On September 26, 2024, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Raimondo, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, and American Federation of Teachers’ (AFT) President Randi Weingarten joined Micron and AFT’s affiliates the New York State United Teachers and the United Federation of Teachers, in Syracuse. Secretary Raimondo highlighted the implementation of AFT’s Advanced Technology Framework, which will help students get ready for the thousands of new technical careers in the semiconductor industry, as well as new funding from the President’s Investing in America agenda to expand deployment and support the Upstate New York Workforce Hub. Based on foundational and technical skills found throughout the microelectronics manufacturing sector, this curricular framework, teacher training, and work-based learning opportunities pilot program has commenced across 10 New York school districts.

This first-of-its-kind framework was developed directly by teachers and Micron to integrate industry-based career exploration and to engage students in deeper learning, such as analyzing information, thinking critically and applying knowledge, all while providing students with real-life, real-world skills.

Secretary Raimondo has highlighted the Advanced Technology Framework as one tangible action that will serve the needs not just of Micron, but the entire Investing in America Upstate New York Workforce Hub. AFT’s vision is to move quickly from pilot to expansion, enabling other communities to work with AFT to scale this program that supports the alignment of education and workforce development programs, starting with high school students, grades 10-12. On September 25, 2024, Natcast, the purpose-built, non-profit entity created to operate the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC), announced that it intends to award $1.7 million from President Biden’s CHIPS and Science Act to the AFT Educational Foundation to further expand deployment of the Advanced Technology Framework across New York, as well as Michigan and Minnesota. This award is part of the inaugural NSTC Workforce Partner Alliance Program and is one of seven expected awards across more than ten states.

The Upstate New York Workforce Hub kicked off this summer with a convening of employers, labor unions, universities, community colleges, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Oswego’s Syracuse campus. Convened by the U.S. Department of Commerce and Empire State Development (ESD), stakeholders at the event heard from industry partners, unions, and training providers on the expected workforce needs associated with their planned investments in the region and discussed how to scale existing programs and develop new initiatives to build strong talent pipelines into the semiconductor industry.

The Biden-Harris Administration is laser-focused on creating training pipelines that ensure all Americans can access the hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs created by the President’s Investing in America agenda—whether they went to college or not. To do that, the Administration launched nine Investing in America Workforce Hubs across the country that are bringing together unions, local governments, employers, training providers, schools, community colleges, and other stakeholders to facilitate partnerships to train and connect workers to jobs in high-demand sectors. First Lady Jill Biden announced five Workforce Hubs last year—Columbus, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Augusta, and Phoenix—which generated dozens of actions to expand pre-apprenticeships and Registered Apprenticeships, train thousands of workers for good-paying union jobs, and expand community college programs. Building on that success, President Biden announced four new Workforce Hubs this year—upstate New York, Michigan, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia.

Upstate New York has emerged as a growing hub for semiconductor manufacturing, with record-breaking investments throughout the region. Across the state of New York, the Administration has announced more than $28.2 billion in federal investments in clean energy, infrastructure, and manufacturing, which have catalyzed an additional $90.2 billion in related private-sector investments. These investments are generating demand for skilled workers in the semiconductor industry, construction and related trades by creating good-paying jobs that will support working families in the Upstate New York region.

Department of Commerce Investments in Skilled Workers and Good Jobs

• This spring, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce and Micron Technology signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) to provide up to roughly $6.14 billion in proposed direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act to boost U.S. competitiveness in leading-edge memory semiconductor production. The proposed funding would support the construction of two leading-edge Dynamic Random-Access Memory (DRAM) fabs in Clay, New York, the first step in Micron’s two-decade vision to invest approximately $100 billion in New York and create roughly 13,500 facility and construction jobs.
• Earlier this year, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce and GlobalFoundries (GF) signed a non-binding PMT to provide approximately $1.5 billion in proposed direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act. The proposed funding would support a new state-of-the-art facility, significant capacity expansion, and the modernization of GF’s U.S. manufacturing sites in New York and Vermont, which produce essential automotive, communications, and defense semiconductor technologies. In New York, the funding would support construction of a new, large-scale 300 mm fabrication facility in Malta and the proposed expansion of the existing Malta, New York fabrication facility. This expansion is expected to triple the existing capacity of the Malta campus over the next 10+ years.
• In July, Biden-Harris Administration, through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), announced that it is slated to award approximately $40 million to NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub, a consortium led by CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity (CenterState CEO) in New York, to implement four projects that will bolster the region’s ability to scale up the production and delivery of critical technologies that will enable U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing. This Tech Hub will coordinate across the region’s significant semiconductor fabrication investments, adjacent supply chain assets, scientific capabilities coalitions, and partner coalitions to establish an entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem that provides career pathways and employment opportunities to the region’s historically underserved communities.
• The Biden-Harris Administration, also through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s EDA, announced the Western New York Advanced Manufacturing Coalition as one of 21 American Rescue Plan Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC) awardees. Western New York Advanced Manufacturing, led by the Empire State Development Corporation, is utilizing a $25 million BBBRC grant to invest in the distressed eastern side of Buffalo, New York and accelerate the growth of advanced manufacturing in the region. The coalition is accelerating the development of the Northland Corridor in Buffalo’s predominantly Black East Side by renovating two industrial buildings, expanding a small- and mid-sized manufacturer training program at the Buffalo Manufacturing Works, and building out a career readiness program through Goodwill of WNY’s Goodskills Career Builder initiative.

The Upstate New York Workforce Hub is maximizing the impact of these federal investments by driving commitments to equitable workforce development, coordinating complementary state, local, and private sector actions, identifying and addressing gaps that exist in the local workforce ecosystem, and catalyzing new partnerships. Already, partners on the ground are supporting these efforts through innovative approaches to training, recruiting, and retaining a diverse workforce.  

Progress To Date

• One Network for Advanced Manufacturing Partnerships (ON-RAMP). Last week, Governor Hochul announced the launch of her $200 million ON-RAMP program. Through this effort, Empire State Development (ESD) will invest to create four advanced manufacturing workforce development centers across Upstate New York, including a flagship location in Syracuse. The centers will serve to better enable communities to recruit, train and place individuals from underrepresented communities into high tech manufacturing jobs. Modeled on the highly successful Northland Workforce Development Training Center, located on the East Side of Buffalo, NY, ON RAMP will focus on providing industry-informed training; job placement services, including direct engagement with employers seeking talent; and holistic wraparound services designed to help participants overcome barriers to success such as childcare, transportation, stipends, financial counseling and education, and more.
• Manufacturers Association of Central New York (MACNY) “Real Life Rosies” Program. In August, the New York State Department of Labor announced funding under the Direct Entry Pre-Apprenticeship Program to expand the Real Life Rosies and Advance 2 Apprenticeship direct entry pre-apprenticeship programs to Onondaga and Oswego counties. Real Life Rosies supports the training and skill development of women and individuals in underrepresented populations looking to pursue careers in advanced manufacturing. Through company tours and guaranteed job interviews, the program helps connect employers with skilled and job-ready individuals. The program was launched in the Mohawk Valley in collaboration with Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC); The Workforce Development Board, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida Counties, Inc.; and community partners, with funding from ESD’s Office of Strategic Workforce Development. ESD anticipates scaling Real Life Rosies to other parts of the state.
• National Institute for Industry and Career Advancement™ (NIICA) and NY CREATES Registered Apprenticeship Program. This month, NIICA and NY CREATES announced the first cohort of apprentices entering its newly established Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP). This competency-based program, which will support development of the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing workforce at NY CREATES’ Albany NanoTech Complex, is part of NIICA’s overall Growing Apprenticeships in Nanotechnology and Semiconductors (GAINS) program. The Center for Economic Growth, the region’s group sponsor and NIICA partner, is the sponsor of the program.
• MACNY NY-RAMP. MACNY is establishing the New York Registered Apprenticeship Manufacturing Partnerships Program (NY-RAMP) through $6 million in funding awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship Building America initiative. MACNY will expand its existing programming to train 800 new apprenticeships for semiconductor and advanced manufacturing jobs. The first phase of the program will focus on Syracuse, the Mohawk Valley, Rochester, and Albany.
• Broadening Research and Inter-Disciplinary Graduate Education (BRIDGE) for Microelectronics. The U.S. Department of Commerce and Natcast announced an anticipated award of $1.5 million to Rochester Institute of Technology as part of the inaugural NSTC Workforce Partner Alliance Program. The anticipated award will help implement the Broadening Research and Inter-Disciplinary Graduate Education (BRIDGE) for Microelectronics program, with the goal to train 555 students at the bachelor’s and master’s degree levels, and through a new online certificate program, across microelectronics-related educational tracks. The program emphasizes education, industry collaboration, and student support to address workforce shortages in the microelectronics sector. 
• Green CHIPS Community Investment Fund. Micron and New York State launched the Green CHIPS Community Investment Fund, a $500 million effort to support workforce development, education, and other community priorities related to the project and expected economic growth. The CIF, seeded by a $100 million State commitment and $250 million Micron commitment, will invest directly into projects aimed at creating good-paying jobs in the region in the coming years, with specific focus on creating equitable and effective workforce development pipelines.
• NSF and Micron STEM Teacher Training Investment. The U.S. National Science Foundation and the Micron Foundation announced an investment in four projects to advance STEM education training to foster a more robust microelectronics workforce. The investment will support the development of highly effective K-12 teachers in high-need, under-resourced school districts.
• Micron and GlobalFoundries Adopted the CHIPS Women in Construction Framework. In May, the Department of Commerce launched the CHIPS Women in Construction Framework, a set of five best practices that the semiconductor manufacturing companies that oversee the entirety of any potential CHIPS-funded construction project can voluntarily adopt to expand participation in the construction workforce. Both Micron and GlobalFoundries have adopted the Framework and are developing the specific actions they will implement with contractors, labor unions, and other community and workforce partners. 
• Micron Partnerships with Community Colleges. As part of its commitment to developing a robust local talent pipeline in New York, Micron has forged strong partnerships with local communities, universities, and community colleges – including Syracuse University and Onondaga Community College (OCC). In August, Syracuse University announced that it will soon launch a program for military members and their families interested in entering the semiconductor workforce, paid for entirely by Micron. The new workforce pathway, offered at no cost both online and in-person at military bases across the country, will be run through their D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families and its “Onward to Opportunity” program. Micron is also partnering with the Manufacturer’s Association of Central New York and surrounding education providers, including OCC, to design and launch a Registered Apprenticeship program in New York to support workforce needs.
• GlobalFoundries (GF) Maintenance Technician Apprenticeship Program. The GF PMT proposes approximately $10 million in dedicated workforce development funding to work with local workforce, education, training, and community-based organizations to provide GF with the facilities and construction talent they need now and in the future. GF also continues to build upon its GF Maintenance Technician Apprenticeship Program, which is the first U.S. registered semiconductor apprenticeship program and graduated its first apprentices in 2022. The first-of-its-kind apprenticeship program provides opportunities for individuals with no prior experience or training in the semiconductor industry, offering full-time paid positions and cost-free college courses to high school graduates.  
• NY CREATES Veteran Semiconductor Training and Experience Program, or Vet S.T.E.P. Governor Hochul announced Vet S.T.E.P., part of the Department of Defense SkillBridge network, to prepare soon-to-be veterans for technician careers in the semiconductor ecosystem (fabs, equipment and/or material suppliers). The 10-week program consists of a two-week, hands-on training, followed by an 8-week internship with a company partner.
• Syracuse Build. Syracuse Build is a community initiative launched by Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh to support local construction activity by connecting job seekers from Syracuse’s historically marginalized communities with career pathways in construction related fields. CenterState CEO’s Work Train team connected resources and partners to help with this launch and have been instrumental in the development of Syracuse Build’s signature program, Pathways to Apprenticeship. This signature program focuses on helping women, people of color and veterans gain access to the building trades’ registered apprenticeship programs. It is designed to prepare a local workforce for the significant demand for construction jobs, beginning with a focus on opportunities related to I-81 construction. Syracuse Build is housed within CNY Works and supported by the City of Syracuse, Onondaga County, Syracuse University, and Upstate Medical University Hospital.

Moving forward, the Upstate New York Workforce Hub expects to support and announce further efforts that help meet the training needs of the nascent semiconductor industry and related investments in the region by fostering collaborations with partners such as labor unions, employers, and education and training providers.

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