TSMC to invest $5m in Arizona apprenticeship programme
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing will spend USD 5 million to train 80 facility technicians to work in its Arizona facilities.
TSMC already has 2,200 direct employees in Arizona, and about 12,000 construction workers currently working on its north Phoenix site. It is currently selecting participants from contractor companies, schools and colleges in the state for its training programme.
The scheme is one of many supported by private companies and federal government to accelerate the semiconductor manufacturing capability of Arizona, which is fast becoming the centre of US chip making.
According to the Biden Administration, Arizona has received more than USD 77 billion in private investment to date in the semiconductor, battery, electric vehicle, clean energy and biomanufacturing industries.
These initiatives include USD 30 million for a materials-to-fab centre at Arizona State University, a USD 17.5 million R&D and workforce training programme involving gallium nitride manufacturing and a USD 35.5 million scheme to support R&D in semiconductors, computer chips, optical devices and quantum computing.
Taiwanese chip maker TSMC is currently constructing its factory in Arizona, though it recently delayed its scheduled launch from 2025 to 2027 or 2028. It said construction on the shell had begun, but that it needs more help from the government to complete it. It has been reported that TSMC plans to build as many as six factories at its Arizona site over a 10 to 15 year period.
