When you think of Texas, what comes to mind? Tumbleweeds blowing across wide open spaces? Cowboys driving cattle across the open range? Roughnecks working the oil and gas rigs along the Gulf Coast? The tall buildings dotting the skylines of major cities like Houston and Dallas?
What probably doesn’t come to mind are high-tech manufacturing facilities churning out the latest advanced semiconductors. Well, that might be the case now, but if Texas business leaders have anything to say about it, that’s the future image Texas will project.
Move over, Taiwan. There’s a new “T” in the semiconductor manufacturing arena and it happens to be Texas right here in the good ol’ United States of America. Over time, the humble cowboy hat may even be superseded by the high-tech computer chip.
What’s driving the explosion of growth in the Texas semiconductor manufacturing sector? Investment. With the support of state funding, companies engaged in semiconductor manufacturing in Texas are increasing their investments to support larger, more productive facilities.
For example, a recent Industrial Equipment News article notes that “Avant Technology will invest some $20 million to expand semiconductor assembly production at its manufacturing facility in Pharr, Texas,” creating approximately 250 new jobs. The company plans “to make more complex assemblies for the automotive and industrial markets.”
This sizeable investment will be partially defrayed by “a $4.8 million grant from the state’s semiconductor innovation fund (TSIF).” The TSIF was established in 2023 as part of the Texas CHIPS Act, which was “designed to leverage the state’s investments in the semiconductor industry, encourage semiconductor-related companies to expand in the state, further develop the expertise and capacity of Texas institutions of higher education and maintain the state’s position in semiconductor manufacturing.”
Of course, Avant Technology, like nearly every other company across the country, needs more skilled workers to fill open positions at its semiconductor manufacturing facility. Thanks to an ongoing skills gap issue, the supply of highly skilled workers simply isn’t meeting the demand for such workers. This is especially true in industries focused on advanced technologies, like semiconductor manufacturing.
Fortunately, the company “is also partnering with South Texas College to provide hands-on access to equipment, enabling students to gain real-world experience in semiconductor electronics assembly, quality control and advanced manufacturing.” Such industry-education partnerships are key to establishing an ongoing pipeline of skilled talent.
Can the Texas talent pipeline currently being built supply all the workers the semiconductor supply chain needs? Only time will tell. Fortunately, manufacturers and educational organizations have not had to navigate this path alone.
To establish a pipeline of skilled talent for future semiconductor manufacturing facilities, training the next generation of semiconductor technicians is paramount. With help from an experienced training partner, like Amatrol, great strides are being made in Texas and elsewhere.
Amatrol’s unique combination of real industrial training equipment paired with cutting-edge eLearning curriculum can be used to create a modern semiconductor technician training program that will set up students and workers for success.
With over 40 years of experience, Amatrol remains the world’s leader in technical education. The experts at Amatrol regularly guide educational institutions and industry clients through the process of customizing training programs to achieve specific goals.
For more information about how Amatrol can help you inspire and train the next generation of semiconductor manufacturing workers, visit the Amatrol website to download the Amatrol Semiconductor Manufacturing Career Playbook.
