amazing Results at Swisscom

We saw incredible progress from the Swisscom team during the two-day workshop. With each lab session, participants became more confident and skilled at handling Kubernetes challenges.

The key to this success was instant feedback. Through KubeLab, learners could immediately see what happened when they made changes, understand their mistakes, and fix them right away. This quick cycle of trying, learning, and improving made the training much more effective.

What's Next for KubeLab

The success at Swisscom motivated us to expand KubeLab. We're launching a hosted service that lets companies create their own custom labs with pay-per-user pricing. This makes hands-on Kubernetes training accessible to businesses of all sizes.

At Natron, we believe that learning complex technology requires hands-on practice and interaction. The great feedback and results from our Swisscom workshop prove this approach works. We're excited to help more teams improve their Kubernetes skills through our KubeLab platform.