Build AI and Python Projects
Learn alongside Gaurav and Derrick who bring project management and cloud engineering experience!
Introduction
Join this Build & Brew group on Discord!
Build & Brew (B&B) is NextWork's community program where you build alongside a tight-knit group of 4-8 people that commit to meeting up every week.
This is your inside look at Derrick and Gaurav's B&B group, including what they're building, who are your leaders, and how you can join…
Quick Facts:
- ⏰ When: every Monday, 6-7pm CT
- 📍 Where: in the NextWork Discord
- 🧠 What: enterprise AI systems, including incident automation and analytics
- ⭐️ Open for new members - complete this project to apply!
What This Group Builds
What is this group building?
This group tackles personal projects in both Python and AI! Here is a taster of projects they've worked on...
- Build a Personal AI Tutor with Python
- Find Your Most Efficient Local Charity
- Build a Flight Price Tracker
- Build a Full-Stack Web App with Supabase
Bugs are part of the deal 🪲
Expect bugs, lots of bugs, to come through when building together. In fact, your group leaders believe that roadblocks aren't a sign something's wrong - they're the sign you're actually doing the work!
Here's how a typical session works
- Sessions run every Monday from 6-7pm CT on the NextWork Discord.
- You meet other builders, work on a project together, screen share, troubleshoot problems, and document what you learned.
- Every session, you leave having created something tangible for your portfolio.
Meet Your Build Masters
Meet your Build & Brew Masters
Now that you know about the group, it's time to meet the fantastic Build & Brew Masters running it! Gaurav and Derrick each bring a different background, but sharing the same commitment to building in the open.
Meet Derrick Williams
Derrick started as a U.S. Army IT specialist - imaging machines, running cables, fixing printers - and eventually landed in a security analyst role in San Antonio, working grueling 12-hour rotating shifts.
He discovered NextWork through an Instagram post, and instead of bookmarking it for later, he opened it and started his first project on the spot. That momentum stuck. He's since completed 45+ NextWork projects, earned his AWS certification, and swapped his intense 12-hour security job for a cloud engineering role.
As your Build & Brew Master, Derrick wants to create a space where learners (new and experienced) feel comfortable making mistakes without judgment.
Meet Gaurav Joshi
Gaurav comes from a project management background and loves turning messy, tangled operational problems into something structured and actionable. He's also upfront that he's here to learn AI alongside the group, not teach it. Outside of tech, Gaurav is deeply involved in his community, teaching kids and helping run food drives.
For his Build & Brew group, Gaurav is carving a pathway into AI engineering topics like LLMs, MCP, LangChain, AI observability, and agentic AI.
Nice Work!
Want to Join This Group?
Here's your checklist:
- Can you commit to Mondays 6-7pm CT, virtual, every week?
- Are you excited to build personal projects in AI and Python?
- Are you excited about learning in a small, tight-knit group of just 4-8 people on Discord?
If you answered yes to all three, fill out the application form below ⬇️
We'll be in touch within a day - happy building!