The Penn State Berks Technology Club (BTC) visited Google’s headquarters in New York City on Friday, Nov. 22. The excursion included a tour, followed by a question-and-answer session with Google employees.
The group of 33 students and four faculty members toured Google’s historic Port Authority Building in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, where they witnessed the company’s innovative methods to maintain creativity. From the innovative workspaces, to grab-and-go scooters, to micro kitchens where food and snacks are available any time of the day, to the 14th floor terrace overlooking the Hudson River, Google headquarters is designed with employee satisfaction in mind.
Students also participated in a question-and-answer session with Google employees (a.k.a., Googlers) where they learned about Google company culture and valuable professional and technical skills for aspiring employees. Senior information sciences and technology (IST) major Amie Croteau observed, "It was inspiring to see how much company culture plays in a corporation. It was fun to learn about ‘googliness!’ " The visit ended with lunch in one of the many cafeterias with time to continue the conversation with the Google hosts.
Ethan Adams, BTC president and senior IST and security and risk analysis major, coordinated the trip with Nicholas Yeager, Penn State Berks IST alumnus and Google employee. Adams stated, "This trip was a ton of work to set up, but it more than paid off. I got the opportunity to watch students really engage with employers in a way I had not seen before. I also got the impression that several students were inspired after seeing what career is possible for them should they put in the work."
The trip was co-sponsored by the Penn State Berks IST program and the college’s engineering, business, and computing division.
