The U.S. National Science Foundation and Intel Corporation have partnered to offer funding to boost STEM education and training for the microelectronics industry.
The $7.6 million investment is part of a 10-year partnership between NSF and Intel in hopes of growing what’s seen as a diminished semiconductor workforce, NSF announced Wednesday.
Sethuraman Panchanathan, NSF director, said, “Today’s announcement reaffirms NSF’s commitment to strengthen the U.S. workforce and ensure we have the knowledge and skills needed for innovative semiconductor design and manufacturing.”
“This investment will support talent development across the semiconductor industry and improve education and training opportunities in technology fields that are crucial for our global competitiveness,” he added.
The six new projects are the product of a pair of NSF programs: Advanced Technological Education and Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. They both came about through NSF and Intel’s collaboration. Students who want to learn about technician training programs are provided with full-ride scholarships at two-year colleges and four-year universities.
Richard Uhlig, senior fellow and director of Intel Labs, said, “Intel invests in education and workforce development through private-public partnerships and ongoing collaborations with NSF.”
“This initiative reflects Intel’s commitment to fostering innovation, driving economic growth and preparing a skilled workforce to meet the evolving demands of semiconductor technologies,” Uhlig continued.
NSF and Intel are jointly devoting $100 million over the course of the decade-long project.
