BOISE, Idaho — Micron Technology is building a 15 billion dollar fabrication plant in Southeast Boise and is primed to be a leader in memory chip production thanks in part to billions more in CHIPS act funding. Idaho News 6 explores how they plan to ramp up higher education programs in Idaho to provide future engineers.
- Micron plans to spend 15 billion through the end of the decade to create a new fabrication plant in Boise.
- The project is expected to create 17 thousand new jobs.
- BSU and other Idaho universities are ramping up their engineering programs to provide Micron with the talent to fuel future chip production.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
It’s a brand new day for the semiconductor industry in the U.S. and that means great things for Local Company Micron. I talked with Micron’s executive VP of technology about how Micron, and Idaho in general, is ramping up to renew our reputation in the world as the leader in semiconductor technology.
For decades, memory chip producer Micron based prominently in southeast Boise, has navigated the wild ups and downs of the industry to emerge as one of the last companies of it’s type standing.
And that makes it extremely important for national security.
“Semiconductors are so important to the safety of our country to the way we live our lives and for the us to not be a leader in semiconductors really puts the generations ahead in a whole different world,” said Scott DeBoer, Executive Vice President of Technology and Products at Micron Technology.
The chips act passed in 2022 aims to help companies like micron stay on top.
And a five billion dollar consortium announced February 9th is designed to ramp up education in that effort.
“With the passing of the chips act opportunities for the semiconductor growth is incredible here at the united states and regionally here in Idaho."
Dan Lamborn spent years working with Intel before coming to Boise State to head up the Institute for Microelectronics Education and Research.
“We started up this institute to have better engagement with local industry including micron and we’re also looking at revamping a lot of our curricula.” said Lamborn.
That way, Boise State, which has worked closely with Micron for years, can help provide the chip makers of the future.
"Certainly since the chips act program was announced we’ve put a lot of effort into meeting with them and helping them with planning. Since you’re out with Boise State I can say in particular, they’ve put a lot more focus into semiconductors in terms of faculty and creating positions for making sure they’re strong going forward.” said DeBoer.
In a politically divided world, spending lots of money on anything can sometimes make you a target, but the CHIPS act seems to have bipartisan support, for now.
“I hope that that lasts through an election year where lots of people will be looking for something to complain about.” said DeBoer.
Lamborn says it will likely take 3-5 years to ramp up the education requirements at schools across Idaho to provide the future engineers Micron will need.
But like the field of dreams, if Micron builds it, they will come.
"With micron’s investment in a new high volume manufacturing facility, we’ll be bringing in thousands of jobs and it’s a really interesting time and it’s really exciting," said Lamborn.
The Chips bill invests 50 billion dollars in semiconductor technology. Micron has announced it’s spending 40 billion to ramp up. The idea is to bring our share of the memory chip industry up from near two percent to ten percent in the next decade.
