NSF, Commerce Expand Semiconductor Workforce Training CHIPS Network

LeadershipCareersNSF, Commerce Expand Semiconductor Workforce Training CHIPS NetworkByShalin Jyotishi,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I cover the intersection of science, workforce, and industrial policyFollow AuthorJun 08, 2026, 06:00am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.The CHIPS & Science Act-enabled National Network of Microelectronics Education, backed by the U.S. Commerce Department and the National Science Foundation, has expanded it's footprint across four regional nodes.Shalin JyotishiThe U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Department of Commerce are expanding a national effort to build the semiconductor workforce, taking the next step to strengthen how regions coordinate education and workforce development under the CHIPS & Science Act, which Congress passed in 2022. The non-profit SEMI Foundation was selected by NSF and the Commerce Department to operate the National Network for Microelectronics Education (NNME), the federal government’s central vehicle for meeting the semiconductor and microelectronics workforce needs created by the law.Last month, the SEMI Foundation announced the launch of the first four NNME Regional Nodes, the operational backbone of the network and the mechanism through which the national semiconductor workforce strategy is expected to translate into coordinated, on-the-ground action to align education, industry, and workforce development organizations focused on semiconductor talent and career pathways.The four inaugural nodes are NNME Southwest, led by the Arizona Commerce Authority; NNME Pacific Intermountain, led by Boise State University; NNME Northeast, led by NY CREATES; and NNME South, led by the University of Texas at Austin. The SEMI Foundation and the NNME will work with the regional nodes to boost industry awareness, build and stress-test industry-aligned tr...