To Be Event Staff at try! Swift Tokyo 2024

With my childcare duties now more manageable, I decided to get more involved in activities and signed up for try! Swift Tokyo 2024! When I noticed they were looking for staff for try! Swift Tokyo 2024, I took the leap and submitted my application. To tell the truth, I had never been to try! Swift Tokyo, even as a participant, so I applied without really knowing what the atmosphere of the venue would be like😅

So in this article, I will share my experiences as a staff member at this event.

What is try! Swift Tokyo 2024

try! Swift Tokyo 2024, held in March 2024, is a conference for iOS developers in Japan. Since its inception in 2016, it has consistently served as the largest gathering for professionals in the iOS development community. After a long pause due to COVID-19, this year marked its return for the first time in five years.

Please visit the official website for more information.

In my experience, iOSDC, another event that is also famous for its large iOS conferences, is largely driven by open speaker requests within Japan to shape the event's schedule. On the other hand, try! Swift Tokyo sources proposals internationally and invites renowned engineers from abroad to enrich its schedule, so there were many situations where we needed to communicate in English.

Staff Activities

This time, on the day, I worked as a staff member on the organizing side. It was my first time working behind the scenes, but it was a very exciting and enjoyable experience.

One week before the event, all the staff gathered for a meeting where responsibilities were assigned. I was assigned to manage the venue, and was asked to do the following:

• Set up the venue
• Guiding the participants
• Venue guidance
• Handing out lunch boxes
• Collect garbage
• Venue teardown
• Other tasks within the venue

I usually spend most of my time writing code, so I was worried about whether my body could handle three days of physical work. However, I found it surprisingly refreshing to be active and interact with people In particular, I enjoyed talking to the attendees during reception and venue guidance. With many speakers and participants from abroad, try! Swift Tokyo needed English communication, which made me very aware of my limited language skills.

Given that it was the first one in five years, there were many newcomers, myself included. Despite the occasional uncertainty about how to do things, everyone was able to work together and enjoy the activities, ending our first day successfully.

On the second day during the venue teardown, it was nice to see that some people had left their signatures on the sponsor boards that remained👍 During the after party which followed the teardown, the participants and staff were able to have fun together, and it was very nice to meet new people there.

On the third day, a workshop was conducted for participants, and witnessing their enthusiasm was truly inspiring, leaving me feeling uplifted💪 I had some free time too, so I took the opportunity to exchange information with other staff members.

The churrasco I ate at the post-teardown celebration was also delicious😋

Conclusion

I wanted to take more pictures, but I regret that I couldn't because I was so focused on work...

By joining as a staff member, I was able to encounter new people and experiences that I never would have gotten by joining as a participant, which made me feel a sense of fulfillment. I feel that it was a great experience. I'd love to join as staff again if I get the chance next time! If you are reading this article, I encourage you to challenge yourself and consider being a conference staff member as well!

Finally, I'd like to say THANK YOU to all the organizers, speakers, and other participants!!! See you again👍