According to NSF and the SEMI Foundation, “By 2030, the United States is projected to face a shortfall of approximately 127,000 to 157,000 semiconductor and microelectronics workers.” In an effort to counteract the potential challenge to U.S. competitiveness, the foundation is serving as the Hub Operator for the National Network for Microelectronics Education (NNME) and recently announced the launch of the first four Regional Nodes of the NNME. Three of the four nodes are led by SSTI members: Boise State University, the University of Texas at Austin, and the Arizona Commerce Authority. The fourth node is led by NY Creates.
NNME Southwest, led by the Arizona Commerce Authority, serves Arizona, Southern California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. NNME Northeast, led by NY Creates, serves Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia. NNME South, led by the University of Texas at Austin, serves Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Florida, Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Utah, and Alabama. NNME Pacific-Intermountain, led by Boise State University, serves Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Utah, Colorado, Nevada, Northern California, and Hawaii.
Funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce and aligned with the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, the NNME is designed to serve as a national infrastructure for microelectronics talent development across the U.S. SEMI describes the goals of the network as being to create “a nationally aligned, regionally activated strategy focused on expanding awareness, accelerating workforce readiness, modernizing education and training systems, and connecting learners directly to employment opportunities across the semiconductor ecosystem.”
Collectively, the four NNME Regional Nodes activate a national network of more than 325 organizations, including K-12 school districts, colleges and universities, workforce development organizations, economic development agencies, community-based organizations, and semiconductor employers working together to build pathways into microelectronics careers.
Organizations interested in joining NNME or being involved in the network’s expansion are encouraged to contact the network here.