The Texas Institute for Electronics at the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) has become home to the Southern Node of the National Network for Microelectronics Education, operated by the nonprofit SEMI Foundation. The initiative is designed to help address workforce shortages in the semiconductor industry.
Funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Commerce, the program connects educational and training partners with industry employers. UT Austin will coordinate workforce development efforts across a 10-state region that includes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah. The region accounts for roughly one-third of the nation’s semiconductor manufacturing capacity.
TIE officials say the semiconductor industry is expected to add 115,000 jobs nationwide by 2030. The Southern Node region currently has about 92,000 semiconductor workers, with an additional 29,000 job openings projected over the next decade.
In addition to developing employer-driven educational programs, NNME South will coordinate talent placement across the semiconductor ecosystem, including substrate fabrication, integrated circuit design, advanced packaging, equipment manufacturing and infrastructure development.
The Austin-based hub is one of four regional nodes established through the initiative. The network is eligible to receive up to $20 million over five years to develop workforce systems that better align industry hiring needs with available talent.
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