Micron Technology, Inc., one of the world’s largest semiconductor companies and the only U.S.-based manufacturer of memory, today announced a strategic expansion in workforce development initiatives to diversify the semiconductor workforce and build a robust talent pipeline through education and career reentry initiatives. Micron is partnering with GlobalFoundries, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and additional leaders in industry, government and education to increase access to opportunities and to meet the growing demand for semiconductor talent in the U.S.
At a ceremonial framework signing in Atlanta, Ga., Micron will launch its Minority Serving Institution (MSI) Semiconductor Network, a partnership with 16 historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) and Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander-serving institutions (AANAPISIs) to increase access to equitable education and develop the next generation of a diverse, semiconductor-ready STEM workforce. Micron and the Micron Foundation have a long-standing commitment to MSI partners, including funding the Micron-Norfolk State University Nanofabrication Cleanroom, creating the Micron Academy of Inclusive Leadership programs at Spelman College and supporting experiential learning student programs at Northern Arizona University and Howard University. A range of Micron leaders currently serve on boards and technical committees across the MSI Semiconductor Network, and Micron was recently recognized for the fifth consecutive year as a Top Supporter of HBCU engineering schools.
Representatives of the Biden-Harris administration, the President of the Republic of Kenya William Ruto and leaders from U.S. and Kenyan institutions of higher education will join Micron and other industry executives for the ceremonial signing of “Enhancing STEM Education for Economic Development,” a framework for cooperation between the U.S. and Republic of Kenya to help expand the semiconductor workforce by strengthening talent pools and developing future generations of skilled labor. An early goal of the framework will be to establish a collaboration between certain members of the MSI Semiconductor Network and various Kenyan universities to increase pathway options and skilling opportunities for students seeking STEM-related degrees in Kenya.
“Micron’s investments in U.S. expansion are about much more than building fabs. We’re investing in people and in partnerships to expose learners from every background to opportunities they may not otherwise have without support,” said April Arnzen, executive vice president and chief people officer at Micron and president of the Micron Foundation. “We’re honored to see initiatives like Micron’s MSI Semiconductor Network, which are at the forefront of our industry’s efforts to prepare the semiconductor workforce and research ecosystem to meet growing demand for talent, recognized by government leaders in the U.S. and globally.”
Additionally, Micron and GlobalFoundries are announcing a new partnership with NSF, focusing additional funding toward student programming and infrastructure at HBCUs, HSIs, AANAPISIs, and tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) to increase access to equitable education. As Micron and GlobalFoundries expand in New York, this joint effort will help to strengthen the state’s growing ecosystem of diverse suppliers. This is the latest step in Micron and the Micron Foundation’s collaboration with NSF across a range of initiatives to diversify the semiconductor workforce and bring attention to education equity in STEM degrees.
“Partnering with leaders in industry, government and education to meet the needs of a growing semiconductor workforce in the U.S. is an essential part of nurturing the talent necessary to fill key openings in the semiconductor industry,” said Erwin Gianchandani, assistant director for technology, innovation and partnerships at NSF. “We look forward to collaborating with our partners to increase access to equitable education, address student programming and teacher and faculty professional development and strengthen infrastructure through future funding opportunities.”
“As an industry, we must work together to collectively address the great need for a robust, diverse pipeline of talented individuals who will be the semiconductor innovators and leaders of tomorrow,” said Pradheepa Raman, chief people officer at GlobalFoundries. “Strong public-private partnerships, like our collaboration with Micron and NSF to support Minority Serving Institutions, are critical to continue the work of inspiring and developing the skilled workforce our industry needs to grow.”
“Micron’s and GlobalFoundries’ historic investments are transformative for Upstate New York and the nation, and today’s announcement will put in place another critical workforce development initiative to deliver the workers needed to fill the tens of thousands of new jobs that will be created. This initiative will especially focus on connecting underserved and historically marginalized New Yorkers and others around the country to new job opportunities in the semiconductor industry, including to build chips in Upstate NY,” said U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “In recent weeks, my CHIPS & Science Law delivered a whopping $6.1 billion for Micron to build their mega-fab project and another $1.5 billion for GlobalFoundries’ expansion. Now, Micron and GlobalFoundries are working to develop a workforce pipeline to train and attract the next generation of talent, putting students from our top-notch educational institutions into jobs in the semiconductor industry. I am glad this initiative is supported by National Science Foundation funds from my CHIPS & Science Law, which serves as the fuel for major investments like Micron’s and GlobalFoundries’ to bring chip manufacturing back to America and helping our future scientists and engineers reach new heights with good-paying jobs right at their doorstop.”
“From successfully securing dedicated funding to increase R&D capacity at our HBCUs through the CHIPS and Science Act, to promoting a strong semiconductor supply chain here in the United States, I’m proud to have played a role in helping create even more good-paying job opportunities for underserved communities in Georgia,” said U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock. “So, I’m thrilled by this latest announcement from Micron that will not only train the next generation of skilled workers in our burgeoning semiconductor industry, but strengthen our economy and American manufacturing at the same time.”
Supplementing Micron’s historic commitments made across Idaho and New York to meet the needs of an expanding semiconductor industry — including K-12 education programs and curriculum development, university partnerships and community-based investments — the company is also announcing today a new partnership with Talent Beyond Boundaries (TBB) and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to support career reentry programs through Welcome Corps at Work. To grow and scale nontraditional pathways to employment globally, Micron is establishing partnerships with organizations to support career opportunities for traditionally underserved populations. Welcome Corps at Work will provide individuals from refugee and immigrant communities in East Africa, including Kenya, with experience relevant to semiconductor technician and engineer careers at Micron in Idaho, New York and Virginia. Boise and Syracuse are both recognized as refugee resettlement communities that offer strong support systems through local government and organizations. Over the past decade, Boise has welcomed more than 7,000 refugees, and Syracuse, more than 10,000. Micron’s partnership with TBB and IRC in these communities forges a natural connection and supports our growing workforce needs.
“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Micron to connect refugees with technical skills to the semiconductor industry,” said Betsy Fisher, U.S. director at TBB. “TBB will support individuals from refugee and displaced communities with opportunities to enter living wage jobs that match their expertise. This partnership will support Micron’s workforce development, and it also helps displaced people rebuild their lives here in the United States.”
“Many refugees worked as skilled professionals in their home countries before they were forced to flee. The Welcome Corps at Work is an innovative solution to their humanitarian needs as well as the economic needs of U.S. employers,” said Hans Van de Weerd, senior vice president for resettlement, asylum, and integration at the IRC. “Through the Welcome Corps at Work, refugees can achieve economic stability and long-term integration in the United States, while U.S. businesses can hire the workforce needed to thrive. We’re proud to launch this new program alongside our partners.”
The MSI Semiconductor Network joins Micron’s three existing university semiconductor networks — the Northeast University Semiconductor Network, the Northwest University Semiconductor Network and the U.S.-Japan University Partnership for Workforce Advancement and Research & Development in Semiconductors (UPWARDS) for the Future — in their mission to grow the STEM talent pipeline and build a more robust and inclusive semiconductor-ready workforce. Through all these networks, Micron and the industry are building strong educational partnerships to prepare and train students in STEM disciplines, expand research in the broad field of semiconductors and retain a more diverse group of students through degree completion.
“Meeting the workforce and innovation needs of an initiative on the scale of the Micron project requires the mobilization of educational resources from across the state and beyond,” said Vincent Boudreau, president of The City College of New York. “CCNY’s established and renowned assets in engineering and science position us to be a pivotal partner in this effort. We are profoundly excited by the opportunity to play that role.”
“As part of the Minority Serving Institution Network, Hampton University is honored to contribute to this transformative initiative,” said Darrell K. Williams, president of Hampton University. “By joining forces with other esteemed institutions, we are not only enhancing our STEM programs but also ensuring that our students have the opportunity to become leaders in the semiconductor industry. This partnership with Micron represents a significant step towards equitable education and the development of a diverse, semiconductor-ready workforce.”
“Northern Arizona University is proud to be part of Micron’s Minority Serving Institutions network to help grow the semiconductor workforce and research community,” said José Luis Cruz Rivera, Ph.D., president of Northern Arizona University. “As a student-focused engine of opportunity, NAU is committed to this impactful partnership with Micron and the entire MSI network, which is poised to significantly expand STEM access to underrepresented communities, prepare and train students to enter this booming sector of the economy, and support emerging research opportunities for faculty that will advance knowledge in the field. Being part of this network will enhance NAU’s efforts to provide students with high-value degrees and credentials that power lifelong economic mobility and social impact.”
“Norfolk State University values our partnership with Micron and our collective efforts to educate and prepare the next generation of leaders in science, technology, research and innovation,” said Javaune Adams-Gaston, Ph. D., president of Norfolk State University. “Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) play an important role in STEM and our institutions educate 25 percent of all Black graduates. The CHIPS and Science Act will expand access and opportunity for our respective institutions. From the Micron-NSU Nanofabrication Cleanroom to the internships and mentorship opportunities Micron has extended to our students, this educational coalition will create opportunities for HBCU students to enter the workforce and conduct research in crucial fields that make our world a better place. We are in full support of Micron’s expansion and the positive economic impact it will bring to Virginia.”
“North Carolina A&T State University’s partnership with Micron via the Center of Excellence in Product Design and Advanced Manufacturing has evolved into an educational and research ecosystem producing positive impacts on our students and faculty and thereby, developing a semiconductor workforce of the future,” said University Dr. Valerie L. Giddings, senior vice provost for academic affairs at North Carolina A&T State University.
“We are honored to be a part of Micron’s MSI Semiconductor Network, a partnership that represents an essential step toward cultivating a resilient and inclusive semiconductor workforce,” said Dr. Dawit Haile, dean of the College of Engineering & Technology and interim vice provost for academic affairs at Virginia State University. “This collaboration marks a significant opportunity for VSU to lead in educating and developing the next generation of diverse semiconductor professionals. Together, we will shape a workforce that not only meets the industry’s evolving demands but also enhances access and opportunities for underrepresented communities.”
A full list of the 16 founding partners of the MSI Semiconductor Network follows.
- Alabama A&M University
- The City College of New York
- Clark Atlanta University
- Florida A&M University
- Hampton University
- Howard University
- Morehouse College
- Morgan State University
- Northern Arizona University
- Norfolk State University
- North Carolina A&T State University
- Prairie View A&M University
- Spelman College
- University of Hawai’i
- University of Houston
- Virginia State University
Today’s announcements build on Micron’s existing commitments to workforce development; they also advance the company’s long-standing efforts to build and prepare the talent pipeline for a strong U.S. semiconductor workforce. Micron was recently granted $6.1 billion from the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act to support the company’s planned investment of approximately $50 billion in gross capex for U.S. domestic leading-edge memory manufacturing through 2030. Micron’s 20-plus-year vision of a leading-edge R&D and manufacturing center in Boise, Idaho, and a four-fab, state-of-the-art manufacturing complex in Clay, New York, is expected to create approximately 75,000 domestic jobs and strengthen U.S. economic and national security, furthering American innovation and competition for years to come.
