UC to help supply semiconductor workforce
Media outlets highlight university's role in meeting the region's needs
The University of Cincinnati will help supply the workforce needed to make the Midwest a leader in semiconductor and microelectronics, media outlets including Spectrum News, WVXU and Local 12 reported.
UC has partnered with 11 other universities in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan to form the Midwest Regional Network to Address National Needs in Semiconductor and Microelectronics. The universities will develop innovative solutions to best support the onshoring of the advanced semiconductor and microelectronics industry and address the industries’ research and workforce needs.
“I think that’s going to be a beacon to companies that are looking for locations to further develop in this very rapidly growing space,” UC Chief Innovation Officer David J. Adams told WVXU.
The network is a recognition of the recent decision by Intel Corporation to build $20 billion worth of new, leading-edge chip factories in Ohio and to address the broader, national efforts to promote U.S. leadership in semiconductors and microelectronics.
Rashmi Jha, an electrical engineering and computer science professor at UC, told Spectrum News many UC students already have the skills and experience needed by the semiconductor and microelectronics industry. UC will expand its offerings to help even more students prepare for careers in microchip manufacturing.
“We will be launching a lot of small modules for targeted training,” Jha said. “All these things are extremely critical to training the next generation of the semiconductor workforce and we can do it in our cleanroom.”
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