President Joe Biden speaks with workers at the groundbreaking of the new Intel semiconductor manufacturing facility in New Albany, Ohio, Friday, Sep. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Youngstown State and Kent State universities are among 80 higher education institutions in Ohio included in eight proposals Intel will give $17.7 million to over the next three years to develop semiconductor-focused education and workforce programs.

Intel announced the investment — the initial phase of its $50 million pledge to the state’s colleges and universities — before Friday’s groundbreaking at the future site of the technology giant’s leading-edge $20 billion computer chip facility in New Albany.

YSU will partner will 10 other colleges and universities in northeast Ohio to provide training programs in automation, robotics, microelectronics and semiconductor processing to help students gain the skills needed to support semiconductor manufacturing and equipment operations.

Lorain County Community College is the lead institution in the collaboration that also includes Ashland University, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University, Cuyahoga Community College, Kent State University, Lakeland Community College, Ohio Dominican University, Stark State College and the University of Toledo.

The investment will fund eight collaborative proposals led by the University of Cincinnati, Central State University, Columbus State Community College, Kent State University, Lorain County Community College, Ohio University and two from Ohio State University.

Kent State will lead a network of 13 other colleges and universities “to prepare the workforce to make the small electronic devices that play a large role in our everyday lives,” according to the university.

The coalition also includes KSU’s seven branches, including Kent State University at Trumbull in Champion.

“Kent State is well suited to answer Intel’s charge to help the region and the nation meet key technology challenges, such as addressing the demand for semiconductors,” said Todd Diacon, KSU president. “This grant presents us with a great opportunity to empower this network of academic institutions to take the lead in the future of microelectronics in ways that tangibly advance the workforce.”

The proposal will expand facilities equipment and virtual and augmented reality learning in a range of programs for fabrication technicians, entry-level engineers and advanced degrees in manufacturing.

The collaborators include Baldwin Wallace University, Cuyahoga Community College, Hiram College, John Carroll University, Lake Erie College, Lakeland Community College, Lorain County Community College, Malone University, Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Muskingum University, Notre Dame College, Walsh University and Wilberforce University

Using a three-year, $1.1 million grant from Intel, Kent State will lead the group’s focus through its foundation of facilities, including an active research and teaching cleanroom on the Kent campus.

rselak@tribtoday.com