VIDEO: Univision Arizona Covered How Sen. Kelly’s CHIPS Law Will Create More Microchip Manufacturing Jobs

In case you missed it, Univision Arizona covered how Senator Mark Kelly’s bipartisan CHIPS Act of 2022, now law, will create thousands of Arizona jobs, many of which won’t require a four-year degree. 

Univision Arizona followed Kelly and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo as they toured a fully functional microchip manufacturing facility at Arizona State University (ASU). Kelly and Raimondo also hosted a roundtable discussion about the important role community colleges and universities like ASU play in ensuring Arizonans fill the high-paying jobs created by Kelly’s CHIPS law.

Read key excerpts below:

On the growing Arizona semiconductor industry:

Anchor: Well, during the pandemic we heard about the shortage of cars, appliances, and some electronics. The problem is due precisely to the shortage of chips or integrated circuits at the international level.

In north Phoenix, the construction of a new plant promises to help with the distribution of these semiconductors and create jobs. But as Héctor Lagunas tells us, there is a lack of personnel and this could be a great opportunity.

Lagunas: Construction continues on the semiconductor manufacturing facility in north Phoenix. A project that a Taiwanese company has achieved thanks, in part, to bipartisan legislation proposed by Senator Mark Kelly a year ago and approved by the federal government in early August.

On the need for more Arizonan workers in the semiconductor industry:

The world’s largest microchip manufacturer, responsible for making these electronic circuits for the aerospace and electronic services industries, plans to bring 2,000 jobs to Arizona. They have already hired 1,500 engineers.

However, experts on the subject mentioned that there is a stigma that we must break to achieve independence from other countries and have enough personnel, mentioned the experts on this topic. The opportunity to pursue these careers is for everyone.

When we talk about semiconductors we refer to these chips that at first sight seem to be something of no importance, but they represent the contrary. It is the shortage of these devices that has caused problems in the distribution of automobiles and other electronic devices in the United States.

And it is precisely this that has led the largest manufacturing company in the world to collaborate with Arizona State University to speed up the distribution of this material.

The problem? The challenge has been convincing students to join this unpopular industry.

On the great opportunity for a career in engineering, semiconductor manufacturing:

Veronica Sanchez, ASU spokesperson: “There are so many opportunities for Latino, not just Latinos, but the people of this state who need jobs. It is a bit difficult, right, to attract Hispanic students as well.”

Lagunas: We joined the Senator and other officials on a tour of the ASU facilities, making the collaboration between the university and the company official. At least 30,000 students they confirmed will be enrolled but more are needed, especially to help make chips in military equipment.

They will recommend that parents ask about the STEM program, in educational establishments, engineering classes that will help their own to be part of this huge plan. Some positions do not require four years of study, the Senator commented. […]

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