University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)

Led by The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the Illinois Semiconductor Workforce Network (ISWN) will use anticipated funding to address the critical shortage of skilled professionals in the U.S. semiconductor industry. This initiative will develop a diverse, highly skilled workforce through industry-aligned training programs. By collaborating with semiconductor ecosystem partners, Grainger Engineering will equip students with cutting-edge skills and career opportunities, strengthening America's technological future in this crucial sector. 

NSTC Workforce Partner Alliance Program (WFPA)  

This anticipated award is through the NSTC WFPA. On September 25, 2024, Natcast announced more than $11 million in anticipated awards to 7 institutions supporting efforts to develop the semiconductor workforce ecosystem across more than a dozen U.S. states.

The anticipated awards support established programs with a track record of success seeking to scale; growing programs seeking to expand or realign; and new programs that meet a previously unaddressed need, opportunity, or theory of change.

These projects are projected to support more than 11,000 individuals entering or advancing careers in the semiconductor industry and will address critical U.S. job and skill gaps across semiconductor design, manufacturing, and production.

Visit natcast.org to Learn More About the 2024 WFPA Awardees.

About the National Semiconductor Technology Center

Natcast is a purpose-built, non-profit entity created to operate the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC), established by the CHIPS and Science Act of the U.S. government. The NSTC is a public-private consortium dedicated to semiconductor R&D in the United States. A key component of the CHIPS Act, the NSTC will convene the U.S. government, allied and partner nations, and organizations across the semiconductor ecosystem—including academia and businesses of all kinds—to address the most challenging barriers to continued technological progress in the domestic semiconductor industry, including the need for a capable workforce. The NSTC reflects a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the U.S. to drive the pace of innovation, set standards, and re-establish global leadership in semiconductor design and manufacturing.

Read the full press release here.