West Georgia Technical College students participating in the inaugural Google Data Center Student Immersion Program gathered at Google’s Douglas County data center campus in Lithia Springs.
Five West Georgia Technical College (WGTC) students successfully concluded the Google Data Center Student Immersion Program, a six-week summer initiative providing a comprehensive introduction to the data center industry. This inaugural program, developed in collaboration with Google, was designed to bridge academic learning with real-world technology experiences for students.
Participants, all pursuing IT-related coursework or certifications at WGTC, included Robert Galan, Malcolm Maness, Teresiah Muiru, Tony Smith, and Shania Willis.
Held at the Douglas County Google data center campus in Lithia Springs, the program offered immersive experiences in data center infrastructure, server maintenance, network troubleshooting and project management. Participants shadowed professionals, attended briefings, engaged in real-world operations at the data center and showcased available careers with Google data centers.
“The Data Center Student Immersion Program aims to cultivate interest in STEM fields and showcase the variety of career opportunities available within Google data centers,” said Yolanda Washington, CSRM Global Program Manager, Data Center Talent Pipeline Development and Community Engagement, Google. “Thank you to the participating West Georgia Technical College students for their curiosity and engagement.”
Tara Shackleford, Program Director of Computer Information Systems at WGTC, echoed the significance of the experience for students.
“Our first group of Google Immersion students at West Georgia Technical College have reached an incredible milestone by completing this six-week program,” said Shackleford. “This experience allowed them to grow, learn, and shine in ways that go far beyond the classroom. Setting foot inside a data center and gaining hands-on knowledge is exceptional. We are proud of their accomplishments and excited to see how they will use this opportunity to shape their futures.”
