As semiconductor factories go up across Arizona, there's a shortage of engineers qualified to do the job.
Dr. Mehmet Balaban graduated from Arizona State University in May 2020. He's now working at one of Intel's semiconductor facilities in Chandler.
"I'm really excited to be back in Arizona where there's a huge growth in the field," he said. "What we work on will be the next future technology."
Within the past few years, more plants in Chandler, North Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa have broken ground. Inside, microchips are created that power your car, computer, and items we have yet to see.
"These chips end up in literally everything we use either to make our lives easier, to make them fun, to keep us more productive, to keep us alive in some cases," said ASU Engineering Professor Michael Kozicki.
Kozicki said part of the reason the plants are coming to Arizona is that ASU is the biggest engineering school in the country.
But there is concern there still might not be enough people to do the job. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, from 2016-2024 there will be a shortfall of about six million engineers. Kozicki says many of these roles are highly specific.
"We're short of talented engineers in the space," he said.
Another reason you're seeing more semiconductor plants is that Congress passed the CHIPS Act last year after COVID exposed our country's reliance on other countries for this technology and the supply chain problems that ensued.
Kozicki hopes the renewed focus will get the younger generation excited about the field.
"(I) really hope that will have a profound effect on microelectronics up to the level of all the other exciting professions," he said.
According to an ASU representative, more than 4,200 engineering students are set to graduate this spring and will then be able to find work in the microelectronics industry, from electrical and chemical to computer science and manufacturing technologies.
