WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama will travel to Oregon next week to visit Intel Corp., yet another step in the president's effort to draw attention to the role of education in preparing Americans for new high-tech jobs.
During the trip to Hillsboro, Ore., on Friday, Obama will tour Intel's semiconductor manufacturing facility with Intel CEO Paul Otellini. Intel has its own education program, including curriculum, competition and online resources to encourage studies in science, technology, engineering and math.
Otellini was among 20 business CEOs who met privately with Obama in December. The Intel executive has been a critic of Obama administration policies, saying they have created too much uncertainty for the business community. He told CNN in September that the policies had not resulted in either job growth of increased consumer confidence.
Since then, Obama has stressed the role of innovation as a key component of his job-creation plans.
Oregon is a solidly Democratic state. Its governor and two senators are Democrats and Obama won the state handily in 2008. Obama was last in Oregon in October, when he attended a rally for Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Kitzhaber, the eventual winner.
