When Loogootee High School student Lucas Helderman joined the Indiana Uplands Microelectronics Academy, he did not expect the experience would also open the door to a career pathway. 

“Like everyone else who joined the Academy in the fall of 2025, I was nervous. I had no clue what I was getting myself into as the Academy was a fresh, first-year program,” Lucas said. 

That willingness to step outside his comfort zone has paid off. Lucas recently began an UpSkill Work & Learn apprenticeship with Artisan Electronics, where he is gaining hands-on experience while exploring career opportunities in microelectronics and advanced manufacturing. 

“This is an opportunity that no other high school student in the area would get to do,” Lucas said. “For me, it is one of the best experiences and decisions I have made for myself and my schedule. I have learned countless things that you don’t get introduced to at school, as well as gained a better understanding of what I would like to do in the future.” 

Today, Lucas is working alongside professionals at Artisan Electronics and applying concepts learned through the Academy. 

“Lucas is an exceptionally capable learner. In the Academy, he has worked on everything from designing and modeling circuits to developing engineering processes that allowed us to achieve results well beyond what would normally be expected from student-level lithography and etching,” said Joel Karl, coordinator and instructor for the Indiana Uplands Microelectronics Academy. 

“I have learned a great deal about how to make this program better from students like Lucas, and he has helped set a very high bar for the students who will follow him.” 

The apprenticeship has also given Lucas the opportunity to build relationships with professionals and gain firsthand insight into what a career in the field can look like. 

One of the most valuable parts of the experience, Lucas said, was building relationships with professionals he worked alongside as an Artisan Electronics apprentice, connections he believes will stay with him for years to come.

“The kind of people you meet there are the type of people you don’t forget,” Lucas said.

The knowledge and skills Lucas developed through the Indiana Uplands Microelectronics Academy quickly became evident during his apprenticeship at Artisan Electronics, according to President and CEO Kory Reagan. 

“Lucas has demonstrated a tremendous foundation of knowledge that he has gained through his educational experience with the ME Academy and has displayed a great aptitude toward Engineering principles that will guide him through his college career and the workforce,” Reagan said.  

“The knowledge and skillset that Lucas was able to bring to Artisan while still in high school is unparalleled and we hope to work with him more in the coming years.” 

For Lucas, one of the most valuable aspects of the apprenticeship has been the opportunity to contribute to projects with real-world impact. 

“The opportunities I have gotten consist of real work the company does, along with what you could do later in your life,” he said. 

Lucas’s journey demonstrates how the Academy and UpSkill create pathways from education to employment. 

“Lucas has built a meaningful relationship with Artisan Electronics that began as a Microelectronics Academy student earning his IPC J-STD-001 soldering certification and learning directly from Artisan engineers,” said Renae Christianson, UpSkill Student Success Manager. “Through continued mentorship and industry engagement, that connection has grown into an apprenticeship opportunity, giving Lucas the chance to take what he learned in the classroom into the workplace.” 

Partnerships with organizations like Artisan Electronics help ROI connect students to meaningful opportunities that build skills, confidence, and career awareness – all while strengthening the microelectronics talent pipeline across the Indiana Uplands.