Manufacturing Day on October 14, 2016 was a blast. I got to enjoy learning about what Globalfoundries is all about since it is right in our backyard in Malta. Globalfoundries is one of four companies in the world that make today’s most advanced computer chips. These wafers are the thickness of a fingernail and contain small chips that hold information used in phones, television, etc. Globalfoundries uses these chips to make huge advancements in micro devices using advanced technology. Next time you see someone talking on the phone, you should know that that phone would not be functioning properly without Globalfoundries help.

On Friday morning, I was astonished when I saw all of the people that were in the Globalfoundries cafeteria. Their ages ranged from 5 all of the way up to 12th graders, eager to learn about technology. These students came from over 11 schools and 3 P-Tech programs across the capital region. The event kicked off with Congressman Paul Tonko talking to all of the students about the importance of manufacturing jobs. Paul Tonko put a strong emphasis on the great working conditions that are in the factories. Tonko said, “It’s not dirty, dumb and dangerous, it’s smart, clean and innovative. You could eat off the floor.” People tend to have the idea that all factories are disgusting places to work but that just isn’t the case. Paul Tonko is a trained engineer who holds degrees in mechanical engineering and industrial engineering from Clarkson University. Tonko sits on the House Energy and Commerce and Science, Space and Technologies committees. Listening to Congressman Tonko speak really opened my eyes to the opportunity that all of us have in the STEM field. The Manufacturing Institute has estimated that over 3.5 million manufacturing jobs will be created in the U.S. the next few years. The mind-blowing part is that of those 3.5 million jobs, 2 million of those will go unfilled  due to the lack of skills and training needed to do each job. The demand for workers is going to be huge due to the technological advances in our society today. With the proper education and skill set, an engineer at Globalfoundries can make anywhere from $50,000- $150,000.

Tec-Smart is a great opportunity for students like myself who are interested in the STEM fields. At Tec-Smart, there are four pathways that you can explore which include Entrepreneurship, Computer Science, Mechatronics, and Clean and Sustainable Technologies. Personally, I joined the program in ninth grade because my dream is own my own business and make tons of money. Any of these fields listed above will allow you to make a great living; Clean and Sustainable Technologies are the wave of the future as we try to move farther away from fossil fuels. Tec-Smart is a course that runs from ninth grade in high school all of the way until your senior year in high school. Once you get to be a junior and senior, you will travel to the Tec-Smart facility daily in Malta where you will take college classes and collect college credits. By the time that I graduate high school, I will have a year of college done through Hudson Valley Community College for FREE!!! All Galway students should take interest in a STEM career because the opportunities are endless. If you are a middle schooler or even younger, I strongly encourage you to join Tec-Smart because you never know, you could be the one that changes the world one day. Take any opportunity that you are given in school and go after it and run with it. 

Learn more about the program at the link below:

http://www.hvcc.edu/tecsmart/