PHOENIX — As Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. expands its North Phoenix campus, the company is looking to U.S. veterans to fill high-tech jobs, saying military experience can translate directly into careers in the semiconductor industry.
TSMC Arizona currently employs about 3,500 workers at its North Phoenix site and plans to hire roughly 2,500 more as it expands domestic semiconductor manufacturing, said Robert Sobeski, a process integration engineer and chair of the company’s Veteran Employee Resource Group.
“The military talent pool is an excellent pool where the skills translate well,” Sobeski said. “You have opportunities to do much of what you did in the military in terms of exercising SOPs, working closely with complex machines and operating in a very mission-focused environment.”
The company is recruiting for engineering and technician positions, with several potential career paths for veterans.
Military logistics experience could translate to operations and supply chain positions, while veterans with systems maintenance backgrounds may be a fit for equipment technician jobs. Veterans with electronics or technology experience could find opportunities as engineering technicians, while those who have led squads or crews may have skills applicable to project management and process roles.
A college degree or direct industry experience is not required for technician positions.
Sobeski, an Army veteran, said many service members worry about losing their sense of community and purpose after leaving the military. He believes TSMC can provide both.
“A large hurdle in leaving the military is, maybe I’m not going to find my tribe outside of the military and I’m not going to find the same level of purpose in my work,” he said. “TSMC is an excellent place to look for that sense of purpose, for that camaraderie, for that sense of mission involved in the day-to-day work.”
TSMC has formed a Veteran Employee Resource Group to help veterans build community, find mentors and navigate veteran-specific issues, including relocation and benefits. New employees are also assigned a “buddy” during on boarding to provide an additional point of contact as they adjust to the company.
The company is also working with the Arizona Coalition for Military Families to help veterans identify how their military experience could translate into civilian careers.
Veterans who complete a pre-screening questionnaire will be matched with a career professional who can help identify positions that may fit their skills and experience.
“We partnered with the Arizona Coalition for Military Families to help veterans translate their military experience into some of the qualities and attributes we’re looking for in applicants,” Sobeski said.
Engineering positions generally require a college degree, Sobeski said, while technician positions offer a pathway into the semiconductor industry without one.
“These are high-tech, high-paying jobs,” he said. “This is an excellent opportunity to enter the workforce in a highly skilled role and make a career out of it. Not everywhere do you find entry-level jobs where you have an entire career in front of you.”
TSMC will host an in-person hiring event Oct. 3 at its North Phoenix site. Veterans and other interested candidates must apply in advance to be screened and invited to the event.
Sobeski described the event as an “interview day” rather than a traditional job fair.
“Apply, get invited, show up and have that conversation with that hiring manager right then and there,” he said. “If we’re a good match, you can look forward to receiving an offer shortly after.”
Veterans interested in applying can visit TSMC’s military veteran hiring event website.
