Launching high-tech careers
When Camas High School student Garrett Wilgus heard about a three-day opportunity to explore science and math careers, he was eager to learn. "I thought this would be a great opportunity to find out whether I'm really interested in the industry and see if it would be the right opportunity for me," he said. So, Wilgus, who will be a senior this fall, decided to apply for the SEMI High Tech U program, which is an industry-driven math and science-based career exploration event presented by the non-profit SEMI Foundation and local partners. These include the Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council, Clark College, Hewlett-Packard, WaferTech, Clark County High Tech Community Council, Columbia Machine, Employers Overload and Underwriters Laboratories. The program provides incoming sophomores, juniors and seniors with an opportunity to learn how math and science are used in the high-tech world by sending them to work with experts in the field at various businesses.