Community Support – Going Further
Google Cloud hosts a vibrant community comprising Google staff, partners, customer groups, and the developer community, all providing substantial in-person support.
Google Staff
Google employs a host of experts, including developer advocates, customer engineers, and professional services personnel, who are all dedicated to supporting various aspects of Google Cloud. While customer engineers and professional services cater predominantly to Google Cloud’s customers, developer advocates work to support the broader developer community, producing online content and presenting at conferences.
Partners
Google has partnered with a wide array of businesses, from global system integrators to boutique consultancies, to aid customers in utilizing Google Cloud effectively. They offer help in areas ranging from strategic planning to implementation and often specialize in certain areas. In addition to providing expertise and professional services similar to Google, some partners are authorized to provide training, boasting individuals certified as Google Certified Trainers.
Customer Groups
The Google Cloud Customer Community (C2C) is a peer-to-peer network that fosters a sharing platform for Google Cloud customers. This community spans across regions, enabling members to share ideas, experiences, and insights to address common challenges and encourage innovation. It welcomes anyone to join and participate in online forums and frequent free events, both online and in person.
Developer Community
Google supports several developer community programs catering to individual developers as opposed to customer organizations:
These are local groups of developers who meet online or in person to share experiences and learn from each other. These groups often utilize platforms like Meetup to advertise their events.
This initiative provides visibility, community, and resources specifically for women in technology.
Google Developer Student Clubs (GDSC)
Functioning much like Google Developer Groups, these are targeted toward university students, helping them learn about Google technologies across 1,900+ chapters in over 100 countries.
This is a global network of over 1,000 professionals across 30+ countries, recognized for their expertise in Google technologies and their contributions to the community.
The Road to Google Certification is another significant initiative. Sponsored by GDG and held several times a year, this program is designed to help participants prepare for Google Cloud certifications at no cost. It comprises six weekly online sessions and supporting material, with the program being open to anyone interested. Note that it is managed by the GDG independently from Google.