FORT WORTH, Texas — The U.S semiconductor industry is closing the gap on Taiwan, South Korea and Japan, and Tarrant County College is increasingly having a say in how fast and by how much.
TCC recently received a three-year, $350,000 Advanced Technological Education grant from the National Science Foundation to equip fresh talent for chip-making jobs.
The grant will fund electronics technology training for students dually enrolled in high school and TCC’s Microelectronics/Nanomanufacturing Program leading to the Associate of Applied Science degree. The Everman ISD has committed 60 students, and the Arlington ISD 15.
The students will prepare for careers as entry-level production technicians, process technicians and equipment technicians in a manufacturing environment, or as a technician or operator in the semiconductor industry. Coursework will cover algebra fundamentals, direct-current circuits, alternate circuits, solid-state circuits, digital circuits and soldering techniques.
Courses begin this fall and will be hosted at the partner high schools. Students completing the program will receive a Level I certificate. Intel and Texas Instruments will offer internships to eligible participants.
“The Tarrant County College community is honored to receive this grant from the National Science Foundation,” said Chancellor Elva LeBlanc. “TCC is committed to providing our students with innovative educational opportunities that align with the demands of today’s high-tech workforce.”
The Advanced Technological Education program focuses on educating technicians for the high-tech fields that drive the nation’s economy. Two-year community and technical colleges are the leading providers of technician education in the United States, and their faculty have had leadership roles in most ATE projects since the program launched in 1993.
Tarrant County College is one of the nation’s largest higher education institutions and boasts the second lowest tuition of Texas’ Top 10 community colleges. A comprehensive two-year college with six campuses in Tarrant County and online classes, TCC offers a range of opportunities for learners of all ages and backgrounds, including Associate of Arts and Associate of Applied Science degrees; workforce and economic development programs; technical and skilled trades programs; and customized training for area businesses and corporations.