At Lam Research, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields are at the heart of the technologies we develop, so we know first-hand their significant business value. We have also seen the positive impact STEM education offers communities: students discover exciting and rewarding careers, develop a lifelong love for learning and giving back, and some may even one day apply that education working for a tech company (perhaps at Lam in Tualatin?).
In fact, we have a long history of funding STEM activities and many Lam employees enjoy volunteering their time through activities like supporting high school engineering programs and helping college students design and build race cars that test their engineering skills and creativity.
In Tualatin – home to one of Lam’s largest manufacturing facilities – we are pleased to support the STEM education component of the city’s “America’s Best Communities” (ABC) initiative. These activities are particularly meaningful because they help create a pathway to higher education for some of Tualatin’s most at-risk students from low-income families.
A recent example of our involvement is our celebration of Manufacturing Day 2016 at our Tualatin and California facilities – along with nearly 2,500 companies across the United States. Each October, manufacturers host free educational events, tours, and job fairs to expand knowledge about high-skilled, high-paying jobs in the sector and the industry’s economic impact. For our event, we provided company and product overviews, tours, and information on careers in manufacturing. Interactive demonstrations included a live, virtual tour where students had an opportunity to speak to employees working on the manufacturing floor.
In the Tualatin area, Lam also supports several other STEM-related programs, including: FIRST Robotics Oregon, Tigard Tualatin Schools, and Girls Inc. of the Pacific Northwest.
All of us at Lam are proud to support STEM activities for the ABC initiative and have our fingers crossed for Tualatin in the competition. Regardless of the outcome, Tualatin is a winning community for its efforts to improve education and provide a better future for the next generation.