USING YOUR PASSION TO BECOME A CREATOR

May 26, 2021

“You have the choice to either be a consumer of things or a creator of things. When you choose to work in technology you are choosing to create, to build things that were not there yesterday, creating the future literally. Being a producer of novelty is a powerful choice to make.” – Dave Otaguro, Googler.

As high school students prepare for the next phase of their lives, many of them hear how amazing a career in technology can be, but struggle to see what opportunities are available that spark their passion and complement their abilities. During an hour-long virtual panel discussion, high school students had the opportunity to learn about the many career opportunities in the computer science field and ask Googlers for advice as they plan for their future professional life.

Dave Otaguro, Senior Staff Engineer at Google, gave students a deep and insightful look into a career in computer science and the many possibilities having this skill set can provide.

If you are not sure if computer science is right for you, Otaguro recommends taking at least one course to see how it can enhance what you are passionate about.

“The ability to use computer science skills and apply them to augment your passion makes you far more employable and lets you fuse together two things you have a passion for,” explains Otagura, “Whether that’s biology, genetics, statistics, athletics, or the arts, there are so many career opportunities that are available when you combine those interests with computer science skills.”

He adds that computer science isn’t all about coding; it has become just as important to be a good communicator. Envisioning and describing things will give you an edge above the industry competition even more that your ability to code. Communication is also the key to working successfully in a team setting, which is another important aspect of having a job in the technology sector, especially at Google.

IPSF is proud and grateful to have partners in the community like Google that can provide students with one-of-a-kind opportunities to learn about today’s leading industries and help them plan their future careers.