FSCJ debuts $2.3M semiconductor training lab (Courtesy of the Jacksonville Business Journal) — Global industrial and technical education provider Festo Didactic is behind a multi-million-dollar semiconductor facility now open at Florida State College at Jacksonville’s downtown campus.
Supported by a $2.3 million state capitalization grant, the lab is located within FSCJ’s Advanced Technology Center.
The facility intends to equip students with hands-on competencies, establishing a workforce pipeline funneling directly into fabrication facilities, otherwise known as fabs.
“Fabs play a critical role in semiconductor manufacturing, where the microchips that power today’s connected world are produced,” Daniel Rodriguez, industrial engineer and sales director for Festo Didactic North America, said. “Investing in educational fabs is one of the most effective ways for institutions to attract and retain students and prepare graduates for careers in advanced manufacturing.”
Semiconductors are crucial components for technology like defense systems, consumer electronics and vehicles, among others. Such chips today are manufactured across the globe.
The at-large U.S. semiconductor industry faces a severe talent shortage, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association and Oxford Economics.
In 2023, the organizations released a joint study projecting a shortfall of 67,000 workers in the semiconductor industry by 2030. It also predicted a gap of 1.4 million such workers throughout the broader U.S. economy.
The facility at FSCJ will grant students the ability to practice within a simulated fab environment, without the risk of making mistakes in a costly production facility.
Inside, students will handle delicate silicon wafers with vacuum wands and operate post-photolithography equipment, including sophisticated metrology and inspection tools to ensure nanoscale precision, according to the school.
The lab will support at least 15 engineering technology courses, such as MES4 manufacturing execution software, AI vision inspection, autonomous mobile robotics and more.
“Our strategic objective is to provide the greatest opportunities for students and our local community,” FSCJ President John Avendano said. “Having the first-of-its-kind advanced manufacturing and semiconductor training system in Florida will give our students an immediate competitive edge in the workforce.”