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Government, TSMC officials unveil apprentice program to fill semiconductor industry jobs

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Government, TSMC officials unveil apprentice program to fill semiconductor industry jobs

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When the Phoenix operation of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. starts producing the most advanced chips on U.S. soil early next year, engineers with bachelor’s, masters and doctoral degrees will be calling most of the shots.

But technicians, including those lacking four-year degrees, will fill most of the jobs at the $65 billion facility. Some of those workers, like Ray Barrera and Jose Ramirez, will have gotten their starts as apprentices.

TSMC on Nov. 19 announced an expansion of its apprenticeship program, which now includes instruction from and students attending Estrella Mountain Community College, Rio Salado College, Northern Arizona University, Grand Canyon University and West-MEC or the Western Maricopa Education Center. The company unveiled a small, pilot program in April.

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“We’re doing everything we can to connect Arizonans to these jobs,” said Gov. Katie Hobbs, who with Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego put in a plug for the expanded apprenticeship program. “These are real jobs from day one” where apprentices “earn while they’re learning,” Hobbs added.

Apprentices can earn around $50,000 annually and up, plus benefits. While apprentices mainly work onsite at TSMC’s sprawling complex in north Phoenix, the program also features one day a week of online instruction. Apprentices stay in the program from 18 to 24 months.

Interested individuals can get more information and apply here.

Applicants must be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma or completion of G.E.D. testing and an updated resume. The next apprentice cycle starts in April.

Getting a foot in the door

Barrera, 32, said he didn’t know anything about the semiconductor industry when he joined the program in April, but recently finished training in the mechanical area at TSMC, then headed on to electrical.

After that, he will receive on-site training along with classroom instruction in water operations, then in gases and chemicals. He recommends the program to “anyone who wants to learn new skills and gain knowledge about semiconductors and technology.”

TSMC hopes to add around 130 apprentices next year among the thousands of technicians the company will need eventually in Phoenix, where employment is expected to reach 6,000 by around 2030. TSMC this month received final approval for up to $6.6 billion in federal funds under the CHIPS and Science Act.

Among other tasks, technicians are responsible for maintaining and, if necessary, repairing “some of the most sophisticated, complex machinery anywhere in the world,” said Dr. Steven Gonzales, chancellor of Maricopa Community Colleges. Some machinery being installed by TSMC in Phoenix costs tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars.

Why start as apprentices?

Most technicians hired at TSMC won’t go through the apprentice program. Some are hired straight out of high school, often with some technology or trade-school background or, say, experience with machinery maintenance, computer programs, analytics, industrial environments or something similar.

But TSMC officials strongly back the apprentice program and say it can provide more comprehensive training and possibly improve long-term employee retention while exposing students from more diverse backgrounds to the company.

Rose Castaneres, president of TSMC Arizona, said the company located to the U.S. and Arizona in particular for two main reasons. The first was in response to requests by customers such as Apple to locate nearby. The second was to tap into the American talent pipeline. Phoenix won the location competition after seven years of courting the company.

Before joining TSMC’s initial class of apprentices in April, Barrera worked at a business that made concrete planters. Ramirez held different jobs, including in construction and as an events coordinator at a retirement community.

“If you’re unsure about your career, it’s a good place to start, and there are lots of opportunities” said Ramirez, 23, of the apprentice program. “But you have to be committed, need to be hungry and want to learn.”

Reach the writer at russ.wiles@arizonarepublic.com.

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