GlobalFoundries Partners with Micron and U.S. National Science Foundation to Drive Semiconductor Workforce Development at Minority Serving Institutions

Rhea-AI Summary

GlobalFoundries (Nasdaq: GFS) has announced a partnership with Micron Technology (Nasdaq: MU) and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) to support semiconductor workforce development at Minority Serving Institutions (MSI). This initiative aims to diversify the semiconductor workforce by investing in education and career reentry programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions, and Tribal Colleges across the U.S. The partnership aligns with the objectives of the federal CHIPS and Science Act and New York State's Green Chips legislation. Prominent figures like Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have endorsed this initiative, emphasizing its potential to create jobs and foster the next generation of semiconductor talent through internships, education, and training programs.

Positive

• GlobalFoundries and Micron are focusing on workforce development at Minority Serving Institutions, aiming to diversify the semiconductor talent pool.
• The initiative is aligned with the federal CHIPS and Science Act and New York State's Green Chips legislation, ensuring robust support.
• The partnership includes significant investments in education and career reentry programs, potentially increasing the pool of skilled workers.
• Support for MSIs could lead to increased job opportunities in the semiconductor industry, particularly in underserved communities.
• GlobalFoundries is offering various employee benefits, including student loan repayment up to $28,500, tuition reimbursement, and a first-of-its-kind apprenticeship program.

Negative

• The press release does not provide specific financial commitments, which could raise questions about the scale of investment and its actual impact.
• There is no concrete timeline mentioned for the implementation of these initiatives, leading to potential uncertainty about their immediate effects.
• While the PR highlights partnerships and investments, it lacks detailed metrics on expected job creation or measurable outcomes.

Effort aims to develop the next generation of diverse semiconductor talent, accelerate R&D and strengthen collaboration between industry and academia

MALTA, N.Y., May 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GlobalFoundries (Nasdaq: GFS) (GF) today announced a partnership with Micron Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: MU) and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) to invest in workforce development at Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) to help meet the growing workforce needs of the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem.

In partnership with Micron and the NSF, the investment will support semiconductor workforce development at Historically Black College and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions and Tribal Colleges and Universities throughout the U.S. These investments aim to diversify the semiconductor workforce and build robust talent pathways through education and career reentry initiatives.

The companies’ and NSF ’s support of U.S. MSIs is directly aligned with the workforce development objectives of the federal CHIPS and Science Act as well as New York State's Green Chips legislation, to ensure a robust pipeline of U.S. semiconductor talent.

“As an industry, we must work together to collectively address the great need for a robust, diverse pipeline of talented individuals who will be the semiconductor innovators and leaders of tomorrow,” said Pradheepa Raman, chief people officer of GF. “Strong public-private partnerships, like our collaboration with Micron and NSF to support Minority Serving Institutions, are critical to continue the work of inspiring and developing the skilled workforce our industry needs to grow.”

“Partnering with leaders in industry, government and education to meet the needs of a growing semiconductor workforce in the U.S. is an essential part of nurturing the talent necessary to fill key openings in the semiconductor industry,” said Erwin Gianchandani, NSF assistant director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships. “We look forward to collaborating with our partners to increase access to equitable education, address student programming and teacher and faculty professional development and strengthen infrastructure through future funding opportunities.”

“Micron’s investments in U.S. expansion are about much more than building fabs. We’re investing in people and in partnerships to expose learners from every background to opportunities they may not otherwise have without support,” said April Arnzen, executive vice president and chief people officer at Micron and president of the Micron Foundation. “We’re honored to see initiatives like Micron’s MSI Semiconductor Network, which are at the forefront of our industry’s efforts to prepare the semiconductor workforce and research ecosystem to meet growing demand for talent, recognized by government leaders in the U.S. and globally.”  

“Micron’s and GlobalFoundries’ historic investments are transformative for Upstate New York and the nation, and today’s announcement will put in place another critical workforce development initiative to deliver the workers needed to fill the tens of thousands of new jobs that will be created. This initiative will especially focus on connecting underserved and historically marginalized New Yorkers and others around the country to new job opportunities in the semiconductor industry, including to build chips in Upstate NY,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “In recent weeks, my CHIPS & Science Law delivered a whopping $6.1 billion for Micron to build their mega-fab project and another $1.5 billion for GlobalFoundries’ expansion. Now, Micron and GlobalFoundries are working to develop a workforce pipeline to train and attract the next generation of talent, putting students from our top-notch educational institutions into jobs in the semiconductor industry. I am glad this initiative is supported by National Science Foundation funds from my CHIPS & Science Law, which serves as the fuel for major investments like Micron’s and GlobalFoundries’ to bring chip manufacturing back to America and helping our future scientists and engineers reach new heights with good-paying jobs right at their doorstep.”

“We are excited about the opportunities to grow efforts with GlobalFoundries that have led to increased summer internships and experiences at GF's Malta, NY, facility for students at multiple CUNY schools including LaGuardia, Queensborough and City Tech," said Tavis Ezell, director of business development for The City University of New York's (CUNY) Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC). “With our industry partners, we are identifying the necessary skills needed to support jobs across the vast semiconductor ecosystem and bolster current curricula across a wide range of CUNY degrees, connecting interested students to training opportunities, whether their first internship experience is at the ASRC, or at an industry partner such as GlobalFoundries.”

GF's support of MSIs is the company's latest effort to build a critical talent pipeline for a current and future workforce. In November 2023, the company announced a new student loan repayment program to help U.S.-based employees and eligible new recruits pay up to $28,500 in student loan debt, tax-free, to help ease the financial burden of higher education and training. GF also offers tuition reimbursement for employees pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees, fully paid parental leave, employee fitness stipend to promote good health and childcare subsidy towards dependent care. GF’s first-of-its-kind apprenticeship program provides opportunities for individuals with no prior experience or training in the semiconductor industry, offering full-time paid positions and cost-free college courses to high school graduates.

GF has established strategic partnerships nationwide with top universities and strong regional engagements with community colleges in New York and Vermont as well as access to worldwide talent through its global footprint to help build a diverse workforce and semiconductor talent pipeline. To help inspire younger children, GF has a robust STEM outreach program to engage with regional middle schools and high schools, including Early College High School and Career and Technical Education programs, to bring industry awareness and hands-on experiences to students.

About GF

GlobalFoundries (GF) is one of the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturers. GF is redefining innovation and semiconductor manufacturing by developing and delivering feature-rich process technology solutions that provide leadership performance in pervasive high growth markets. GF offers a unique mix of design, development, and fabrication services. With a talented and diverse workforce and an at-scale manufacturing footprint spanning the U.S., Europe and Asia, GF is a trusted technology source to its worldwide customers. For more information, visit www.gf.com.

©GlobalFoundries Inc., GF, GlobalFoundries, the GF logos and other GF marks are trademarks of GlobalFoundries Inc. or its subsidiaries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Media Contact:

GlobalFoundries
Michael Mullaney
michael.mullaney@gf.com

FAQ

What is the purpose of GlobalFoundries' partnership with Micron and NSF?

The partnership aims to support semiconductor workforce development at Minority Serving Institutions across the U.S., diversifying the talent pool and aligning with the CHIPS and Science Act.

How does GlobalFoundries plan to support semiconductor workforce development?

GlobalFoundries, along with Micron and NSF, plans to invest in education and career reentry programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority Serving Institutions.

What legislation aligns with GlobalFoundries' new initiative?

The initiative aligns with the federal CHIPS and Science Act and New York State's Green Chips legislation.

What are the benefits offered by GlobalFoundries to its employees?

GlobalFoundries offers a student loan repayment program, tuition reimbursement, paid parental leave, a fitness stipend, and a childcare subsidy.

How will the GlobalFoundries partnership with Micron impact job opportunities?

The partnership aims to create job opportunities, especially in underserved communities, through education and training programs at Minority Serving Institutions.