UA, NAU Partner to Grow Semiconductor Industry

The University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University have formed an agreement that will allow the universities to share equipment and collaborate on projects in order to strengthen the state's semiconductor industry. 

“When companies are either in Arizona or they're looking to come to Arizona, we can guarantee them that they'll be able to employ the people they need to keep their operations running,” said ECE professor and vice president of semiconductor strategy Liesl Folks in an interview with the Sierra Vista Herald. “Our downstream aspiration is to make sure that any company coming to Arizona will be able to find great talent, but also making sure that Arizona students have great career opportunities in front of them. And that those career opportunities come with growth potential."

The program is expected to launch fall 2025, and will allow high school and community college students to earn university credits for semiconductor programs.

“There are estimates for Arizona needing quite a number, like thousands, of new employees to come into the semiconductor sector, as these big manufacturing sites are built out,” Folks said. “But also in the supply chain, so the people that make tools that go into the semiconductor plants, the people that make materials that are needed to build semiconductors, all of those companies also need employees, and employees at every education level."