Samsung Electronics Invests $3.7 Million in University of Texas to Secure Semiconductor Talent in the U.S.

"Securing Skilled Large-scale Workforce is Most Important"

Samsung Electronics is investing $3.7 million to nurture semiconductor talent in the United States. To secure workforce in the Texas area, where Samsung Electronics' semiconductor base is located, it is partnering with the University of Texas at Austin, which has a campus in the Austin region.

On the 4th, Samsung Electronics announced through the U.S. Semiconductor Newsroom homepage that it has formed a partnership with the Cockrell School of Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin and will provide a total of $3.7 million to foster local talent. It explained the investment background as "collaborating to build a talent pipeline necessary to support the growing semiconductor ecosystem in Central Texas."

Samsung Electronics will donate $1 million to the Cockrell School of Engineering and invest $2.7 million in research and development (R&D), including scholarships and fellowships. It plans to provide scholarships to 40 undergraduate students and fellowship opportunities to 10 graduate students. Samsung Electronics will also offer paid internship opportunities.

Photos from the event related to Samsung Electronics' investment announcement at the University of Texas, USA /
[Photo by Samsung Electronics US Semiconductor Newsroom]

The reason behind Samsung Electronics' move is to secure local talent. The company is expanding its business in the U.S., including investing $17 billion to build a foundry (semiconductor contract manufacturing) plant in Taylor, Texas, but there are concerns about a semiconductor workforce shortage locally.

The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) forecasted in a July report that local semiconductor jobs will increase to about 115,000 by 2030. It also predicted that 67,000 of these jobs may remain unfilled. This is why Koo Bon-young, head of Samsung Electronics' Austin office, emphasized that "securing a large skilled workforce is the most important thing for us" when explaining the partnership background.

Koo also said, "This opportunity will formalize cooperation between both sides and develop strategic plans to address workforce demand." Jay Hartzell, president of UT, evaluated this partnership by saying, "it will help cultivate essential talent to strengthen the U.S. (semiconductor) supply chain."

Samsung Electronics has a foundry plant in Austin, Texas. The Taylor plant, which will be the second foundry production facility in the U.S., is scheduled to be completed within this year. Kyung Kye-hyun, president of Samsung Electronics' Device Solutions Division, announced via his social media account in July that "by the end of next year, mass production shipments of 4-nanometer (nm; 1 nm = one billionth of a meter) products will begin here."