From the Office of the Texas Governor<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Governor Greg Abbott today announced that a Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund (TSIF) grant of $3.6 million has been extended to Austin Community College District (ACC) for an advanced semiconductor manufacturing lab and precision welding program at the Round Rock Campus in East Williamson County. This is the first TSIF grant to a Texas higher education institution.<\/p>\n \u201cTexas continues to lead America\u2019s resurgence in semiconductor manufacturing thanks to our highly skilled and growing workforce,\u201d said Governor Abbott. \u201cAlready recognized as a national model for semiconductor workforce training, ACC will establish a new semiconductor advanced manufacturing lab and a precision welding skills lab on their campus in Round Rock. Working together with our higher education partners and industry leaders, we will ensure the chips that drive the innovative technologies of tomorrow are made in Texas.\u201d<\/p>\n ACC\u2019s initiative will establish the 2,600-square-foot Austin Semiconductor Advanced Manufacturing Lab, which will include a classroom and simulation of a real-world semiconductor manufacturing environment, complete with locker room and gowning area, airlock transition space, simulated clean room, a Fanuc Fenceless robotics system, a Smart Factory Machine Sensor Trainer, process metrology microscopes, and automation studio software. In addition, ACC will establish a new welding fabrication skills lab in an existing, 3,728-square-foot space on the Round Rock campus with state-of-the-art tools to train students in precision welding and fabrication to support semiconductor manufacturing.<\/p>\n \u201cI congratulate Austin Community College Round Rock in becoming the first Texas institution of higher education to be awarded a Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund grant,\u201d said Senator Charles Schwertner. \u201cThis grant is a testament to our state\u2019s commitment to building a world-class semiconductor industry and expanding our high-tech workforce. By providing state-of-the-art, hands-on training to meet real industry needs, ACC\u2019s Advanced Manufacturing Lab and precision welding program will create opportunities for students across Texas, ensuring our state remains at the epicenter of cutting-edge innovation in the advanced manufacturing sector.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe are deeply grateful to the State of Texas and the Governor\u2019s Office for this generous investment in Austin Community College and the communities we serve,\u201d said ACC District Chancellor Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart. \u201cThis grant empowers us to build the kind of future our students deserve. We\u2019re expanding facilities and opening doors for hundreds of new students each year to step into life-changing careers. This is what it means to be a college of the community \u2014 meeting the needs of our regional economy while lifting up every learner we serve.\u201d<\/p>\n View more information about Austin Community College<\/a>.<\/p>\n Governor Abbott signed into law the Texas CHIPS Act<\/a> in 2023 to establish the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund, an incentive program to encourage the continued leadership of Texas in semiconductor research, design, and manufacturing, as well as the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Consortium. These programs, administered by the Texas CHIPS Office<\/a>, a division within the Governor\u2019s Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office<\/a>, are designed to leverage Texas\u2019 investments in the semiconductor industry, encourage semiconductor-related companies to expand in the state, further develop the expertise and capacity of Texas institutions of higher education, and maintain the state\u2019s position as the nation\u2019s leader in semiconductor manufacturing.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" From the Office of the Texas Governor Governor Greg Abbott today announced that a Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund (TSIF) grant of $3.6 million has been extended to Austin Community College District (ACC) for an advanced … Continue reading
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