GF Tech Apprentice Program Bears Fruit
MALTA — The seeds of GlobalFoundries’ Fab 8 “home-grown” tech program have borne fruit.
This past week, the GlobalFoundries Maintenance Technician Apprenticeship Program, the first registered traineeship of its kind in the United States’ semiconductor industry, announced its first three graduates.
The tech apprenticeship program provides candidates an opportunity to develop semiconductor experience while working in the field. It was launched in 2021 with the National Institute for Innovation and Technology (NIIT) as part of its Growing Apprenticeships in Nanotechnology and Semiconductors (GAINS) program and has been cited as a nationwide model for addressing the critical shortage of qualified talent in the chip-manufacturing field.
“The registered apprenticeship at GF Fab 8 has been successful as part of our ongoing commitment to workforce development, creating a new doorway into the semiconductor industry and attracting a diverse pool of locally based individuals and increasing their career growth opportunities,” said Peter Benyon, GF Fab 8 general manager. “It is exciting to see our first three graduates complete our GF Maintenance Technician Apprenticeship Program here.”
Semiconductor manufacturing requires large numbers of highly specialized and automated technical equipment, all of which entails preventative maintenance, troubleshooting, and optimization. The apprenticeship at GlobalFoundries is a full-time paid position with benefits; training is administered at no cost to the trainee-employee. During the program, participants follow a plan that includes a combination of on-the-job-training, instructor-led classes, college classes, and web-based courses. It was designed to be completed in 16-24 months with a high school diploma or equivalent; no prior semiconductor experience is required. Upon completion of the program, apprentices receive a journeyman workers card, which includes state and federally recognized credentials that certify their skills and training experience.
Apprenticeship program college courses are offered through Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) in Troy and are covered by a State University of New York apprenticeship grant. The courses are aligned to industry requirements standards through NIIT’s Semiconductor Competency Standard, which enables employees to receive college credits that can be used toward a degree as well as training certifications for their future careers.
“The GAINS program has served to enhance our partnership with GF by creating a more cohesive alignment between their gateway technician positions and our academic programs,” said Jonathan Ashdown, executive dean of HVCC North. “The apprenticeship has stimulated additional collaborations, including a reinvestment by GF in our training facilities and equipment. We are now able to train more students with our academic programs and place them earlier into promising careers with GF.”
According to New York state’s Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon: “Apprenticeships establish a pathway into the workforce, empowering New Yorkers to earn wages while developing new skills and growing in a chosen profession. As part of the Center for Economic Growth’s apprenticeship program, GF incentivizes workers to join New York state’s fast-growing green economy by offering a pathway into the semiconductor field with great pay and on-the-job training. We are proud to have GF as an apprenticeship partner.”
The Center for Economic Growth (CEG) was the sponsoring organization for administration of the apprenticeship and state and federal apprenticeship funding.
