Ronald Boodram
Customer Engineer, Google
I was born/grew up in: Guyana and grew up in both Guyana and Canada.
I now live in: Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada.
I completed my training/education at: Computer Engineering at Ryerson University
Describe what you do at work.
In this role one is expected to learn new technologies fast, combine that with what we already know, and solve problems that our clients have. Most of my day is spent troubleshooting problems, learning new technologies, and meeting new people. I also gauge the needs of companies and teams to identify opportunities where Google products can be of great help to them. My background in STEM helps me to grasp new ideas really quickly and to problem solve. In a STEM industry this is important because most of the time is spent problem solving and learning new things. Team work is essential to success in this role. We interact with each other in meetings, team outings, lunch, snacks, and using technologies such as Google hangouts.
When I was a student I enjoyed:
How does your job affect peoples lives?
Working at Google you are in a position to affect billions of people right away. We are working with companies that span all industries from gaming to food to banking. So you are always working on a product that in some way will be used by the wider population.
What motivates you in your career?
The motivation factors for me are: learning new technologies, working with really smart people, going out and meeting new people, and problem solving. I also like working at a world famous company that provides us with great perks like a ton of free delicious foods.
When I was a student, I would have described myself as someone who:
Describe your career path to this career.
The path that took me here started with a drive to succeed and to help my family have a better standard of living. From an academic stand point I always loved the sciences and learning new facts about our world. This led me to focus on the science stream in high school then on to Computer Engineering at Ryerson University. After university I worked at Royal Bank of Canada as a Network Analyst. After a while I was promoted to Engineer and later to Senior Engineer. It is my drive to be better than I was and to adopt a GROWTH MINDSET that led me to where I am ultimately.
What activities do you like to do outside of work?
Outside of work I tutor my brother, enjoy body building at the gym and traveling.
What advice or encouragement would you give others seeking a similar career?
Remember that almost everything is a skill and a skill can be learnt.