UTEP students got to experience and learn alongside Googlers at the first UTEP + HOLA@Cloud Google Cloud Hero event. The event was hosted by the new student organization, Google Developer Student Club,  from 10 a.m. to 2 pm., Nov. 18 at the El Paso Natural Gas Center.  

“We are focusing on machine learning and data analytics to help students get familiarized with cloud computing and all of the things that they can do with data manipulation,” said David Gamez, Vice President of the Google Developer Student Club at UTEP.  

There was a total of about 90 students from different majors in attendance. The event included a gamified experience with Google experts to bring together developers from different backgrounds to learn about Google Cloud technologies through friendly competition.  

“We are here in partnership with the Google Developers Student Club who is leading the Cloud Hero Event,” said Arely Silva, Campus Outreach Program Manager for Hispanic Serving Institutions at Google. “This event is going to teach you the skills that you need to not only be successful in your interview but also in the rest of your career as well. Specifically, within Cloud that is growing.” 

Gamez explains that Google reached out to them to establish the Google Developer Student Club at UTEP. With the help and sponsorship from Google, the club was able to host this event and eight Googlers from out of town were in attendance to give exposure into the industry and provide networking opportunities with professionals. 

“This workshop can be for any major,” Gamez said. “No matter what your background is, you have the opportunity to learn these skills for yourself. These skills are very valuable because machine learning and artificial intelligence is getting into every industry in the market right now.” 

Students who registered for the Google Cloud Hero event were given ‘Google swag,’ which included a Google tote bag, water bottle, notebook, pen and stickers. 

Free food and snacks were also provided throughout the event.  

“I think this event is a great opportunity to see what the workforce is really like,” said Javier Vasquez, junior in computer science. “It gives you an insight on the resources available with google and it’s also really fun. It has been a great experience so far. ”

As Vice President, Gamez shared the impact these types of workshops can have on students. 

“The big goal is to give students exposure to these skills so that they can gain confidence when they are applying to these big tech companies,” Gamez said. “It feels amazing to be able to help students get into internships and full-time roles. I am really grateful for the opportunity to help others ultimately.” 

The Google Developer Student Club at UTEP will be hosting more workshops and events in the future. 

To learn more about the Google Developer Student Club, follow them on Instagram @gdscutep.

Alyson Rodriguez is a staff reporter and may be reached at [email protected]; @alyson_rod1127 on Twitter.