Intel has launched its first U.S. apprenticeship program to train manufacturing facility technicians at its chip factory in Arizona.
The pilot program will train facility technician apprentices over the next five years in Arizona. Intel is piloting its first U.S. registered apprenticeship program for manufacturing facility technicians in Arizona in collaboration with the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), the Phoenix Business and Workforce Development Board, the SEMI Foundation, Maricopa Community Colleges District (MCCD) and Fresh Start Women’s Foundation.
U.S. manufacturing is important to Intel, as CEO Pat Gelsinger has focused on IDM 2.0, a strategy that refers to “integrated device manufacturer” where Intel both designs chips and makes them too. Most other chip makers can’t afford factories and have chosen to farm out the manufacturing to the likes of TSMC and Samsung. Based on this strategy, Intel got $8.5 billion in funding from the U.S. government through the CHIPS and Science Act, which aims to make the U.S. more competitive.
Selected apprentices will be full-time Intel employees on day one and will earn a certificate and college credit upon successful completion of the one-year program.
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“Facility technicians are responsible for the setup, maintenance and performance of the complex machinery used to build semiconductors,” said Christy Pambianchi, chief people officer at Intel, in a statement. “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.”
Why it matters
Traditional recruiting methods alone are not enough to meet the growing demand for skilled semiconductor technicians. According to the Semiconductor Industry Association trade group, the semiconductor industry is expected to add nearly 115,000 jobs by 2030, and roughly 58% of these new jobs risk going unfilled.
Of these unfilled jobs, 39% are projected to involve technician roles, most of which require certificates or two-year degrees.
Apprenticeships offer a practical and effective way to train individuals for these roles, benefiting both individuals and organizations. Apprentices gain valuable skills, experience and industry-specific knowledge, leading to improved career opportunities and contributing to a more skilled and competitive
workforce.
Apprenticeships are a way to attract diverse talent with greater-than-average retention, with 90% of apprentices staying at their employer after program completion.
How it works
The one-year registered apprenticeship program will involve a mix of classroom instruction and on-the-job training. Participants will be hired as Intel employees as they learn the core competencies needed for facility technician roles, including hand-tool basics with mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic and vacuum systems; electrical basics and electronics; handling of chemicals and gases; and communications skills, problem solving and critical thinking.
Intel’s apprenticeship program provides more technical skills than other opportunities within the industry, focusing on hands-on skills in gas and chemical facility training.
This is one of several commitments Intel has made to workforce development, investing more than $250 million in academic collaborations over the past five years. Intel continues to partner with community colleges and nonprofits in Arizona and Oregon through the two-week Quick Start pilot program and in New Mexico with a one- or two-term Mechatronics certificate program. All aim to support the semiconductor industry’s growing employment needs and spark interest in new career pathways among under-resourced communities.
In Ohio, Intel is working with the Ohio Association of Community Colleges’ Semiconductor Collaboration
network to launch programs and career pathways that aim to meet the demands of the semiconductor
sector, foster economic development and provide accessible education across the state.
Additionally, Intel’s AI for Workforce Program is a first-of-its-kind community college program offered
free to participating schools. It provides more than 600 hours of artificial intelligence (AI) content,
professional training for faculty and implementation guidance.
Intel will continue to prioritize workforce development initiatives that create inclusive pathways, improve people’s lives and enable the company to create life-changing technology. With additional CHIPS Act funding, Intel hopes to expand the new apprenticeship program to its other U.S. sites.
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