Maxson Wille, 18, of Surprise, Arizona, was driving on Interstate 17 last year when he noticed a massive construction site. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company was building a new factory in Phoenix.
A few weeks later, while watching YouTube, an ad for a local community college popped up. 10 days program We develop human resources who will become semiconductor engineers. He graduated from the course this month and now wants to work at the factory when it opens.
“I can see this being the next big thing,” said Wille.
Chipmakers say they need to attract more workers like Mr. Willie to fill factories they are building across the country. The United States is in the midst of a semiconductor manufacturing boom, bolstered by the billions of dollars the federal government is pouring into the sector. President Biden has said the funding will create thousands of high-paying jobs, but one question is whether there will be enough workers to fill those jobs.
“My biggest fear is that we invest in all this infrastructure and we don’t have the people to work there,” says the SEMI Foundation, the nonprofit arm of SEMI, an association representing electronics manufacturing companies. executive director Shari Ris said. “If we don’t find ways to generate excitement and interest in this industry, the impact could be huge.”
With the lofty ambition of transforming the United States into a semiconductor powerhouse, lawmakers will launch in 2022 with the lofty ambition of transforming the United States into a semiconductor powerhouse, partly to reduce America’s reliance on foreign countries for the tiny chips that power everything from dishwashers to computers to cars. passed the CHIPS Act. The law includes $39 billion to fund the construction of new and expanded semiconductor facilities, with manufacturers wanting a portion of the subsidies already announcing expansions across the country.
Since the CHIPS Act was introduced, more than 50 new facility projects have been announced and private companies have pledged more than $210 billion to invest. According to the Semiconductor Industry Association.
But that investment hits headlong in the tightest labor market in years, with employers across the country struggling to find workers. Semiconductor manufacturers have long found a lack of industry awareness and difficulty hiring workers. too few students Engage in relevant academic fields. Company officials said they expected it to become more difficult to fill a variety of key positions, including construction workers building plants, technicians operating equipment and engineers designing chips.
The US semiconductor industry could face a labor shortage of about 70,000 to 90,000 workers in the next few years. According to a Deloitte report. McKinsey also predicted a shortage Add about 300,000 engineers and 90,000 skilled technicians to the United States by 2030.
Chip makers are struggling to hire more workers, partly because they have a shortage of skilled workers and have to compete with big tech companies for engineers, officials say. says. Many students who graduate with advanced engineering degrees in the United States are born abroadand immigration Regulations make it difficult to obtain a visa to work in the country.
Ronnie Chatterji, the White House’s CHIPS implementation coordinator, said filling new jobs is a big challenge, but he’s confident Americans will seek them out as they become more aware of the industry’s domestic expansion. rice field.
“It wasn’t the most attractive job opportunity for people compared to other jobs they graduated from, but it wasn’t even noticed,” Chatterji said. He added that even if companies were able to produce more, if they didn’t have enough workers to do it, America’s “prosperity” would be undermined.
To meet labor demand, the Biden administration said this month: Create 5 initial “Workforce Hubs” Help cities like Phoenix and Columbus, Ohio, train more women, people of color and other underrepresented workers in industries such as semiconductor manufacturing.
Government and corporate officials forced to change for the better Hold a foreign-born STEM But immigration remains a controversial issue in Washington, and few are optimistic about reform.
While some industry leaders look to technology as the antidote because automation and artificial intelligence can augment the output of a single engineer, companies primarily rely on training programs.federal officials supported He appreciated the effort and pointed out that it is possible to provide funding under the CHIPS Act. used for workforce development.
Intel has announced plans to invest $20 billion in two new chip factories in Arizona and more than $20 billion in a new chip manufacturing facility in Ohio. invested millions of dollars Partner with community colleges and universities to train technicians and expand related curricula.
Gabriela Cruz Thompson, director of university research collaborations at Intel Labs, said the company expects to create 6,700 jobs over the next five to 10 years. About 70% are for technicians with a typically two-year degree or certification.
He said the industry has faced staffing challenges for years and is concerned about the number of “available and talented skilled workers” that could fill all of Intel’s new positions. Stated.
“I am confident,” she said. “But am I 100 percent sure? No.”
Micron has pledged $100 billion over the next 20 years to build a massive chip factory complex in New York, and has also put in a new system. workforce programThese include training veterans and teaching middle and high school students about STEM careers through “tip camps.”
Bo Machayo, director of U.S. federal affairs at Micron, said the company anticipates a rough need. 9,000 employees After complete construction in this area.
“We understand this is a challenge, but we also see it as an opportunity,” he said.
To be eligible for federal grants, manufacturers must submit an application to the Department of Commerce that includes: A detailed plan for how to recruit and retain employees. Companies requesting $150 million or more are expected to provide affordable, high-quality childcare.
“We don’t believe companies can just post a ton of job vacancies online and hope that a suitable workforce will show up,” said Kevin Gallagher, a senior adviser to the Secretary of Commerce.
A lack of interest in the industry is evident in academic institutions. Karl Hirschman, dean of microelectronics at the Rochester Institute of Technology, said the university is “far from peak enrollment.” Microelectronics Degree Program, set students up for semiconductor-related careers. Enrollment averages about 20 each year, but he has more than 200 in the mechanical engineering program at the university.
Students who graduate with more popular engineering degrees could work in the semiconductor industry, Hirschman said, but many are more aware of tech companies like Google and Facebook. It is said that she is attracted to him.
“We don’t have enough students to meet our needs,” he said. “It just gets harder and harder.”
Community colleges, universities, and school districts are creating or expanding programs to attract more students to the industry.
In Maricopa County, Arizona, three community colleges have partnered with Intel to “Quick Start” program Prepare students to become entry-level technicians in just 10 days. During the four-hour class, students learn the basics of how chips are made, practice using hand tools, and try on the gowns worn by technicians from head to toe.
More than 680 students have enrolled in the program since its launch in July, said Leah Palmer, executive director of Mesa Community College’s Arizona Advanced Manufacturing Institute. This program is free for in-state students who complete the program and pass the certification test.
In Oregon, the Hillsborough School District launched a two-year school district last year. Advanced manufacturing apprenticeship program This will allow students aged 16 to 18 to earn high school credits and receive wages to work on the manufacturing floor of companies in the semiconductor industry. Claudia Rizzo, the district’s youth apprenticeship project manager, said five students are participating and officials hope to add at least three more to the next batch of students.
“Our hope is that if students decide to continue working full-time, they can not only get job offers from companies, but also be open to the possibility of pursuing higher education through college,” Rizzo said. Told.
The university is also expanding its undergraduate and graduate engineering programs.Purdue is Last Year’s Semiconductor Degree Programand Syracuse worked with Micron and 20 other institutions have strengthened their associated curricula and plan to increase engineering enrollment by 50% over the next three to five years.
At Onondaga Community College, near the Micron building in New York, officials will make a new proposal. two-year degree and 1 year certificate The field of electromechanical technology starting this fall. The program, which was already underway before Micron announced it would build a chip factory complex, will help students gain knowledge. Required qualification Timothy Steadman, dean of the university’s natural and applied sciences department, said he would love to work there.
Although he feels optimistic, he said interest may be lower than officials expected. Enrollments to the university’s electrical and mechanical engineering programs are down significantly from 20 years ago, as more students begin to see a four-year college degree as the default path. be.
“The pendulum is starting to swing a little bit as people start to realize that these are high-paying jobs,” Stedman said. “But I think we still have a fair amount of work to do.”
Anna Swanson contributed to the report.
