NSF Org:	DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education
Recipient:	THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
Initial Amendment Date:	August 19, 2019
Latest Amendment Date:	March 9, 2022
Award Number:	1939219
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Virginia Carter vccarter@nsf.gov  (703)292-4651 DUE  Division Of Undergraduate Education EDU  Directorate for STEM Education
Start Date:	October 1, 2019
End Date:	September 30, 2024 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$6,000,000.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$7,207,573.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2019 = $5,722,869.00 FY 2020 = $447,986.00 FY 2022 = $759,587.00
History of Investigator:	Robert Geer (Principal Investigator) rgeer@albany.edu Abraham Michelen (Co-Principal Investigator) Michael Russo (Co-Principal Investigator) Robert Weinman (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	SUNY Polytechnic Institute 257 FULLER RD ALBANY NY  US  12203-3613 (518)437-8689
Sponsor Congressional District:	20
Primary Place of Performance:	SUNY Polytechnic Institute 257 Fuller Road Albany NY  US  12203-3640
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	20
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	CDAQNZCL6287
Parent UEI:	GMZUKXFDJMA9
NSF Program(s):	Advanced Tech Education Prog
Primary Program Source:	04002223DB NSF Education & Human Resource 04001819DB NSF Education & Human Resource 04001920DB NSF Education & Human Resource 04002021DB NSF Education & Human Resource
Program Reference Code(s):	1032, 9178, SMET
Program Element Code(s):	741200
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.076

ABSTRACT

Based on a 2018 survey, the global industry standards association for the electronics manufacturing industry (SEMI, semi.org) discovered that more than 85% of corporate respondents identified a lack of a qualified workforce as a top strategic challenge. With rapid growth in areas such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, autonomous vehicles, smart medical devices, and 5G, the need for a skilled technical workforce will only increase. Addressing this need requires an integrated approach to attract students to STEM careers and to provide the education and career pathways that link students, education programs, and employers as an ecosystem rather than as individual parts. To address this need, this project will develop and pilot an industry-wide Semiconductor Workforce Certification Program based on an innovative Unified Competency Model that leverages the U. S. Department of Labor competency model. A multi-level, Semiconductor Technician Certificate will be developed and offered by SEMI as part of its strategic 'SEMI Works' initiative. This program will be developed by SEMI and the Northeast Advanced Technological Education Center (NEATEC) and piloted at 16 technician education programs at two-year and four-year colleges, technical high school programs, and with newly transitioned veterans at Fort Drum, NY. The pilot program will then be expanded to Oregon and North Carolina. It is estimated that, by the conclusion of the project, nearly 400 students will have earned a SEMI Semiconductor Technician Certification. The approach is expected to create a new, intrinsically flexible and updateable competency model applicable to a wide range of technician skillsets.

The project will develop: 1) a Unified Advanced Manufacturing Competency Model and a Semiconductor Manufacturing Sub-Sector Competency Model, transforming the existing U. S. Department of Labor-ETA Advanced Manufacturing Competency model by adding a proficiency and relevance scale (0-4) for each competency; 2) a SEMI Certification model for technician education programs; and 3) a Proficiency-driven Academic Alignment Program that will review partner technician education programs and translate course and program learning outcomes to a Competency Profile format for skill gap/match analysis with SEMI Technician certification programs. This effort will create a transferrable academic review and alignment process for any U.S. academic institution to obtain a SEMI Semiconductor Workforce Certification for its technician education programs. Project outcomes will include the first-ever industry-wide semiconductor technician certification program, and an automated web-based SEMI Certification portal that will be maintained and updated by SEMI. The portal will build, sustain, compare, and update the Unified Advanced Manufacturing Competency Model for certified academic programs and provide an automated pathway for certification updates. The portal will also provide tools that guide workforce strategies for employers, technician education programs, and individual job seekers. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

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