Nashua Community College graduates 7th class of Microelectronics Boot Camp
Next sessions begin in April, June
The Microelectronics Boot Camp, a noncredit career training program at Nashua Community College, graduated its 7th class of students on Friday, March 16. All 12 graduates have received at least one job offer, with several students receiving multiple offers.
During the graduation ceremony, Boot Camp Professor Steve Jencks praised the group for their hard work throughout the 10-week program. “This is demanding, and they have all risen to the occasion,” he said. Jencks thanked industry and community partners for their support, including BAE Systems, Mercury Systems, MIT Lincoln Labs, Monzite, API Technology, MY TURN, WIOA, JH Technologies and Bonding Source.
Guest speaker Kim Cadorette, director of operations at BAE Systems in Nashua, was a major force in founding the Microelectronics Boot Camp at NCC in 2016. Cadorette shared her personal story of starting at what was then Sanders, later acquired by BAE, immediately after high school in the 1980s. “I am so excited for the experience you’re going to get, and the career you’re going to have,” she said.
From Mercury Systems in Nashua, senior recruiter Claire M. Breton applauded the group’s success, and encouraged them to savor the moment. “Be proud of your accomplishments. Embrace where you have been and where you are going,” she said.
Boot Camp graduate James Adams said the training was a “long journey” for students, but they supported each other throughout the program. “Now we’re leaving this program with a sense of teamwork and comradery,” Adams said. He thanked Jon Mason, corporate, community and continuing education coordinator at NCC, for helping students develop their soft skills such as how to interview for jobs and write a resume.
From the second Microelectronics Boot Camp class, alumnus and BAE employee Kyle Perras encouraged graduates to always be listening and learning. “I like to come back here and share my experience, and show that if you stick with it, you can come out with not only a job, but a career,” Perras said.
“We are unique — what you do is unique,” said Mike Meade from JH Technologies, a company that creates specialized microscopes used in microelectronics with a location in Nashua. Meade said across the country, only about 100,000 people have the skills the graduates have after completing the Boot Camp. Meade served as a guest lecturer during the program, and helped train students on the microscopes.
Mason ended the ceremony by encouraging alumni to support one another as they move forward. “Wherever you end up, there’s someone from one of these programs here to help you,” he said, “Just remember to pay it forward.”
The next Microelectronics Boot Camp session begins in April, followed by one in June. To learn more about NCC and its community partners who support programs tailored to developing New Hampshire’s future workforce, contact the Admissions Office at 603-578-8908 or nashua@ccsnh.edu.
