This engineer creates community for Indigenous Googlers

Welcome to the latest edition of “My Path to Google,” where we talk to Googlers, interns and alumni about how they got to Google, what their roles are like and even some tips on how to prepare for interviews.

Today’s post is all about Tamina Pitt, a Google Maps Software Engineer from our Sydney office and a founding member of the Google Aboriginal and Indigenous Network chapter in Australia.

What do you work on at Google?

As a Software Engineer for the Directions Platform team, I build the directions experience on Google Maps. I code for anyone who needs help finding their way. I love working on a feature that benefits so many people every day.

I’m a Wuthathi and Meriam woman, meaning that my ancestors are Aboriginal from Far North Queensland and the Torres Strait Islands in Australia. I was born and grew up on the ancestral lands of the Gadigal and Bidjigal people in Sydney, where I still live today. When I came to Google, I wanted to create a community for Indigenous Googlers like me to come together and build a sense of belonging at work. So I co-founded the Australian chapter of the Google Aboriginal and Indigenous Network (GAIN), an Employee Resource Group (ERG) for Googlers from, or passionate about, Indigenous and Aboriginal people. I also contribute to the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), Google’s commitment to empower and create equitable opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. As part of this work, I run events featuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander speakers to help Googlers learn more about Indigenous culture.

Why did you apply to Google?

I first applied to Google when I was a student at the University of New South Wales in Sydney. I was in my second year and still unsure about my future in engineering. I hadn’t been applying for internships because I didn’t think I was good enough, but my parents pushed me to apply for one at Google — and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made.

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