Get Ahead from Google

Each of us has ever wondered what it would be like to pull out a coveted ticket to the world of Big Tech and get an opportunity to train under the supervision of the best experts in the world. But what if I tell you that it’s not just a fantasy, and you can make your dreams come true!

My experience with one of the most secret programs started in the early summer with a sudden email from Google. Undoubtedly, one of my first thoughts was entirely about the internship in Zurich’s headquarters that I sent earlier that year, and I immediately rushed to my computer. But instead of the invitation, I had something more precious — an offer to take part in a new educational program launched by Google.

Get Ahead is created specifically for female students interested in developing their technical skills set for future career opportunities at Google.

The program takes place online and offers three months of curated online trainings, various coding challenges and access to directly communicate with Google engineers. What is more, to ensure maximum involvement and facilitate the assimilation of the material, participants are divided between regions and their programming languages (such as C++, Java, and Python). So, for example, my experience is based on collaboration with the EMEA Python learning team.

Program structure

From this moment, my summer schedule wholly changed, and every week was dedicated to a specific topic I tried to cover. The motivation was high: each completed week gave a chance to show yourself in a technical challenge and be selected for a 1:1 mock interview with a Google Engineer in September.

By now, you probably wonder what kind of materials can help prepare for such an opportunity. Well, let me briefly explain to you the Get Ahead agenda:

• Code Health session focuses on coding proficiency and best techniques to go deeper into the difference between industry and academic coding;
• Imposter syndrome panel explains why it is important and gives a necessary understanding that it is a normal feeling even for a high qualified engineer;
• Engineering panel discussion provides new insights about Google’s corporate culture and the day-to-day life of a Googler;
• Research at Google talks about research areas in your region and how Google does research;
• Resume training emphasizes best practices on making your resume interview-ready and the following steps to apply for a role at Google;
• Live Interview Workshops are conducted in three programming languages: C++, Java, and Python;
• The final Google Online Challenge, where one can implement your learnings in an exciting challenge at the end of the program.

How to join Get Ahead in 2022 and some of my post-factum thoughts

Overall, this program would suit students at any level of their career: from BSc MSc to PhD students and graduates specializing in Computer Science and related fields. In addition, it doesn't require any prior programming experience, but rather your dedication to getting new knowledge.

The experience I obtained after finishing Get Ahead was extremely fruitful. The program provided me with crucial knowledge about programming and Python language, which all together opened for me a door to the world of Tech Giants, and showed me how to crack any coding interview and get ahead.

To sum up, if you are a female student who is looking for an opportunity to grow and become a specialist in Computer Science, feel free to contact with [email protected] to get more information!

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