Strengthening regional support for the semiconductor industry, h Midwest Semiconductor Network has formed an industry advisory board representing leading companies in the field.
“Through the network, we have convened the right academic institutions to innovate at scale and speed to meet the needs of the Midwest's emerging semiconductor industry,” said Dorota Grejner-Brzezinska, vice president for knowledge at The Ohio State University. “We are now focused on bringing higher education and industry together to ensure our collective success. Collaboration is the new competition, and the more expertise and perspectives we bring to the table, the more prosperous our region can be.”
Industry partners will provide guidance and feedback to the 31-member, 5-state network of colleges and universities on strategies to address growing industry workforce needs, including enhanced and new curricular offerings, new experiential learning opportunities, innovative ways to to help today's professionals – skills and job opportunities with K-12. Industry companies will benefit from direct, coordinated pipelines to talent and workforce development opportunities across the network's colleges and universities. The advisory group will also work to provide strategic direction on cutting-edge research that creates solutions that industry needs now.
Chosen for their active participation in conversations with the network as it developed, founding members include: Intel, Texas Instruments, Silvaco, Inc., MACOM Technology Solutions, Lam Research Corporation, and Tokyo Electron US. Jim Evers, vice president and general manager of Intel Ohio, has agreed to chair the industry advisory board.
“Intel is on a mission to lead domestic chip capacity and capability development. That's why we're proud to invest more than $20 billion to build two state-of-the-art semiconductor plants in Ohio, creating more than 7,000 manufacturing jobs and 3,000 full-time jobs. To prepare the talent pipeline, Intel is investing in education and research programs in Ohio and across the US to address the technical challenges and workforce shortages in our industry,” said Evers. “I am excited to join the Midwest Semiconductor Network Industry Advisory Board to accelerate the diverse workforce needed to support the empowerment of the advanced semiconductor industry and prepare students for exciting careers here in the Silicon Heartland.”
While meeting the research and development needs of the industry is an important focus of the board, the most pressing work will focus on ensuring that workers are prepared and skilled as the first plants begin opening in the Midwest in just a few years.
“By fostering collaboration across the Midwest, Ohio State is leading a broad effort among higher education and research institutions that can develop the workforce needed to lead the region to become the heart of the semiconductor industry,” said JP Nauseef , president and CEO of JobsOhio. “Exploring new ways to boost the number of well-rounded graduates will bring a competitive advantage, reduce on-the-job training for new hires, and promote multiple skill sets that will be required by the semiconductor industry and throughout advanced manufacturing as well. including electric vehicles, solar panels and aerospace”.
“This advisory board continues the spirit of collaboration that has led to the emergence of the Columbus Region as a powerhouse of the technology industry,” said Kenny McDonald, president and CEO of the Columbus Partnership. “By preparing for tomorrow's challenges today, we can develop the workforce necessary to maximize the potential of Ohio's semiconductor industry.”
Ohio State has already begun to focus on supporting upcoming needs for the semiconductor industry, spurred by several investments Intel made before breaking ground on its Licking County manufacturing facility. In the fall, through the College of Engineering, Ohio State will begin a new undergraduate minors and seven new graduate and undergraduate certificate programs is designed to prepare students and working professionals for semiconductor-related careers and meet the needs of this growing industry in the region. Three of the certificate programs are available for professionals working in engineering, mathematics, and physical sciences to demonstrate their competency in semiconductor device manufacturing technology to potential employers. Minors and other certificates are attached to any science or engineering degree at the university. These programs focus on understanding semiconductor devices, manufacturing technology and optoelectronics.
Beyond education, Ohio State has developed programs that combine experiential learning with research. The Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Research Center is a multi-institution education and research center, led by Ohio State and funded by Intel Corporation, that will advance the manufacturing and development of next-generation semiconductor and device technologies. The Ohio's Partnership for a Diverse and Inclusive Semiconductor Ecosystem and Workforce is a network of public and private universities, colleges and career technical centers, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), designed to increase the number, percentage and diversity of students ready to enter the semi-conductor workforce in central Ohio .
“While Ohio State has invested significantly in this area, it is important to note that this is not a single university strategy. The industry requires a multifaceted workforce that can evolve with the needs of our partners. Strong partnerships between universities , community colleges and industry, like those featured in the Midwest Semiconductor Network, are essential to the economic future of the Midwest,” said Peter Mohler, interim executive vice president for Research, Innovation and Knowledge.
The White House also recently designated Columbus as one of five workforce hubs where the administration will work with state and local officials, employers, unions, universities, community colleges, high schools and other stakeholders to ensure a diverse and skilled workforce can meet the demand for labor driven by investments like Intel in central Ohio. Clean energy and transportation are also a focus of the regional hub.
Ohio State proposed the Midwest Semiconductor Network in 2022 to support the development of semiconductor nanofabrication facilities in the Midwest and broader, national efforts to advance US leadership in semiconductors and microelectronics. The network works to leverage existing research, educational and experiential strengths, capabilities and expertise in the region and develop the collective capacity to support the domestic development of strong semiconductor and microelectronics and supply chain innovation ecosystems. Ohio State has been elected by the member institutions to lead the network and its board of directors for an initial three-year term.
