Free GCP credits + a side project (ATJ) = 10+ first full-time tech jobs

In this talk, you will learn about a community that helped 10+ people land their first full-time tech jobs in 3 years using a side project as leverage. The tale started when Geshan Manandhar became a Google Developer Export (GDE) for Google Cloud Platform (GCP) at the end of 2019. Geshan used the first batch of free Google Cloud Platform (GCP) - $500 to start a side project called AU Tech Jobs. The free credit was used to host the project on GCP using Google Cloud Run, Google Cloud Build, and other services like Cloud logging and cloud trace.

Leading the project, Geshan practiced what he preached. He helped lead a side project (read mini start-up) with ChatOps, Continuous Delivery, Microservices, and Serverless containers on Google Cloud Run. The community of mostly international students developed and delivered a running project. Adding the experience gained from the project in their CV as local experience, many of the international students landed their first full-time tech jobs that were both rewarding and life-changing.

The talk emphasizes the importance of community over technology, but also how technology can enable helpful and transformative communities. Come and enjoy this heartening real-life story.

Transcript

1. Free GCP credits + a side project (ATJ) = 10+ first full-time tech jobs Geshan Manandhar Senior Software Engineer (Simply Wall St.) Google Developer Expert (GCP), GDG Cloud Sydney Organizer
2. whoami Geshan Manandhar ◉ Senior Software Engineer @ Simply Wall St. ◉ Tech solution provider ◉ Google Developer Expert (GDE) - Google Cloud Platform (GCP) ◉ GDG Cloud Sydney Organizer ◉ Blogging at Geshan.com.np since 2007 2 This slide deck ☝
3. I work for SimplyWall.st Make confident investment decisions
4. I am from Kathmandu, Nepal
5. Nepali students are pumping $2 Billion+ to the AU economy
6. Agenda ◉ Becoming a GDE and getting $500 GCP credit ◉ Starting AU Tech Jobs (recruiting Intl. students) ◉ Technical Best Practices ◉ Lots of things to learn for the students ◉ First Breakthrough ◉ String of successes ◉ ATJ Now ◉ Community > Technology 6
7. I became a GDE in Dec 2019
8. And got $500 in GCP credit (another reason to be a GDE 😊)
9. Me thinking what should I do with this GCP credit?
10. Idea to create a Tech Job Aggregator for Australia, let’s do it - https:/ /autechjobs.com
11. So I start gathering people I know and don’t know to form a team I already had a solo side project - Nepal_News_En (Twitter Bot)
12. My Talks from the past • Simplified GitFlow - 2015 @Kathmandu, Nepal • ChatOps - 2016 @ Amsterdam, The Netherlands • Continuous Delivery - 2017 @ Portland, U.S • Microservices - 2018 @ Newcastle, Australia • Serverless containers - 2019 @ Sydney, Australia • So we practiced what I preached for past 5 years • All of the above things with automated testing and other best practices landed in AU Tech Jobs
13. Technical Best Practices • Agile Product Management - Trello (no OKRs) • Source Code Management with Pull Request Reviews - GitHub • Unit Testing and Continuous Integration - GitHub Actions • Continuous Code Quality Check automated - CodeClimate • DNS management and DDOS protection - Cloudflare • MySQL on Google Cloud SQL
14. Technical Best Practices - 2 • Docker and building containers - Google Cloud Build • Containers pushed to - Google Container Registry (GCR) • Serverless Containers - Google Cloud Run • Static Site Hosting (Main website) - Netlify • Free MySQL database for staging - Planet Scale • Deploy from Slack (ChatOps) - Hubot - No AI ;)
15. Almost all of that for free, without burning any money (Using some GCP credit)
16. AU Tech Jobs Architecture 3 Main parts: 1. Scraper (Python) 2. Backend (Node.js) 3. Frontend (React.js)
17. That meant, overwhelmed with the things to learn but in a fail safe environment
18. Still, they would rise up from that pressure and succeed
19. One of the many CVs that had AU Tech Jobs on it
20. First breakthrough, SB from Brisbane
21. Other successes followed (RG, AK, NS, SS…)
22. Referrals played a vital role. GS pulled in RG, RG pulled in NP.
23. Thats me, attending reference check calls from recruiters/HR
24. The lives changed since 2019
25. So why do I do this?
26. One of the examples: RG • Earlier in 2019-2020 ◦ Worked odd hours (2:30 - 9:30 PM) - at a Supermarket ◦ Working with people at COVID times - 2020 ◦ Paid just above minimum wage per hour • Later with full time tech job in 2021 ◦ Full time work from home, COVID safe in 2021 ◦ Work 9-5, so more time to learn other things ◦ Paid a handsome sum that increased after a year
27. Autechjobs.com currently has 1250+ registered users
28. Chatops preview
29. ATJ still runs at <$1 /day
30. Humorous, but the reality Me the boat driver Intl. students who got 1st full-time tech jobs AU Tech Jobs the project after 3 years Forgetting the boat and the driver after crossing the river - is Normal :)
31. But the community stays strong and together, helping each other You can find the blog version of this talk too.
32. A quick demo (after praying to the demo gods)
33. Please attend Google I/O Extended Sydney
34. Questions are welcome :) You can find me at ◉ @geshan ◉ Geshan.com.np ◉ LinkedIn Thanks! Presentation template by SlidesCarnival LinkedIn profile ☝
35. Reference links • https:/ /www.macrobusiness.com.au/2023/04/international-education-was-never-a- genuine-export/ • https:/ /www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/international-trade/international-trade- supplementary-information-financial-year/latest-release • https:/ /theconversation.com/international-students-are-coming-back-and-its-not-ju st-universities-sighing-with-relief-176530 • All photos used are right free taken from either ◦ Pixabay.com or ◦ Unsplash.com • https:/ /docs.google.com/document/d/1dqsP8BPyF7nF7BZorcZMdUvN7MYhZxWp8DP LF8vpx_0/edit?usp=sharing - ATJ Getting started doc •