Grade Level and Subject Taught:10/11/12 Automotive

Exploring New Career Pathways: My Externship with Micron Technology

This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to work with Micron Technology on a project focused on increasing awareness and exposure for high school students—especially those in automotive programs—to careers in advanced manufacturing. With Micron’s new ID1 facility currently under construction, the company is preparing to hire around 2,000 on-site employees. This high-volume manufacturing site will produce American-made, high-quality semiconductor chips and will require a skilled workforce to operate and maintain its state-of-the-art equipment.

My goal during the externship was to help identify ways to connect students with these emerging opportunities—specifically those who may not have previously considered careers in semiconductor manufacturing.

During my time with Micron, I was immersed in the entire chip-making process, gaining firsthand experience with techniques like physical and chemical vapor deposition, chemical mechanical planarization, photolithography, ion implantation, and diffusion. One of the highlights was stepping into the clean room to work directly on the cutting-edge machines used in production. It quickly became clear that the mechanical, diagnostic, and troubleshooting skills I’ve developed through years in automotive repair are a perfect match for the work involved in maintaining semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

Before starting this externship, I had little understanding of how microchips were made—or how relevant my students’ training in automotive systems could be to careers in this field. Now, I see a clear connection between the skills we teach and the technical demands of this high-tech industry. This realization has opened up new career pathways that I can introduce to my students.

Going forward, I plan to organize student tours of Micron’s facilities, as well as the College of Western Idaho’s Mechatronics program, which Micron is actively supporting. These experiences will give students a clearer picture of the exciting, high-paying careers available in advanced manufacturing—and how their existing skills can help get them there.