Google Up Close: BGA Students Enjoy Office Hours and Site Visits

Our Spring 2023 cohort of Berkeley Global Access Program students had the exclusive opportunity to connect with Google software engineers! They were able to practice their informational interview skills by asking questions about how to break into the industry and get advice on software-engineering careers.

This is a unique feature for our BGA students who are majoring in or taking classes in computer science, engineering and related fields. Students felt that the office hours were a valuable learning experience and provided them with useful information and insights that will help them pursue careers in these fields.

“I major in software engineering and the interview helped me with many questions in career development and study plan, so it is really a worthwhile experience,” one student said. “The Google engineer was really friendly and willing to answer my questions.”

Another BGA student said, “The event is really great, and I learned a lot from it. I hope we could have had more time to chat and more opportunities to talk with people in these related fields.”

Inside Google Site Visits

In addition to the office hours, BGA students also visited the Google campus located in the heart of Silicon Valley.

Throughout the site visits, students had the chance to interact with Google employees and learn about their day-to-day work and how they navigated their career paths. Students also had the opportunity to ask questions and receive valuable advice and feedback for their own career aspirations.

During the Q&A session following the presentation, Google employees shared their experiences working at the company and offered advice on how to pursue a career in technology. Students asked a range of insightful questions—from the company's hiring process to its approach to innovation.

Students were also given the opportunity to eat breakfast at the Google bakery and drop by the Google breakroom for snacks!

The site visits ended with a tour of the Google Sunnyvale campus. While checking out the work spaces and relaxation areas, students asked more questions and enjoyed their conversation with Google employees who led the tour.

The Google office hours and site visits have been great value-adds to the students’ experience in BGA.

“Google is a nice place to develop career life, with excellent environments and good support for employees!” one student remarked. “And it was exciting to learn than [Google employee] Junhe come from the same city as me😆! I really appreciate your time and guidance to us!”

“I loved the visit!” enthused another BGA student. “I wish I could stay there longer! The campus is beautiful and people are so nice there. Thank you so much for providing us with this visit to Google!"