In 2025, MySQL celebrated its 30th anniversary—and to mark the milestone, Oracle University (together with the MySQL Community team) offered free MySQL training and free certification exams from April 20 through July 31, 2025. 

The goal was simple: make it easy for developers, DBAs, architects, and newcomers to build practical skills and validate them with industry-recognized certifications. 

Highlights at a glance 

During the promotional period: 

  • 35,598 learners activated the offer (i.e., granted access/attempts via promo activation) 
  • 7,388 exams were passed 
  • 11,127 total exam outcomes were recorded (Pass + Fail + Revoke) 

The free certification exams included: 

  • MySQL Implementation Associate (1Z0-922) 
  • MySQL 8.0 Database Administrator Professional (1Z0-908) 
  • MySQL 8.0 Database Developer Professional (1Z0-909) 
  • MySQL HeatWave Implementation Associate (1Z0-915-1) 

Certification outcomes (what learners achieved) 

Across the four MySQL certification exams included in the promotion, exam outcomes were: 

  • MySQL 8.0 Database Administrator (1Z0-908): 4,694 pass / 2,134 fail (6,836 total outcomes) 
  • MySQL Implementation Associate (1Z0-922): 1,590 pass / 607 fail (2,201 total outcomes) 
  • MySQL 8.0 Database Developer (1Z0-909): 911 pass / 751 fail (1,666 total outcomes) 
  • MySQL HeatWave Implementation Associate (1Z0-915-1): 193 pass / 230 fail (424 total outcomes) 

Note: “Total outcomes” includes pass/fail/revoke events. These are not necessarily unique individuals—some learners may have multiple outcomes across exams or retakes. 

Training uptake: which content saw the most interest? 

During the promo period, learners engaged heavily with core MySQL and admin/essentials content, with the highest activity in MySQL 8.0 for Database Administrators (24,293 activated users) and MySQL 8.4: Essentials (20,665). We also saw meaningful engagement in certification preparation and other learning content during the same timeframe—such as Prepare for MySQL Implementation Certified Associate (2,304), Prepare for MySQL 8.0 Database Administrator Certification (2,028), and Building MySQL Databases for Applications (1,110). Because this uptake table may include course containers beyond the set explicitly included in the free anniversary offer, we treat these figures as an indicator of broader interest during the promo window rather than attributing all course activity directly to the promotion. 

How the Community helped amplify the promotion 

Alongside Oracle University’s training and certification experience, the MySQL Community team promoted the offer across community touchpoints—such as MySQL User Group meetups, third-party events, and community follow-ups (including GenAI-focused meetups). The promotion was also shared through community channels and social media, including an ODBMS.org Q&A with Scott Stroz and a LinkedIn post highlighting the free training and certification opportunity. 

Supporting Students: MySQL Community Team Guest Lectures 

Over the past year, the MySQL Community Team has had the pleasure of visiting a variety of universities and colleges to give guest lectures to both undergraduate and graduate students. Some of the schools we have visited include Mesa County Community College, University of Maryland – Baltimore County, Tennessee State University, Johns Hopkins, and more. 

Most of our talks focus on “A Day in the Life” in the world of MySQL, giving students a real-world perspective on what developers and database administrators do every day. We also offer broader sessions that cover topics like how data powers artificial intelligence, and even technical deep dives—such as building a server that lets AI clients connect directly to MySQL. 

We are always working to add new topics to our selection of presentations for students and educators. If you are interested in arranging a guest lecture, or if you have ideas for future talks, we would love to hear from you. Please feel free to reach out to anyone on the MySQL Community Team! 

Thank You—and What’s Next

To everyone who learned, trained, attempted exams, and earned certifications: thank you for helping us celebrate 30 years of MySQL with real skill-building and career growth. 

If you missed the anniversary window, you can still explore MySQL learning opportunities and role-based paths through Oracle University.