The College of Western Idaho is ramping up its mechatronics program to help meet soaring demand for semiconductor workers — a key piece of Idaho’s role in a national push to expand domestic chip manufacturing.
But even as enrollment surges and Boise-based Micron Technology invests heavily in workforce training, the state faces a steep challenge: finding enough technicians to staff facilities coming online as the industry grows.
Micron, a memory manufacturing powerhouse, will need about 200 technicians for its new Boise fabrication facilities set to open in 2027. In partnership with the College of Western Idaho, Micron has produced around 50 technicians through a two-year apprenticeship program…