SEMI Foundation Awarded $1.5M Grant to Bolster Michigan’s Semiconductor Industry Talent Pipeline
May 27, 2022 | SEMIEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
SEMI and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation that the SEMI Foundation has been awarded $1.5 million in funding to design and develop the SEMI Career and Apprenticeship Network (SCAN) in Michigan. The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and CARES Act funding will support semiconductor industry job training in Michigan.
“As global demand for semiconductors continues to grow, Michigan is poised to be a solution provider for semiconductor shortages and puts companies in the heart of semiconductor and battery R&D efforts nationwide,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “Michigan is one of only three states that will be launching planning work to define curricula to support employers in the semiconductor industry. With this new apprenticeship program, along with our global manufacturing and automotive R&D leadership, we are leading the charge in addressing the universal industry demand for semiconductors while creating good jobs for Michigan workers.”
Long a key semiconductor industry market, Michigan is home to nearly one-fifth of U.S. auto production – more than any other state in the nation – and headquarters or technology centers of 26 original equipment manufacturers (OEMS), the greatest concentration in the country.
“SCAN will provide critical job training to Michigan residents while helping the U.S. microelectronics industry address its talent shortage,” said Shari Liss, Executive Director of the SEMI Foundation. “We are thrilled to work in partnership with Michigan’s workforce development agencies and ecosystem to offer registered apprenticeships, a proven pathway to better jobs and greater economic mobility and opportunity.”
The SEMI Foundation will drive the SCAN program planning and development in Michigan in two phases: In phase one, the SEMI Foundation will engage key microelectronics employers, players in the automotive and manufacturing industries, and educational and workforce development providers. In phase two, the SEMI Foundation will conduct focus groups and work with employers to identify jobs in the greatest demand as well as the skills and competencies needed for a skilled, diverse workforce.
The funding comes three months after Liss testified before the Science Research and Technology Subcommittee, one of five subcommittees of the United States House on Science, Space, and Technology, as it discussed the U.S. semiconductor industry’s workforce needs. Liss stressed the need for increased industry visibility, more investment in K-12 STEM education and a stronger focus on diversity, equity and inclusion in the industry. Liss also pointed to the importance of programs like SCAN in re-skilling and up-skilling workers, particularly historically underrepresented wage earners in the industry and those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as earn-and-learn programs such as apprenticeships.
Suggested Items
The New Chapter: Attracting ‘Generation Green’
03/28/2024 | Hannah Grace & Paige Fiet -- Column: The New ChapterIn the electronics industry, we talk a lot about sustainability in terms of recruitment and retention of the next generation of engineers. But what if the key to sustaining the industry long into the future is through the more common definition of the word? What if, for just a moment, we think about sustainability in terms of the environment and what we as an industry are doing to care for it? Because, if you weren’t aware, Gen Z cares tremendously about the environment and the actions companies are taking to preserve it. Without Gen Z joining the electronics industry’s workforce, we won’t be able to sustain the industry for much longer.
Accenture Invests in Sanctuary AI to Bring AI-Powered, Humanoid Robotics to Work Alongside Humans
03/27/2024 | BUSINESS WIREAccenture has made a strategic investment, through Accenture Ventures, in Sanctuary AI, a developer of humanoid general-purpose robots that are powered by AI and can perform a wide variety of work tasks quickly, safely and effectively.
Don Dennison Appointed to Roll Out KIC’s Latest Thermal Analysis System Software in the Northeast
03/26/2024 | KICKIC, a renowned pioneer in thermal process and temperature measurement solutions for electronics manufacturing, is pleased to announce the appointment of PIT Equipment Services, LLC, led by Don Dennison, as its representative for New York, New Jersey, and Eastern Pennsylvania.
iNEMI/IPC White Paper on Complex Integrated Systems Highlights Future Technology and Manufacturing Ecosystem Needs
03/25/2024 | IPCToday’s system solutions combine more varied functionality, such as digital, analog, optical, micro-mechanical, etc., packed into smaller form factors. As a result, electronics manufacturing has to deliver increasingly complex integration of diverse technologies with system designs that blur the distinction between chip, package, board, and assembly.
Seeking Employment: Meet Gary Turner
03/25/2024 | Barry Matties, I-Connect007Meet Gary Turner, a recent graduate from the University of Texas at Dallas with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s in material science and engineering. He is currently seeking employment in the industry. The following interview will allow you to learn about Gary and see if he might be a good candidate for a position you are looking to fill.