US to Fight Labor Shortage With New Chips Act Worker Program
The Biden administration has initiated a program to bolster the U.S. computer-chip workforce, addressing a labor shortage that threatens domestic semiconductor production. This initiative, part of the 2022 Chips and Science Act, allocates $5 billion to the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) to fund up to 10 workforce development projects with budgets ranging from $500,000 to $2 million.The NSTC will continue to review additional proposals to determine total spending. The Chips Act also includes $39 billion in grants to boost U.S. chipmaking and $11 billion for semiconductor R&D. Industry estimates predict a shortage of 90,000 technicians by 2030, which could hinder new factories. Michael Barnes of Natcast emphasized the need to develop a domestic workforce to support the industry's growth. Since the Chips Act's inception, over 50 community colleges have expanded semiconductor programs. Major companies like Intel, TSMC, Samsung, and Micron have committed significant workforce funding. The Commerce Department also announced a $6.7 million grant to Rogue Valley Microdevices for a new factory in Florida.
See "US to Fight Labor Shortage With New Chips Act Worker Program", Mackenzie Hawkins, Yahoo Finance, July 2, 2024