b'Information and Communication TechnologyINFORMATION TECHNOLOGYgraders, has an Idaho location at Gowen Field in Boise OVERVIEW and is one example of the eorts to educate Idahos Idaho is strongly positioned in the global economysrising generation for information technology careers.2intellectual and knowledge-related technology jobHARDWARE MANUFACTURINGsectors. According to a report released by CompTIA, Net tech employment in Idaho stood at 54,100 atComputer hardware encompasses physical the end of 2019, accounting for 6.7% of the statescomponents such as processors, monitors, memory workforce. Idahos net tech employment increased bydevices, CPUs, printers, and keyboards. Idahos top 4.2% in 2019, the third highest percentage increaseglobal export industry is the semiconductor and in the country. Between 2010 and 2019 net techindustrial industry (see Figure 2), with one of its top employment grew by 10,159 jobs, an increase of 23.2%.exports being computer memory chips.3Nearly 7,000 of those jobs were added in the Boise metro area, which saw net tech employment grow byMicron Technology, Inc., founded in Boise in 1978, 30.8% during the decade. The report also found thereis one of the states largest employers. It ranks as are more than 3,800 tech business establishments inthe 4th largest semiconductor company in the the state, and, at $7 billion, the tech sector accounts forworld. More than 5,000 of the total 40,000 company 9.8% of the states economy.1 Furthermore, as shownemployees live in Idaho. It operates in 17 countries to in Figure 1, the states most protable manufacturingproduce and market computer memory products.4sector is the computer and electronic products sector. Micron is one of the largest DRAM (primary memory device in PCs) manufacturers globally. The company Idaho is also focusing on improving its informationalso produces display products and is involved technology educational framework. Idahowith health care technology and solar energy universities, K-12 and 4-H programs are increasing themanufacturing.2number of technology-based training opportunities for the future job force. STARBASE, a DepartmentHewlett Packard is also a major technology player of Defense STEM outreach program to educate 5thin Idaho, having established its printer division Top 10 Idaho Manufacturing SectorsIN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, 2017Computer and electronic productsFood, beverage and tobacco productsWood productsFabricated metal productsChemicalsMachineryPaper manufacturingPlastics and rubber productsElectrical equipment and appliancesPrinting and related support activities$0$1,000 $2,000 $3,000FIGURE 1. Idaho Manufacturing Sectorshttps://www.nam.org/state-manufacturing-data/2019-idaho-manufacturing-facts/Information and Communication Technology 89'