Micron Technology has opened a new 60,000-square-foot training center in Boise, Idaho, to prepare workers for jobs in semiconductor manufacturing. The Micron Training Center will provide hands-on training, classroom education and apprenticeship programs for new employees, students and career seekers.
The center was created by Micron Technology with support from the College of Western Idaho (CWI), the U.S. Department of Commerce and several semiconductor equipment companies. Micron and the Department of Commerce are providing $3 million to CWI for instructors, equipment and classroom space.
The new facility aims to address a major challenge facing the semiconductor industry: finding enough skilled workers. Micron is expanding its U.S. manufacturing operations and says its broader investment could create more than 90,000 American jobs.
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The training center has up to 20 semiconductor process tools that recreate parts of a real factory environment. Trainees can practice on equipment similar to what they will use on Micron’s production floor, giving them practical experience before entering the workplace.
CWI will also offer its Advanced Mechatronics Engineering Technology and Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology programs at the center. The facility will host technical training for Micron’s Registered Apprenticeship Program, while equipment makers such as Applied Materials, Lam Research, SCREEN, Kokusai Electric and Tokyo Electron will support hands-on training.
Micron’s apprenticeship program is also growing. The company recently welcomed its largest Boise group so far and is working toward triple-digit enrollment by the end of fiscal 2027. However, the center is focused mainly on workforce preparation and does not by itself solve the wider shortage of skilled semiconductor workers.
The new facility could help Micron build a stronger talent pipeline as the company expands advanced memory production in the U.S. The partnership between Micron, CWI and government agencies also shows how industry and education can work together to prepare workers for advanced manufacturing jobs.
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According to GlobeNewswire, the training center supports Micron’s wider plan to invest more than $250 billion in U.S. semiconductor manufacturing and research. The company says developing skilled workers will be an important part of that expansion.
