Local Tech Industry, Education Community Introduce Area High School Students To STEM-Related High Tech Careers At SEMI High Tech U, February 19-21

SEMI High Tech U strives to develop tomorrow’s high tech workforce

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 19, 2013 — For three days, 42 high school students from Austin, Round Rock, Manor New Tech and other area school districts will engage in a high energy, highly interactive experience, learning the fundamentals of electronics, solar technology, semiconductor manufacturing, microchip logic, and automated process fundamentals.

They’ll be attending SEMI High Tech U, a highly acclaimed three-day tech career exploration program for high school students presented by the SEMI Foundation, and hosted by Spansion, Samsung, and Texas State University. The Applied Materials Foundation is also supporting the event. Additional funding was provided by the Fab Owners Association.

 “We recruit students from local high schools who have the potential to do well in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) related careers and give them an "experience" that helps move them towards planning for their future,” said SEMI Foundation vice president Lisa Anderson. “Students who have gone through our program report they feel more motivated to take STEM subjects in school, understand the value of teamwork and understand the educational pathway needed to move forward.  This is all good news in the technology world where finding young people to fill technology jobs is becoming increasingly difficult.”

“SEMI High Tech U is truly an exceptional program because of the level at which students are being engaged,” said Samsung senior manager of human resources, Charmaine Winters. “The impact of the hands-on and interactive experiences for the students are both valuable and long-lasting. We are pleased to be partnering once again with SEMI Foundation in their mission to support education and career awareness in the fields of high technology.”

"Spansion has a long standing commitment to education, and STEM programs in particular, to provide vital knowledge, confidence and guidance to students interested in exploring avenues to a bright future in science, technology, engineering and math," said Randy Blair, senior vice president, wafer fab operations at Spansion.  "Hosting the first day of SEMI High Tech U reinforces our commitment as a partner in strengthening the foundation of STEM programs."

“For Central Texas students, this opportunity to explore STEM careers is increasingly important,” said Michele Walker-Moak, program manager with the Applied Materials Foundation.  “Today’s students struggle to make concrete connections between classroom instruction and real-world experiences. High Tech U crystallizes those connections, allowing students to actively engage, experiment and explore these essential careers.”

Participating Schools

Students attending the program are from area secondary schools, including Bastrop, Bowie, Cedar Creek, Cedar Ridge, Del Valle, Eastview, Manor Tech, McNeil, Round Rock, Stony Point, and Westwood.

Since its inception in 2001 SEMI High Tech U has been presented to 4066 high school students and 774 high school teachers in the US, Austria, France, Japan, Korea, Singapore, The Netherlands, and The United Arab Emirates.