With the Osceola School District serving as a key driver for diverse economic development in the Central Florida region, the Osceola County School Board and Superintendent Dr. Debra Pace have greatly expanded the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) curriculum being taught in schools so that it directly aligns with workforce needs now and in the future. The district’s newest STEM initiative is SEMI High Tech University (SEMI HTU), making Osceola the first school district in Florida to partner with the SEMI Foundation for their internationally-acclaimed high-tech career exploration program for high school students which took place June 13-15, 2017.

Participating students had the unique opportunity to visit BRIDG, a SEMI High Tech University host and sponsor, for hands-on workshops facilitated by BRIDG technology staff and industry partners to learn about various pathways from school to advanced manufacturing and technology careers, in such areas as advanced sensors, optics, and photonics. In addition to the student program, a teacher program took place on June 7-8 to connect the classroom experience to careers in technology for educators. Students and teachers investigated how high-tech STEM solutions are used to solve real-world problems, to enhance student’s perceptions about STEM, and to generate excitement for world-class, high-tech jobs in the local area.

For more information, visit www.SEMI.org