By Jennifer Sertl, Director of Marketing
At Circle Optics, we believe in fostering the next generation of innovators. This summer, as part of the City of Rochester’s The Summer of Opportunity Program (SOOP), our Director of Marketing Jennifer Sertl, Senior Mechanical Engineer Carlos Terrero, and Mechanical Engineer Cody Hatch had the privilege of hosting two high school students, providing them with an invaluable learning experience about our cutting-edge technology and the exciting career paths within our industry. Terrero commented, “Having the students here was a truly rewarding experience. We demonstrated how Computer Aided Design and 3D printing are integral to our workflow, driving innovation and technology development. By showcasing these tools in a real-world context, we provided them with a tangible example. By far the highlight was seeing their faces light up with curiosity and excitement when we revealed one of our products. Witnessing their enthusiasm filled us with optimism that this will serve as future inspiration.“
About The Summer of Opportunity Program (SOOP)
In today’s rapidly evolving job market, the gap between available skills and ready-to-work talent has become a pressing issue worldwide. It is projected that by 2030, there will be a shortfall of 85 million unfilled jobs due to this widening skills gap. Exposing high school students to a variety of careers earlier in their educational journey creates significant value. Early career exposure allows students to explore diverse fields, helping them identify their interests and talents well before they enter the job market. This proactive approach can lead to more informed decisions regarding their education and career paths, reducing the likelihood of costly changes in direction later. Furthermore, understanding the skills required for different professions enables students to align their coursework and extracurricular activities accordingly, enhancing their readiness for future employment. This early alignment not only bridges the skills gap but also increases student engagement and motivation by connecting their studies to real-world applications and opportunities
Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce‘s Melanie DellaPietra coordinated the visit and shared her point of view,”It’s an exciting time in the Greater Rochester region, and it’s critical that all our residents, especially our young people, understand what’s happening, what it means for their future, and have an opportunity to be a part of it. It’s also important for them to hear it from their peers in terms they can understand. This summer with Ahnasti and Markus is just the beginning of educating our youth on the diverse, often no-cost educational opportunities and high paying career paths available in our region. My vision is for every young person to approach high school graduation with their own unique and attainable path to success ahead of them.”
In addition to Circle Optics the students are meeting with the Luminate Accelerator, OptiPro Systems, MCC Optics Program, L3Harris and BOCES Workforce Development.
