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Intel has announced an apprenticeship program for manufacturing technicians, hoping to fill an anticipated skills gap in the semiconductor industry in the next few years.
The program, the first Intel has registered in the United States, will work in collaboration with several organisations of note, including the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), the Phoenix Business and Workforce Development Board, the SEMI Foundation, Maricopa Community College District (MCCD) and the Fresh Start Women’s Foundation.
Intel’s new Manufacturing Facility Technician apprenticeship program aims to train the next generation of technicians over the course of five years. The program will place chosen apprentices into a full-time role and, in addition, will offer a certificate of completion and college credit after completing the year-long program.
The one-year apprenticeship will see students participate in classroom curricula, as well as on-the-job training. As full-time employees of Intel, those accepted into the program will learn core competencies and gain insight into what it takes to be a full-fledged facility technician. This includes learning and training in:
The program seeks to set itself apart from other apprenticeship programs by providing more hands-on training, with a particular focus on gas and chemical handling in a facility environment.
The benefits of Intel’s manufacturing facility technician apprenticeship work in two ways. First, it helps Intel (and the whole manufacturing industry), fill a looming gap in skilled workers. It does this by preparing students with real-world experience – something they can use to launch into a career immediately upon completion. It also helps Intel by giving them the opportunity to choose future employees from a more diverse pool.
And there are arguably even more benefits for the apprentices. Those who complete the course will not only gain valuable skills, training, college credit and certification, but most likely a job. 90% of those who complete these types of programs are typically retained by the offeree – in this case, Intel.
As the need for skilled semiconductor technicians continues to grow, so too does the difficulty in finding quality applicants.
The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) projects that semiconductor jobs will increase by 115,000 by the year 2030. Of that number, nearly 58% will go unfilled, unless measures are taken to help fill the gap.
Nearly 40% of those unfilled jobs are predicted to involve technicians or similar roles – a job that typically requires either certification or two-year degrees.
Christy Pambianchi, Chief People Officer of Intel, had this to say about the program and its purpose: “Facility technicians are responsible for the setup, maintenance and performance of the complex machinery used to build semiconductors. There is a very small pool of trained applicants with this specific skill set. Intel’s new apprenticeship program addresses this challenge by providing hands-on training in our fabs, expanding the semiconductor talent pipeline to help meet the workforce demand of the future.”
While this is Intel’s first US-registered apprenticeship of its kind, the company has made several other commitments to workforce development initiatives. All told, the company has invested over $250 million over the past five years in academic causes and collaborations, partnering with community colleges and nonprofit organisations throughout Arizona, Oregon, New Mexico and Ohio.
Also of interest is Intel’s AI for Workforce Program, which offers a community college program (for free) to participating schools. The program offers 600+ hours of educational content in artificial intelligence and trains faculty on the proper implementation of coursework.
