The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) wants to know about efforts to educate and train the future semiconductor workforce, and how the U.S. government can help.
NIST has asked for input on this topic from semiconductor companies, and their suppliers, trade associations, equipment manufacturers, educational institutions, and other related organizations, for a new report. The deadline to submit ideas is 15 August 2018.
Government assistance could include “enhanced support for K-12, undergraduate, and graduate STEM education (with a particular focus on semiconductor technology), targeted technical training, internship and apprenticeship programs, and cooperative education programs,” according to NIST’s request for information.
The outreach effort was sparked by President Donald Trump’s 2017 National Security Strategy, and its concerns about the impact of semiconductor-dependent technologies, like encryption, advanced computing, and artificial intelligence, on U.S. economic growth and security.
Among the specific issues those submitting information are asked to consider are:
The types of technical positions for which hiring is most difficult
Educational levels at which hiring is most difficult
Expected changes in staffing levels over the next 5 to 15 years
Skill sets that are likely to grow in importance
Things your company is doing to bring people into the tech workforce
Ideas for ways of stimulating semiconductor workforce growth
Thoughts on apprenticeship programs
The full request for information is published in the Federal Register here. Written comments should be submitted by email to semiwkfc@nist.gov.
Tekla S. Perry is a senior editor at IEEE Spectrum. Based in Palo Alto, Calif., she's been covering the people, companies, and technology that make Silicon Valley a special place for more than 40 years. An IEEE member, she holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Michigan State University.
