Play together and grow together. How Communities of Practice get it going at Sabre

Work and passion can not only coexist but even complement each other. At Sabre, we strive to combine the expertise of our skilled professionals with a keen interest in the broad IT landscape and the major trends shaping many of its sectors. Our team members always see the Big Picture.

This is one of the reasons why Sabre Poland boasts over 20 active Communities of Practice.

Our team members play a crucial role in shaping these Communities, bringing together their unique perspectives and experiences from different departments. These groups offer an excellent platform for sharing knowledge, ideas and experiences that foster innovation. Sabre Communities ensure that our entire site stays up to date with market developments, facilitating rapid implementation of innovations and strengthening interpersonal relationships. Their presence gives inspiring perspectives of constant growth for all our team members.

– said Cezary Żminkowski, VP Software Engineering and Board Member at Sabre Poland.

Each such Community provides different opportunities for its members, reflecting their diverse functions and areas of interests. Some focus on certain aspects of programming, while others address areas very loosely related to Sabre’s business activities. From AI and performance engineering to quality assurance and tech innovations – there’s a Community tailored to every interest.

One of them is Innovation Lab, a Community that focuses on boosting creativity with cutting-edge tech such as a 3D printer, Augmented and Virtual Reality equipment, robot construction kits, Internet of Things devices, and access to GCP Cloud. We asked Michał Poliński, founder of Innovation Lab, to provide a brief summary of his Community’s activities.

The Innovation Lab is a kind of ‘cave for geeky individuals’, as some members refer to it. There are 130 of us and everyone has access to our special Lab, where we can experiment with a variety of tools. This space gives the Innovation Lab a physicality. In addition to our monthly meetings, it allows us to interact face-to-face.

– said Michał Poliński, Principal Data Science Engineer at Sabre Poland.

Interestingly, many of the ideas from the Innovation Lab turn into real projects. One of its members even patented his own pill dispenser, which he created to simplify his medication intake. No wonder this Community’s special laboratory is mentioned in Sabre’s work offers as one of our key benefits.

The Quality Assurance Community strives to raise awareness about the importance of code testing and the significant costs associated with inadequate procedures. Here’s an insight from Katarzyna Nowakowska, its founder:

While we are not a very “lifestyle-based” community, we find immense satisfaction from discussing important aspects of our daily work, which significantly contributes to our professional growth. It’s great quality time and the most effective way of keeping ideas flowing between all of us.

– said Katarzyna Nowakowska, Senior Software Quality Assurance Engineer at Sabre Poland.

This relatively new Community, established in March, has rapidly expanded to 95 members. It holds regular meetings and concentrates on IT projects and business excellence. Is there any additional proof needed to show that you can be truly passionate about coding?

On the other hand, the Program Management Community of Practice is an example of a Community with a longer history. Active since 2018, it serves as a support network for program managers of various experience levels. Dominik Gawryś, its leader, sees it as follows:

Our members value the opportunity to share knowledge and experiences, the supportive network we provide, and the chance to collaborate and learn. It’s a place where we can discuss challenges, explore new ideas, and constantly grow both professionally and personally.

– said Dominik Gawryś, Principal Program Manager at Sabre Poland.

The activities of this Community have a direct impact on the high level of program management we pride ourselves on at Sabre. Thus, we can say that it directly contributes to shaping Sabre into the company it is today.

Although not all Communities directly relate to IT solutions, employees engage with each other, making Sabre more innovative and inclusive. Ultimately, all of them foster a culture of collaboration and invention, shaping the future of Sabre’s products and services.