Thanks to a new collaboration between Intel, Worksystems, Portland Community College, Worksource, and the City of Hillsboro, it’s faster and easier than ever before to train to enter the semiconductor industry.
The Quick Start Semiconductor Technician Training program is a 10-day training course designed to help job-seekers quickly gain the skills they need to land an entry-level technician job with Intel and other area semiconductor manufacturers. Labor market data shows there are over 700 technician jobs open in the region, and the aim of this program is to help address this demand while also providing a unique and inclusive pathway to the semiconductor industry.
The program will place special emphasis on recruiting and training members of populations that have been historically underrepresented in the industry, particularly women, people of color, veterans, people with disabilities, and people from low-income and rural communities. Training will be provided by Portland Community College at its Willow Creek Center in Hillsboro, and as an added bonus, students will earn a stipend of $500 per each five-day period they’re enrolled in the program.
“Worksystems is excited to support the development and launch of Quick Start through a Strategic Innovation grant from the State of Oregon,” said Andrew McGough, executive director of Worksystems. “This training is designed to move women and people of color into family sustaining semiconductor jobs. The program aligns with recommendations from the Oregon Semiconductor Competitiveness Task Force to strengthen the talent pipeline and capitalize on investments made through the federal CHIPS Act.”
Quick Start is a fast-paced, intensive “bootcamp” training course modeled after a similar Intel program in Arizona, in collaboration with local community colleges and other organizations. Students train for 10 weekdays, after which they will have acquired sufficient skills and knowledge to enter the industry.
The course is designed to give students an introduction to semiconductor manufacturing concepts, processes, and hands-on applications. It includes electrical theory, circuits, schematics, hand tools, safety, clean room protocols, model-based problem solving, lean manufacturing, vacuum technology, and troubleshooting. Training content will be delivered via lectures, demonstrations, labs, and homework.
Quick Start launches its first class of students in mid-October of 2022. To learn more, visit https://www.pcc.edu/opportunity-center/jobs/worksource/. Women, people of color, veterans, people with disabilities, and people from low-income and rural communities are encouraged to apply.
