The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Commerce (DoC) announced a collaborative agreement on Wednesday to invest $30 million in educating and developing the semiconductor workforce.
Using funding from the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, the NSF and DoC will establish a National Network Coordination Hub (the Hub) which will develop a National Network for Microelectronics Education (NNME) program to address expected skilled workforce shortages in the semiconductor industry. Funding for the initiative’s development will be provided over five years.
The Hub will coordinate nationwide education and training support for the semiconductor industry by working with institutions of higher education; developing scaled curricula and best practices; establishing a digital resource portal; raising awareness of semiconductor careers; and providing technical assistance to educators and trainers.
“Through partnerships and access to training for the skilled jobs that are needed to support America’s chips industry, we can keep the U.S. competitive and open new opportunities to expand geographically diverse participation in graduate, undergraduate, and community college programs relevant to microelectronics in every corner of the country,” said Sethuraman Panchanathan, the director of NSF, in a release.
The Hub and NNME will work with the White House’s Workforce Hubs and the National Semiconductor Technology Center’s (NSTC) Workforce Center of Excellence (WF CoE), a program funded by DoC and operated by NSTC. The WF CoE will serve as the primary platform for industry stakeholders to understand and identify workforce challenges and solutions across the nation, according to the NSF.
The Hub and WF CoE will share information on best practices in education, data, and outcomes.
“CHIPS for America will be successful because we’re not just investing in semiconductor manufacturing and research and development, we’re investing in the American people,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This new initiative will … help students and workers all over the country get access to the education and training they need for the good-paying jobs we’re creating in the semiconductor industry.”
NSF and DoC released a public request for information seeking input from the industry on the new initiative and are encouraging respondents to “offer their own insights on activities that best support the agencies’ goal.”