In my previous blog installment, I talked about the reasons behind my recent trip to California and primarily focused on our first stop at Google. It was amazing to have our “boots on the ground” at Google HQ. But our trip was far from over. We were also given the opportunity to meet with employees at Electronic Arts and Facebook as well as tour their campuses.
Our next stop was Electronic Arts, where we met with a University of Kentucky graduate who has been working at EA for the last 14 years. During that time she has worked on numerous different versions of The Sims games, with her most recent project being a producer for The Sims Mobile which just launched in the spring of 2018. This was her first mobile development project, and she was kind enough to share her story with our group. In particular I was struck by her longevity with EA and the many types of roles that are involved with developing a video game. In her case, she has moved into the role of a producer for the video game, and must manage many different aspects (time, budget, resources, game development) to make sure that a high quality game is delivered on schedule. For me, this was not what I expected from a “computer programmer”, but through this and our other visits, I quickly realized that just like with any degree, there are many different paths that a career can take.
As for the EA campus itself, it was fairly quiet by the time we arrived at 4:00 to visit, but certainly as beautiful. A series of buildings surround a courtyard and the lobby of course was home to several larger than life versions of characters from popular video games. The campus does strive to meet the daily needs of the employees. For example, there is a nice cafeteria so that employees don’t have to leave for lunch, but we were told that only the “major” companies (Google and Facebook for example) provide complementary meals and snacks. Still, it seemed like a very fun place to work, especially for those who really want to be a part of the video game world.
Surprisingly though, my favorite stop of the trip was the next afternoon at Facebook. After visiting Google and EA, I expected Facebook to be impressive, and it was. The culture I think is similar to Google, in that they care for their employees and want to bring out the best in them. Truly any of these companies would be phenomenal to work for and offer many opportunities for a variety of careers. But Facebook has really spent time making their campus feel like home away from home.
We had two gracious hosts who spent their whole afternoon showing us around the campus and talking about what it is like to work at Facebook. One was also a University of Kentucky graduate and the other was from Germany. We learned about the ways Facebook strives to serve its employees, from free shuttles to surrounding areas, like San Francisco (because most people don’t live in the Menlo Park), to free food (and ice cream), laundry services, an on-site barber, an on-site bank and so much more. Google of course offers many, if not all of these same services, but the Facebook campus is what really wowed our group. After walking through an entrance foyer, we were suddenly out on a street that reminded me of being on Main Street at Disney World. It didn’t hurt that it was a beautiful day, full of sunshine, but the vibe was relaxed and fun.
I spent a bit of time talking with one of our hosts about his time schedule. He reinforced the idea that a 9-5 schedule was seldom observed, and that the focus was truly on working the hours that allow you to achieve your goals and work best for you and your family. In his case, he was driving in each week from Monterey on Monday, so he would often wait until the major morning traffic had passed and would get into the office about 11:30. Then he would work later in the evening because he would stay in the Bay area during the week.
What really struck me was that during the three-hours we visited Facebook, neither of our hosts ever rushed us. They were happy to share their story and to spend the afternoon answering questions and showing us around. One opportunity they really wanted to share, was that of internships for students. They touted the power of getting your foot in the door this way and of the value of Facebook internships because they truly put you to work on an existing project. (We adults were all wondering if we could come back as interns or have an externship!)
Though there is much more I could share about our stop at Facebook, I’ll end with my two favorite things (besides the ice cream!) One was that Facebook has it’s own screen printing shop on campus and they have amazing posters EVERYWHERE. They cover the walls with fun, flip and thought-provoking messages. It was very motivating. (Are our schools this motivating?) 
My other favorite, was the roof-top garden on top of the main headquarters building, across the street from where we initially visited. It was an amazing place that encouraged employees to get outdoors, get some sunlight and enjoy the world without having to go very far. Once you walked up to the garden, you really couldn’t even tell you were on top of a building, other than the view.
The garden, along with all of our visits, was a great place for reflection. In my next and final post on our trip to Silicon Valley, I’ll share some of my aha moments and my perspective on the importance of career education. I think we have a lot to learn from “the real world” about what our students need to be successful after their K-12 years.
shiftedlife.com 
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