IT execs in Oregon have resorted to a charity golf match to persuade kids to take jobs in the chip industry.

High flyers teed off yesterday at the event organised by SEMI - the trade association for chip companies. It hoped to raise $26,000 at the Second Annual SEMI Pacific Northwest Invitational Tournament 2000.

This money will be used to sponsor a scheme to educate the cream of high school and college students in the Portland area about the tantalising opportunities of working for the semiconductor sector.

The lucky selected students will be subjected to a 24-hour "intensive semiconductor industry orientation program" courtesy of SEMI next Spring. Over the course of about six days they'll get to do experiments, watch videos and speeches and get tours of local fabs.

There will also some internships on offer.

According to SEMI, which represents more than 2,4000 chip companies worldwide, the scheme will protect thousands of local jobs.

"We estimate that 800-1,500 people will be needed to staff local IC(integrated circuit) fabs (fabrication plants) over the next six months," said Galen Flinn, chairman of the local SEMI Northwest Steering Committee.

According to Flinn, people do not need a Ph.D. in engineering to bag a job in a chip factory. "Jobs include everything from support technicians to process engineers," he said. ®

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