US community colleges expand semiconductor training to address labor shortages

Community colleges in the United States are rapidly expanding specialized, short-term semiconductor training programs to combat a looming labor shortage in the chip industry. These programs, such as the tuition-free three-month course at Rio Salado College in Arizona, aim to quickly prepare students for entry-level roles like production equipment technicians.

The initiative follows the 2022 CHIPS Act, which has encouraged chipmakers to invest over $800 billion into new domestic fabrication plants. Despite this investment, the industry faces a significant workforce gap. Shari Liss, who leads talent initiatives at the global industry group SEMI, indicates that the U.S. semiconductor industry could face a shortage of as many as 157,000 full-time workers by 2030.