PALMER, Texas — Zachy Riley is a Palmer High School alumnus and came back to his old stomping grounds to talk to students about his career journey.
“It’s crazy to think that this is where I grew up and where I live now and … now we’re on the forefront of technology with this thing,” Riley said.
He says it all began with Aurora, an autonomous trucking company. His journey started at the Palmer-based trucking operation center.
“I never thought I would see myself working at a place like this. And 10 years ago, when I graduated high school, there were no places like this,” he said.
Shortly after he graduated from high school, he became an autonomous vehicle operations specialist.
“Seeing this technology being built in where I was raised and live now, it’s pretty exciting that I could get my hand in there and help build this technology up,” he said.
Riley and the Aurora team gave a presentation to Palmer High STEM students, showing them the advanced autonomous trucking technology that’s right in their backyard. He also shared information about career opportunities that students can apply for right after their graduation.
“We want to help them get excited about the careers that they can pursue and potentially come work for us one day,” said Gerardo Interiano, a senior vice president at Aurora.
Aurora has been working on autonomous semi-trucks for nearly a decade. They use Texas roads to test their technology and are looking to grow their operations in Palmer by employing the next generation.
Riley hopes students will consider working for Aurora.
“Keep your sights wide and you’ll never know what you’ll find,” he said.