The ability to change people’s lives and leave one’s mark
How Google helped me accelerate my impact
“Will this ever be useful for your career?” is what my mom would tell me each time she saw me coming home tired from organizing an event or staying up all night to prepare a workshop.
Well, guess what mom? It was! and I’ve now become the youngest Google Developer Expert in Africa and MENA! (Link to my profile)
Like most youngsters out there, I grew up in an environment where school grades were the most important things to have and everything else a waste of time. Be it my family, my friends or my colleagues, all of them saw that those that dedicate time to do community activities were wasting their time. And why wouldn’t they? When you grow up in such an ecosystem, success stories are brushed off as luck, and failure stories are showcased to prove their point.
This results in generations of people that are scared of exploring what is possible and relying on the existing system. That system however can’t give scholarships to everyone, and only rewards the top achievers out of tens of thousands. In that case, what can you do if you’re neither a top student nor have connections in industry? You’ll have to accept whatever options are left, and as sad as it sounds, it’s the reality for millions of people and thousands of Tunisians.
I was lucky to have been involved in events and cultural activities from a young age, where I managed to befriend older people who would share their experiences. I remember the first time hearing that I could actually find any course material online and not need to follow the teacher as the sole source of information, I was shocked! When I actually started exploring this option, it was like a whole new world of opportunities opening up. Being able to learn what I want when I want however I want, just by typing some keywords online and being patient. By the time I reached University, I was joining classes to ask detailed questions and start discussions with the professor instead of discovering the subject.
This allowed me to actually like what I study and get good grades while having the flexibility of doing extra activities, which later turned out to be a luxury when compared to my peers. Adults in my parent’s generation weren’t brought up with the access to information that we now have with Google, YouTube, Medium, etc.. and so my parents found my lifestyle weird, but they would allow me to live it as long as I kept getting good grades. Thank you mom and pops!
Anyways, with that superpower in hand and my network of older friends, I managed to know, at the very start of my University life, what to focus on for Industry, which allowed me to be efficient in balancing my studies, my social life, and my career. The most important thing I learned very early on was that however technologically advanced we may be and become, life is still about communicating with humans, and that HR managers, developers, and CEOs are all in the end humans, with different biases. I, therefore, focused a lot on improving my communication skills which led to experimenting with Education, hosting small-scale workshops, and doing an internship teaching Web Development that then turned into a part-time management job.
I completely fell in love with Education and knew that is what I wanted to do. This early revelation helped me choose my path in life. My love language being achievements, I tried my best to level up as fast as I could, from small workshops to big conferences, to YouTube videos and Medium articles, to organizing big AI events.
As I kept doing this, I started getting recognition for my work and was contacted for opportunities. This reinforced my belief that I was doing the right thing. After 2 years of climbing up the ladder and putting myself out there, I woke up to find an email that I was recommended by a Google employee for the Google Developer Expert program, a prestigious community of technical experts with only 3 in Tunisia at the time. After 4 months, I became a GDE, the youngest in Africa and MENA.
That was the turning point for me. A sign that my work was not in vain. While my peers were sacrificing their fun and time to get recognition, it got to me by itself. This was proof that what I was believed in was the right thing. A light of hope for every free spirit out there that wanted to follow my steps but were too afraid of the consequences. I was the living proof that giving back to the community and devoting time and soul to the creation of added value for others was recognized, rewarded and respected, and by one of the biggest names in Industry.
Ever since, I continued meeting more GDEs and I started seeing how like-minded we are, and how devoted to helping we were even when most were very busy. I started being invited to exclusive events, getting tons of perks, and having access to international experts has become easy.
I was invited to become a mentor at the Google Startup Accelerator, a task I loved.
I was given vouchers and assistance to take certifications. I was able to sponsor events by handing out some credits I got and was able to help projects progress.
I was given the ability to invite big names to local events. All of this was very difficult for us Tunisians as we did not have powerhouses locally that allowed easy access to the international market.
Adding GDE to my introductions has made it easier for me to find better job opportunities and invitations to events. It allowed me to more easily contact people I would have normally a hard time reaching, and it gave me a sense of credibility every time I was presented and invited. All in all, Becoming a Google Developer Expert has made my life better and allowed me to help more efficiently the local Tech Community, especially in Data Science.
This is a call to all the free spirits roaming out there, facing difficulties growing in constrained environments, and having to sacrifice in order to push their careers. The world needs you, and organizations like Google are here to help you reach your potential. Don’t let the negative echo chambers affect you, because everything you’re doing will come back to you in the future and you’ll be glad you persisted.
Google Developers Experts is but one of the many programs out there, and the people you’ll find in these programs are the ones that will listen to you and suggest solutions. We’ve been where you are, and we won’t let your potential go to waste. If you’re still reading this, we’re here for you. Contact us and keep doing the great job you’re currently doing! Godspeed :)
-Elyes Manai
