Learning Legends| Bringing Learning to Life
based on an Interview with Joanna Nawalany, SAS Trainer
What makes a great trainer? Passion, knowledge, and the ability to inspire. A great training experience isn’t just about the content—it’s about engagement, adaptability, and connection.
Joanna Nawalany, a dedicated SAS trainer with over 12 years of experience, embodies all these qualities. She has helped countless professionals grow their skills and confidence with SAS. But what makes her training sessions so effective? And why does she believe live, instructor-led learning is irreplaceable?
Let’s take a look inside her world.
Why Training Matters – And Why It’s Never Just One-Sided
One of Joanna’s favorite things about training is that she’s constantly learning herself. "Even in a basic course like Programming 1, I often pick up new insights,” she says. “Different people bring different perspectives, and that makes every session unique."
This is exactly what makes live training so powerful—it’s interactive, dynamic, and adapts to the needs of the learners in real time.
From First-Time Trainer to Learning Legend
Like many, Joanna had to overcome nerves in her early training days. She recalls one of her most stressful moments—being observed by an experienced colleague during a session. “I knew he was there to evaluate me, and that was nerve-wracking,” she admits. But instead of letting nerves take over, she chose to act confident. “I just pretended I was completely at ease, and eventually, I was.”
That experience taught her a valuable lesson: confidence grows with practice. It’s something she now passes on to her students—learning anything new can be intimidating, but the key is to keep going.
Why In-Person Training still stands out
With more and more courses moving online, does face-to-face training still matter?
Joanna believes the answer is yes. “Before COVID, we used to say no to online training. Now, it’s the norm,” she acknowledges. “But nothing beats in-person interaction. Seeing body language, answering spontaneous questions, and engaging directly—that’s where the real learning happens.”
If you’ve ever sat through a pre-recorded video course, struggling to apply the concepts on your own, you’ll know the difference. A live SAS training session lets you:
✔ Ask questions and get answers in real time
✔ Practice with hands-on exercises
✔ Learn from others’ questions and experiences
✔ Get expert guidance tailored to your needs
From Teaching to Gardening – growth is everywhere
Recently, Joanna has found a new passion—gardening. And funny enough, she sees a lot of parallels between growing plants and growing knowledge.
“You need the right environment, the right conditions, and regular care,” she says. “Just like with learning, growth doesn’t happen overnight, but with the right support, you see amazing results.”
And that’s what a great training session does—it provides the right conditions for real, lasting learning.
Ready to grow your SAS skills?
If you want to experience this kind of hands-on learning, check out our instructor-led SAS courses. Whether you’re just starting with Programming 1 or exploring Visual Analytics—a great entry point for both beginners and experienced users—we have expert trainers ready to guide you every step of the way.
👉🏼 Explore our upcoming courses here.
Joanna’s story is proof that learning never stops.
