Roundup Record Tribune & Winnett Times -

Marshall Swearingen, MSU News Service

BOZEMAN — Gallatin College at Montana State University will host an event showcasing career opportunities in the Gallatin Valley's fast-growing photonics and high-tech manufacturing industries.

Photonic-CON, coordinated by Gallatin College MSU, will take place from 1 to 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 23, at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds. The expo will feature hands-on demonstrations, opportunities to connect with industry partners and a raffle.

From 1 to 4 p.m., the event is geared toward middle- and high-school students who would like to learn more about the photonics and manufacturing industries. From 4 to 6 p.m., MSU students and community members are invited to learn about photonics, manufacturing and career opportunities in the Gallatin Valley.

"The expo is extremely interactive and is a great opportunity to introduce middle- and high-school students to the world of photonics, as well as learn about our two-year education offerings in this amazing field," said Jessi Cannaday, enrollment manager for Gallatin College MSU.

"There are a lot of untapped job opportunities with these industries right in the valley," Cannaday added. "With this event we want to open doors to those opportunities and also show what Gallatin College is doing to help fill those employment gaps and help people connect with lucrative careers."

Photonics involves harnessing light particles, or photons, in the form of lasers and related technologies. There are roughly 30 photonics companies in Montana and most of them are in the Bozeman area. These businesses employ more than 800 workers with an average salary of $72,000, making the Gallatin Valley a world leader in the industry, according to the Montana Photonics Industry Alliance.

Last year was the first time Gallatin College MSU hosted Photonic-CON. The event drew 25 companies and nearly 200 students and community members. "This year we are hoping to double that," Cannaday said. The participating businesses are primarily photonics companies, but several are involved in high-tech manufacturing, including manufacturing that supports the photonics industry.

Gallatin College MSU launched a two-year associate degree in photonics and laser technology in 2016. Every graduate of the program during its first five years – nearly 40 in total – secured a local job, according to Trenton Berg, who worked with the university to help launch the program and now leads lidar testing for Aurora, which makes self-driving vehicles using photonics sensors developed in Bozeman. Gallatin College MSU also offers a Certificate of Applied Science in CNC Machine Technology.

"Our photonics program continues to grow year-on-year," said Mark Craig, director of the advanced technology division at Gallatin College MSU. "To meet these demands, we are actively engaging local industry experts to ensure we are not only addressing rapidly evolving industry needs but also providing student access to employers and pre-professional job opportunities even prior to graduation."

The event is still accepting industry partners, who should register by Sept. 30, Cannaday said. Students and community members can RSVP before Oct. 13 to receive email updates and a handout pamphlet.

For more information and to register, visit gallatin.montana.edu/outreach/photonicon.html.