Boosting Engineering Opportunities: How Syracuse University and OCC Are Preparing for Micron’s Arrival

Syracuse University is on a hiring spree, adding more than a dozen new professors in its engineering and computer science department over the past two years. With the arrival of Micron Technology, a major player in computer chip manufacturing, the university plans to expand even more—aiming to hire an additional 12 to 15 professors.

Mike Haynie, the vice chancellor for strategic initiatives at Syracuse, noted that typically, universities recruit one or two professors a year. This time, it’s different. Syracuse aims to grow its engineering college by 50%, which means enrolling 150 more students and hiring around 30 faculty and staff to support that growth.

Micron is set to build the nation’s largest chip manufacturing facility in Clay, NY, with construction starting soon. The company predicts it will create up to 9,000 jobs over the next 20 years, not including the many additional jobs from suppliers and contractors. This ambitious project may receive over $20 billion in taxpayer subsidies.

Syracuse is planning to invest over $100 million in the next five years to strengthen its engineering programs. This will not only benefit the university, but the whole region, transforming the job market and the local economy.

Nearby, Onondaga Community College (OCC) is also expanding. They’ve recently launched a new technician program aimed at meeting Micron’s staffing needs, which has already doubled in enrollment from its first year. Similarly, Le Moyne College is seeking permission to introduce a new bachelor’s degree in applied physics, with a focus on materials science—critical for semiconductor technology.

The cleanroom facilities that will be used for chip manufacturing are immense. Micron plans to build up to four cleanrooms, each the size of ten football fields. These specialized environments are essential for producing advanced chips that power everything from smartphones to computers.

However, both Syracuse and OCC face a significant challenge: finding qualified faculty to teach semiconductor manufacturing. Haynie mentioned that many experts in this field are located overseas due to the U.S. semiconductor industry moving abroad over the past few decades.

This challenge is echoed by Mike Grieb, a professor at OCC. He pointed out that the main issue with Micron’s educational needs is the shortage of qualified instructors. Faculty positions at SU typically require a Ph.D., with salaries ranging from $105,000 to $160,000, while OCC offers salaries between $53,000 and $60,000 for its mechanical technology professors.

As Micron prepares to make its mark in Central New York, Syracuse University is also launching an economic development office. This will help connect the university, local businesses, and Micron to create a skilled workforce for the semiconductor industry.

Today, Syracuse University is hosting discussions about training workers for the state’s growing semiconductor sector, featuring insights from industry experts and lawmakers. These efforts highlight the urgency for educational institutions to adapt and prepare a new generation for jobs that are set to transform the local economy.

For more insights into how the semiconductor industry is evolving, check out the National Semiconductor Strategy for the latest updates.

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