Selecting Jobs and Careers in Hillsboro, Oregon, the Silicon Forest

Found in Washington County, Oregon, Hillsboro was named by CNN Money Magazine online as Number 92 among the Top 100 Best Places to Live in America. You may think that the cities and towns in the 90s of this list may be the bottom of the barrel, but that's hardly true. Given 10s or hundreds of thousands of cities and towns in America, the Top 100 are all good.

Hillsboro is nicknamed the odd-sounding "Silicon Forest." Since forests are not made of silicon and computer components are so made, this must be a reference to computers and related Information Technology. In fact, the successful Intel Corporation is headquartered in Hillsboro, which is near the larger Portland.

For geographical reference, we have Tillamook on the above map, near the Pacific Ocean. Another small town known for its creameries and cheese production, Tillamook is about 60 miles or an hour's drive form Hillsboro.

Tillamook is named after one of the nations of Indigenous Peoples of the Pacific Northwest, related to the Salishan language groups (see Native American links below). The town has several museums, WWII history, and makes a good adjunct attraction to Hillsboro.

• Aero Air - Founded in 1956. Private and Jet Charter, Aircraft Sales, FBO Services, Maintenance, parts sales from out of Portland-Hillsboro.
• Artists Repertory Theatre
• Brush Creek Playhouse
• El-Paraiso Botanica - Highly recommended Mexican Restaurant. (503) 693-3916
• Elsinore Theatre
• Hondo Dog Park- 4499 NW 229th Ave. in Hillsboro
• Lakewood Theatre
• LB Day Amphitheatre

• McKay Creek Golf Course
• Nature Preserves - Jackson Bottoms Wetlands
• Oak Knoll Winery
• Oregon Maritime Center and Museum - On the Willamette River in Portland, with a steam paddlewheeler. Open 360 days a year with a 30-minute tour offered. Librafry, Museum Store, Childrens' Activities.

• Oregon Zoo- Opened in the late 1800s, the zoo is less than 14 miles from the center of Hillsboro, in Portland. February 2nd is Hedgehog Day at the zoo. Polar Bears are visiting on tour as well. Open 364 Days a year, closed on Christmas. Reasonable rates, with discounts every Tuesday.
• Rice Museum - Rocks and minerals.
• Walters Cultural Arts Center - Fine arts, kids classes, performances.(503) 615-3485
• For additional attractions, visit the local Chamber of Commerce at http://www.hillchamber.org/

Shugte Park is one of over 20 city parks in Hillsboro and it contains a recreation center and Iindoor pool along with a park. In the park is at least one Native American sculpture by the famous artist Peter Wolf Toth (see photo to the right).

This particular head carving is one of a set that Mr. Toth completed in all US states around the nation to represent the numerous nations of Indigenous Peoples here. His ongoing work has spread to Canada in a project he calls Trail of the Whispering Giants. He is Hungarian in origin, but immigrated to America to Akron, Ohio, solme 175 miles north of my home city. Look in your home state or province for his work.

In Akron, you can see the sculpture Rotaynah, representing all of the "tribes" of Ohio. In each state, Mr. Toth has attempted to sculpt a composite of the local peoples in stone or wood. The image was completed in 1985 from a red oak and stands before Akron’s Fairlawn Elementary School, which is now a Judith Resnick Leaning Center (named for the Challenger astronaut).

Shute Park also houses a ;public library, a senior community center, and many sports courts - including something called "pickleball."

1. Intel - High Tech/IT
2. Kaiser Permanente - Healthcare
3. Providence Health & Services
4. Oregon Health & Science University - Local university.
5. IBM
6. Advantage Nurse Staffing
7. Professional Technical Resources
8. WorkInSports.Com - Retail, Broadcasting, Trainers, other.
9. Southwest Washington Medical Center
10. Volt Information Sciences
11. Taco Bell, Starbucks, other small dining places
12. Nike
13. Securus
14. Global Corporate Careers
15. US Bank
16. Worksource Vancouver Towne Plaza
17. Wells Fargo

1. Software Engineers - IT
2. Shift Supervisors - Various industries: dining places, retail stores, other.
3. Baristas - Full-time and Part-time
4. Sales Representatives - Included IT components
5. Physical Therapists and PT Assistants - Health
6. Registered Nurses (RNs) - Health
7. Salespeople
8. Project Managers - Includes IT
9. Administrative and Executive Assistants
10. Java Developers - IT

Additional High Demand Jobs in and Near Hillsboro

• Account Executives
• Assistant Managers
• .Net Developers - IT
• Business Analysts
• Occupational Therapists - Health

Hillsboro economy is supported by many businesses, but a large contribution is made by the IT Industry, including component manufacturing. Hundreds of high-tech and Information Technology companies are profitable in the Hillsboro area and can be found listed on the Chamber of Commerce Website under Hillsboro Magazine.

Among leading companies in this section of Oregon are Epson, Intel, and Yahoo!, among many others. Triquint Semiconductor is a leader that was particularly highlighted by the Chamber of Commerce in Hillsboro Magazine for 2010.

Mass transportation and public roadways are well maintained In order for Hillsboro to continue to grow in the 21st Century. Bus service, light rail (all the way to Portland), and public and private airports are available. The transportation services will continue to help numbers of new jobs grow, many of them in computers, related manufacturing, and Information Technology overall.

• Everest.edu - Business and technologies.
• Hillsboro Aviation - Flight schools, airplanes and helicopters.
• Oregon Health and Science University
• Northwest College
• Northwest College of Hair Design
• Pacific University @ Hillsboro
• University of Phoenix - On campus and online.