New Workforce Programs for PCBs and Semiconductors

The U.S. will manufacture a fifth of the world's most advanced logic chips by 2030, backed by a domestic supply chain spanning raw materials to packaging, announced Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.

However, industry and government officials have emphasized that new factories could fail without substantial labor investment. Projections indicate that the U.S. may face a shortfall of 90,000 technicians by 2030, coinciding with the goal to produce at least 20% of the world's most advanced chips.

Aiming to prevent a labor shortage that could jeopardize domestic semiconductor production, the Biden administration is launching a program to develop the U.S. chip workforce. The “workforce partner alliance” will utilize part of the $5 billion in federal funding designated for the new National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC). The NSTC will award grants to up to 10 workforce development projects, with budgets ranging from $500,000 to $2 million.

Additional application processes will be initiated in the coming months, and the total funding level will be determined after evaluating all proposals. This initiative is funded by the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, which allocated $39 billion in grants for U.S. chipmaking and $11 billion for semiconductor R&D, including the NSTC. Companies have pledged investments exceeding ten times the federal incentives, significantly impacting the global semiconductor supply chain. This effort marks the first workforce-focused funding opportunity under the legislation.

“It is imperative that we develop a domestic semiconductor workforce ecosystem that can support the industry’s anticipated growth,” said Michael Barnes, senior manager of workforce development programs at Natcast, the non-profit organization set up to operate the NSTC.

The four biggest Chips Act manufacturing awards–to Intel, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Samsung Electronics and Micron Technology–each included US$40 million to US$50 million in dedicated workforce funding. Let’s take a look at some of what these four giants have cooked up so far.

Government, Industry and Academic Collaborations

Aligning with the goals of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, government, industry, and academic institutions have begun collaborating to build a sustainable and skilled workforce that can meet the demands of the rapidly evolving semiconductor industry in the U.S.

Since Biden signed the Chips Act two years ago, more than 50 community colleges have announced new or expanded semiconductor-related programs. 

Efforts are designed to address the significant demand for skilled labor in the semiconductor industry, supporting individual expansion plans while ensuring that the broader sector can meet the growing technological and production needs and strengthening the U.S. semiconductor supply chain.

Intel

Intel is launching its first U.S. registered apprenticeship program for manufacturing facility technicians in Arizona in collaboration with the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), the Phoenix Business and Workforce Development Board, the SEMI Foundation, Maricopa Community Colleges District (MCCD) and Fresh Start Women’s Foundation. 

The company plans to train facility technician apprentices over the next five years. Selected apprentices will be full-time Intel employees on day one and will earn a certificate and college credit upon successful completion of the one-year program.

“Facility technicians are responsible for the setup, maintenance, and performance of the complex machinery used to build semiconductors. There is a very small pool of trained applicants with this specific skill set. Intel’s new apprenticeship program addresses this challenge by providing hands-on training in our fabs, expanding the semiconductor talent pipeline to help meet the workforce demand of the future,” said Christy Pambianchi, Intel's chief people office.

This initiative is part of a broader collaboration with institutions like Marion Tech, LTD Portland Community College and the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, where Intel supports new programs and provides resources such as internships and hands-on training opportunities for students. 

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC)

TSMC will spend $5 million on an apprenticeship program to train 80 facility technicians to work in its Arizona facilities. 

TSMC has been granted an $11.6 billion subsidy, a combination of direct funding and loans, to establish an advanced chip manufacturing facility in Phoenix, Arizona. 

TSMC Arizona is expected to position the US at the forefront of semiconductor technology, heightening the challenge and urgency of recruiting qualified technicians and engineers. The Pheonix facility is expected to commence the production of leading-edge semiconductor process technology (N4 process) starting in the first half of 2025. The second fab will utilize its leading-edge N3 and N2 process technology and is expected to be operational in 2028. The recently announced third fab will manufacture chips using 2nm or even more advanced process technology, with production starting by the end of the decade.

To help fill its pipeline with qualified talent equipped with the necessary skills, TSMC is partnering with local community colleges and universities to develop specialized curricula tailored to advanced semiconductor manufacturing, including hands-on training and internships at TSMC's facilities. 

The new apprenticeship program, supported by Phoenix and the Arizona State Apprenticeship Office, aims to scale up over time and expand its curriculum to include additional roles. TSMC is also recruiting apprentice technicians from local communities to further support its advanced manufacturing facilities​.

TSMC has also partnered with Arizona State University (ASU), focusing on non-degree professional education in areas critical to semiconductor manufacturing, such as microelectronics engineering, management, and leadership​.

Partnership initiatives include student support, training, recruitment, and faculty research projects. Specific initiatives include expanding lab courses, offering master's fellowships and undergraduate research programs, and establishing an annual symposium. 

Additionally, TSMC is collaborating with industry associations and government bodies to enhance workforce training programs. These collaborations include developing certification courses and offering continuous education opportunities to current employees to ensure they stay updated with the latest technological advancements in the field.

Samsung Electronics

With up to $6.4 billion in funding, Samsung will invest in expanding its manufacturing facilities in Texas, including new factories in Taylor and upgrades in Austin. 

“This announcement will unleash over $40 billion in investment from Samsung and cement central Texas’s role as a state-of-the-art semiconductor ecosystem, creating at least 21,500 jobs and leveraging up to $40 million in CHIPS funding to train and develop the local workforce,” said President Biden.

Additionally, Samsung is focusing on building a robust semiconductor talent pipeline by partnering with educational institutions at all levels to develop “the next generation of semiconductor innovators” and specialized programs to train military veterans.

Micron Technology

Micron Technology has also announced new workforce initiatives in alignment with the CHIPS Act, expanding its collaborations to develop a diverse and skilled semiconductor workforce in the U.S. 

The company has launched the Minority Serving Institution (MSI) Semiconductor Network, which partners with 15 historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander-serving institutions. The goal is to provide equitable education and develop the next generation of semiconductor-ready STEM professionals.

Additionally, Micron is collaborating with GlobalFoundries and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) to invest in workforce development at MSIs, aiming to meet the growing workforce needs of the semiconductor industry. These initiatives focus on increasing access to opportunities and supporting career reentry, reflecting a broader effort to revitalize the domestic semiconductor workforce as part of the CHIPS Act's objectives​ (Power Semiconductors Weekly)​.

In addition to initiatives from TSMC, Intel, Micron, and Samsung, the U.S. semiconductor industry is seeing a surge of workforce development programs aimed at building the workforce of the future. Notable efforts include the Semiconductor Training Center by Texas Institute for Electronics, University of Texas, and Austin Community College, as well as the collaboration between NY CREATES and Raytheon, which emphasizes hands-on technical training and advanced skills development. 

Notable efforts include the Semiconductor Training Center by Texas Institute for Electronics, University of Texas, and Austin Community College, as well as the collaboration between NY CREATES and Raytheon, which emphasizes hands-on technical training and advanced skills development. 

These, along with the other over 50 expanded programs, America is well on its way to positioning itself as “the leader in the industries of tomorrow, including nanotechnology, clean energy, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence,” just as the CHIPS Act intended.