The CHIPS and Science Act. Perhaps you’ve heard me mention just a bit about it?
As demand for highly skilled workers in semiconductors, nanotechnology, and microelectronics continues to rise, community colleges are stepping up to lead the way in building tomorrow’s technician workforce. These institutions, which offer both accessible and high-quality education, are perfectly positioned to bridge the gap between education and industry.
Partnering with industry leaders from the SEMI Foundation, Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC), the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), National Institute of Industry and Career Advancement (NIICA), and many more, the Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC) is helping to drive this transformation. By bringing together community colleges, industry leaders, government agencies, and other educational institutions, MNT-EC facilitates a partnership approach that creates a sustainable talent pipeline for the next generation of professionals entering these fast-growing fields.
A Vision for Workforce Development
Our roadmap focuses on inclusivity, collaboration, and long-term sustainability. It’s designed to ensure community colleges can effectively connect with key sectors and equip students with the skills they need to thrive in advanced manufacturing and technology roles. This initiative aligns with national priorities, such as the CHIPS Act and the Department of Defense Microelectronic (ME) Commons. It supports the push to revitalize America’s leadership in these critical industries.
At its core, this effort believes in the power of community colleges to drive workforce development. These institutions can and do provide hands-on training, facilitate apprenticeships, and often ally with industry-driven programs that prepare students for immediate job opportunities—all while maintaining accessibility for students from diverse backgrounds.
As Joseph Politano, author of the Apricitas Economics newsletter, points out, the CHIPS Act has catalyzed unprecedented investment in domestic semiconductor manufacturing. However, the long-term success of this initiative hinges on building a robust talent pipeline. Sadly, he highlights the catch-up race we are in after the 2001 recession, which battered chip manufacturers. We are building this roadmap to be aligned with these national priorities, ensuring community colleges play a pivotal role in meeting the demand for skilled workers in semiconductor production and related advanced technologies.
You can read Politano’s full post “America & China’s Chip Race” that my team and I read and discussed while I worked on this Director’s Message. Note: Readers will see a link or pop-up to sign up for his free and paid versions, but you can simply choose to read the post without subscribing as a guest of his Substack newsletter. You simply click the “No thanks” link and it takes you into the full article. He has some terrific charts in the full post, by the way.
Crucial Elements of the National Workforce Development Roadmap
- Strategic Vision: This roadmap is a national initiative that connects regions, community colleges, industry, and government. It doesn’t center on MNT-EC but emphasizes collaboration across all stakeholders to address workforce shortages. The goal is to create a talent pipeline that meets industry demands and provides students with meaningful career paths.
- Partnerships That Matter: Community colleges, working closely with industry partners, are central to this roadmap. The collaboration between educators and employers ensures that students develop the skills necessary for today’s jobs. Industry feedback helps shape the curriculum so that the workforce is prepared for current and future needs in semiconductor manufacturing and microelectronics. At the end of this post, I list several essential organizations actively working to build out this national network of partners.
- Work-Based Learning and Upskilling: This roadmap’s cornerstone is its focus on work-based learning—internships, apprenticeships, and hands-on experiences, such as MNT-EC’s Advanced Technology Technician Training (AT3) program. By partnering with industry leaders, community colleges allow students to gain real-world experience, preparing them for the workforce right out of school. Additionally, the roadmap emphasizes ongoing learning and upskilling for workers already in the field, ensuring they have access to continuing education and certification programs.
The following chart visualizes the key elements of our National Workforce Development Roadmap, taking the crucial elements from above, and highlighting the collaborative roles of community colleges, industry partners, and government support, all of which contribute to the overarching strategic vision of work-based learning. To be fair, the image/chart is completely a work-in-progress. Feel free to reach out if you have additional ideas to help make this roadmap strike a chord in everyone who sees it.
Pivotal Role of Community Colleges
Community colleges are essential for the success of this initiative, but they are still only one piece of this intricate and important plan. We need everyone on board. Many schools have regional partnerships in place, interacting with or connected directly to industry, allowing them to fill the high-demand job opportunities for students and offer a steady supply of skilled workers to the market. The roadmap acknowledges that all partners contribute to this success, ensuring no single entity takes undue credit.
Again, this is not to say that we are the center of the universe as community colleges, but simply to acknowledge that there are 1,000+ community colleges around the nation that could serve as part of the solution for adding more technicians and advanced technology training.
Shalin Jyotishi, Founder & Managing Director of the Future of Work & Innovation Economy Initiative at New America, also recognizes the importance of community colleges in workforce development. He highlights NSF initiatives like EPIIC and ExLENT, which empower these institutions to meet the growing demand for skilled technicians in emerging technologies such as quantum science and biomanufacturing. You can read more about him and his work here. His Forbes post: NSF Budget Cuts Hamstring CHIPS Act And Community Colleges is definitely worth a read (some of you may find a paywall, depending on your access to Forbes, but we’ve found there is access for a 3-4 articles available at no cost each month).
Industry and Government Support: Key to Success
Looking forward, it’s clear that industry and government involvement will be necessary. Federal funding and private sector investments are critical to expanding workforce development programs. Whether it’s upgrading manufacturing labs or making online learning more accessible, these investments ensure that community colleges can keep up with the demands of the modern job market.
Conclusion: A Call to Work Together
Now is the time for collaboration. The MNT-EC is proud to serve as a facilitator, helping connect community colleges with industry, government, and educational leaders. Together, we can create a future where students are prepared to meet the challenges of a changing workforce and where employers have access to the skilled talent they need to grow.
We invite all stakeholders—educators, industry leaders, and policymakers—to join us in this effort. By working together, we can ensure that community colleges continue to lead in workforce development and prepare the next generation of professionals for success.
