The SEMI Foundation is undertaking a bold, novel approach to ensuring that the semiconductor industry has the skilled talent it needs to thrive. With a $40 million initial award from the U.S. National Science Foundation together with the U.S. Department of Commerce, and up to $160 million additional funds over the next five years, we have launched the National Network for Microelectronics Education (NNME), which is designed to reshape the landscape of microelectronics education and industry career awareness.
The NNME is a federal effort to develop, connect and multiply workforce development activities throughout the nation to meet the needs of the semiconductor industry. The SEMI Foundation now serves as the Operating Hub of the NNME and will support large, multi-state regional coalitions of workforce development performers, called Regional Nodes. Collectively, the Hub and the Nodes will work to transform semiconductor industry training and awareness to provide pathways toward economic opportunity for American workers, and to provide industry the workforce it needs to grow to $1 trillion by the early 2030s.
Join the NNME
On July 16, 2025, we will begin accepting Letters of Interest (LOI) from institutions interested in leading or joining a Regional Node. Read on and visit www.nnme.org for more details.
The Challenge
The semiconductor industry has layered workforce development challenges, including:
- Greying workforce, with 30% of our workers over 50
- Aging infrastructure and a significant instructor shortage
- Microelectronics curriculum that is often outdated and not aligned with industry needs, leading to critical gaps in learner knowledge
- No standardization of microelectronics learning across the field
- Duplicative and disconnected educational efforts nation-wide
- An industry largely invisible to many students and jobseekers
The new industry investments spurred by the CHIPS and Science Act mean tremendous economic opportunity for more workers, bolstered American manufacturing, and a stronger U.S. microelectronics sector. None of this can be fully realized without a much larger and highly skilled workforce trained in today’s and tomorrow’s technologies.
There have been numerous local, state, and federal workforce development initiatives to address some of these issues, and highly successful programs in various regions; but these have never been connected in a systemic way. This means people and institutions across the country are working separately to solve a collective problem. The NNME will connect and support these efforts, facilitate cross-regional learning, and braid together resources to illuminate the industry to students and jobseekers nationwide.
The Solution
“Talent is infrastructure,” said Shari Liss, Vice President of Global Workforce Development and Initiatives of SEMI. “We need skilled and job-ready talent at all educational levels to power the semiconductor industry. We have been working for years with educational and workforce leaders to design this national collective effort and we are thrilled to finally launch this transformative work.”
The NNME is designed not as a series of isolated interventions, but as a cohesive, forward-looking national strategy. Grounded in the realities of a high-growth industry and an underprepared workforce system, NNME’s goals respond directly to the needs expressed by semiconductor employers, policymakers, educators, and learners.
The NNME will:
- Design, develop, modernize, and disseminate industry-aligned curricula and share best practices across the network
- Develop regional partnerships and local workforce pipelines including colleges, universities, workforce development programs, labor, community-based organizations, and industry to create a national technical workforce that meets the evolving needs of industry
- Facilitate apprenticeships, internships, and other applied learning experiences
- Build, host, and update an open-source digital portal that houses the updated industry-aligned curricula for adoption in training programs nationwide
- Conduct a major industry awareness, microelectronics education, and career opportunity campaign including PreK-12 schools and STEM organizations
The NNME will be comprised of the Coordinating Hub (operated by the SEMI Foundation) and Regional Nodes which will be funded by the Hub. Regional Nodes will be comprised of workforce development performers – industry members, academic institutions, training providers, community-based organizations, and more. Collectively, the Hub and Nodes will execute the above activities with a commitment to information sharing and collaboration, transparency, responsiveness and agility, excellence, and accountability.
Finally, the NNME is committed to expanding access to microelectronics careers for Americans from every region and walk of life. NNME initiatives are designed to open doors to technical training and career exploration for high school students, veterans, people returning to work, college students, and others seeking high-quality jobs in this critical industry, as well as provide opportunities for current professionals looking to grow their careers.
Call for Participation
The SEMI Foundation is soliciting LOIs for performers interested in leading or joining a Regional Node. Information on node requirements and performer eligibility can be found on the NNME website at www.nnme.org. The solicitation goes live on Wednesday, July 16. An informational webinar will be held on Wednesday, July 23, and LOIs will be due on Friday, August 8 at 5 p.m. EDT.
The NNME envisions a future in which every American, regardless of where they live or how they start their journey, can pursue a rewarding, well-paying career in microelectronics. The NNME will be instrumental in helping to build a robust and vibrant semiconductor industry by fueling it with a wide range of skilled workers and creating a broad pipeline of future talent. Our intention is to serve as the nation's premier resource for microelectronics education and training, connecting learners to employers, programs to successful outcomes, and empowerment to opportunity.
We invite industry members and other workforce partners to join us in this work. Together, we will strengthen the talent pipeline that powers American leadership in semiconductors and advanced manufacturing.
For more information, contact us at [email protected] or visit www.nnme.org.
Michelle Williams is Executive Director at the SEMI Foundation.
