From writing game-automation scripts as a teenager to shaping developer communities at Google, SIT alumnus Thu Ya Kyaw has built a career at the intersection of technology and people. 

From gamer to tech professional to community champion — SIT alumnus Thu Ya Kyaw uses tech to support developers, founders and professionals rebuilding their careers. (Photo: Thu Ya Kyaw)

Like many others, Thu Ya Kyaw, Senior Developer Relations Engineer at Google, spent much of his childhood immersed in gaming.

But what set him apart was an instinct to tinker and create beyond the screen, whether it be experimenting with scripts or automating gameplay. So, when the time came to decide on a course of study, he naturally gravitated towards computing.

“I was already spending countless hours in front of a computer, whether studying or gaming. I thought, why not turn this into a career and do something I enjoy every day?”

Reflecting on those early experiences, Thu Ya Kyaw credits his childhood gaming and experimentation with shaping the developer he is today.

“There was this web-based game that I was playing when I was around 17 years old. To try and advance more quickly to the next level, I started to do some scripting to automate some parts of the game. It pushed me to pick up and develop some of my programming skills.

I think programming also helped me fulfil my desire to create things. As a student with limited resources, all I needed was a laptop, and I could start creating websites and applications. It was magical!”

Balancing Technology and People

A self-proclaimed geek, Thu Ya Kyaw is equally comfortable navigating technical challenges and connecting with people — a balance he has honed through years of involvement in both tech and broader communities. Today, in his current role at Google, he spends much of his time working closely with professional developers, startup founders and students, educating them about Google Cloud, AI agents, and AI workflows.

“At one point, I was contemplating which career path I should move towards – the more people-oriented managerial path, or the more subject matter expert, technical kind of role. Eventually, I came to realise that even in the latter, dealing with people is something that you can’t avoid.”

He eventually chose to deepen his expertise as a technical individual contributor. But rather than moving away from people, the role brought him closer to them in a different way—bridging complex technologies and real-world needs. A path that mirrored SIT’s applied learning and applied research ethos.

On a typical day, Thu Ya Kyaw delivers technical talks, runs hands-on workshops, and presents demos at conferences and community events, sharing how AI and cloud technologies can be used to solve real-world problems.

Beyond these sessions, he remains active in the wider developer ecosystem, contributing insights from industry engagements and helping shape how Google AI tools are understood and adopted in practice.

In this respect, he is thankful for the experiences he gained at SIT, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Computing Science in 2017, which helped develop and shape his soft skills.

Thu Ya Kyaw at his graduation ceremony in 2017. (Photo: Thu Ya Kyaw)

“In my final year, I was the class representative, and that gave me a lot of opportunities to pull people to work together – to plan events and activities. Additionally, SIT was very focused on industry relevance and hands-on projects. There was this one big project called the “Team Project”, which got the entire class of 80 students to work together as one company. So that taught me a lot about managing internal conflicts and negotiations and working together in a way that benefits the overall objective.”

Such experiences also shaped how he approaches collaboration beyond university, particularly in working with different stakeholders towards a common goal. The emphasis on large-scale, industry-relevant projects gave him early exposure to real-world dynamics such as aligning expectations, navigating differing viewpoints, and keeping teams focused on shared outcomes—skills that continue to be relevant as he engages developer communities and partners in his current role.

Paying IT Forward

Today, Thu Ya Kyaw is heavily involved in various communities such as SideQuest – a community he founded in 2023 to mentor and support individuals who have been laid off, where he shares both technical insights and career advice to help them rebuild and progress in their professional journeys.

“Seeing friends affected by retrenchments, I wanted to create a support network of recruiters, career coaches, and mentors to help them regain their footing and thrive professionally.”

He is also actively involved with GeeksHacking, a community that organises workshops and provides mentorship to aspiring tech professionals. One of his key roles at GeeksHacking is organising the annual hackathon – HackOMania - which brings together more than 300 developers to solve issues facing the world today.

“This year, among others, we are looking at how we can use AI to help the elderly who are living alone. For instance, if they have a fall, how can AI help to alert the authorities or provide answers to their queries, not just in English, but also in dialects they may be more comfortable with, such as Hokkien.”

Thu Ya Kyaw’s commitment to helping others is deeply rooted in his own journey as an SIT student. He was profoundly inspired by the guidance and mentorship of his then-professors like A/Prof Jeannie Lee, A/Prof Malcolm Low, A/Prof Fatma Meawad, A/Prof Andrew Ng, A/Prof Sye Loong Keoh — all of whom he holds in the highest regard.

“I was struggling to complete school at one point. My professors were the ones who helped guide me through that difficult period. I think their example has made me realise the importance of having a community to help you when you’re going through difficult times. That’s why I’m paying it forward today.”

That sense of support is something he continues to extend today through SIT’s alumni mentorship programme, where he has been volunteering since its early cycles. Now in his 11th cycle, he regularly engages with students, sharing his experiences and offering guidance on navigating early career decisions, building strong technical foundations, and transitioning into the industry.

His advice to students is simple: stay curious, build strong fundamentals, and remain open to learning from both experiences and the people around them — as some of the most meaningful growth often comes from beyond the classroom.

From gamer to tech professional to community champion — SIT alumnus Thu Ya Kyaw uses tech to support developers, founders and professionals rebuilding their careers. (Photo: Thu Ya Kyaw)