Watching Idaho's News channel 7. This is
the news at 6.
Increasing semiconductor
production is important for
not only our economic security,
but also our national security.
And now that production can
happen even easier here at home.
Idaho based Micron Technologies
is expanding here in Boise.
Today, Micron announced it will build a new
$15 billion fabrication plant in Boise.
This would be the first new memory fab
plant built in the US in two decades.
The tech giant is also teaming
up with the College of Western
Idaho to help better transition
students into Idaho's workforce.
We have team coverage today on microns
announcement News Channel 7 Jude
Binkley spoke to CWII about the new.
Partnership,
but we begin with Shira Matsuzawa,
with what's behind this big decision
and what this means for our community.
Shira.
Well, Doug. This announcement is not
only big news here in the Gem state,
but it's also getting national
attention from the president himself.
President Joe Biden tweeted Thursday morning
this is another big win for America.
The this he's referring to Boise based
Micron Technology's big announcement
that it plans to build a new fabrication
plant for leading edge memory
manufacturing in the city of Trees.
It's a $15 billion investment and
will be the first of its kind built
in the United States in 20 years.
Under President
Biden's leadership,
American manufacturing is back and
this new announcement from Micron
is going to add an additional 17.
1000 jobs over the next decade
Micron's groundbreaking announcement
comes 23 days after President Biden
signed into law the chips and Science Act.
The new law provides incentives for
semiconductor manufacturing in the US,
legislation Micron says was needed in
order to expand in the US rather than Asia.
KTVB spoke with Assistant White
House press secretary Emily Symons.
We are creating a road map for how
we're going to implement this bill.
We're investing $52 billion.
That to help with manufacturing investments.
And the CEO of Micron credited the Biden
administration for our legislation in
really being the catalyst for them
to make this investment in Boise,
she adds, this investment is
not only good for the economy,
but also national security. The pandemic
exposed serious vulnerabilities and
weaknesses in our supply chains,
especially our semiconductor supply chains.
Cars and dishwashers and phones were all
affected by a lack of semiconductor.
Steps increasing semiconductor
production is important for not
only our economic security,
but also our national security.
For example, the javelins that we've
been sending to Ukraine to help
them fight against the Russians.
Those javelins require semiconductor chips,
so the more that we can create
those here at home,
the better protected will be.
Idaho Governor Brad Little also
tweeted Thursday that it's wonderful
to see the tremendous success
of a homegrown Idaho company,
a Boise Mayor Lauren McLean,
echoing the excitement.
Adding this is a once in a generation
investment in Boise from a homegrown
company that is critical to the
economic vitality of our community,
our state and our nation,
and Micron employs more than 6000
people in Boise. This new fab
would create 17,000 American jobs,
including two thousand direct Micron
jobs by the end of the decade.
But another key part of this is
a partnership with the College of
Western Idaho KTV's Jude break.
Binkley visited CWII hours
after today's announcement.
Dude, what do they have to say?
Well, sure, part of Micron's $15
billion investment includes a
partnership with the College of
Western Idaho, and the school was
named a Core Education partner.
The goals of the partnership are to
deliver key curriculum like Advanced
mechatronics engineering technology,
support a Micron Company apprenticeship
program, and prepare students
for jobs in smart technology,
all revolving around getting students
valuable hands on experience.
You not only know what you can do and the
Micron apprenticeship program is going
to be a program that has CWII students
finishing time under the tutorial,
the apprenticing doing.
In a controlled environment with Micron
that will allow them to come out job ready,
earning good wages from the beginning.
Micron's $15 billion investment in
a new fabrication plant for memory
manufacturing is the largest private
investment ever made in Idaho.
It'll create more than 17,000 new jobs with
2000 of them being direct Micron jobs.
98% of the College of Western
Idaho students come from right
here in the Treasure Valley,
and there we have a responsibility
to make sure there's jobs here too.
And so that's where this partnership.
Special because these students
will be able to go from CW I
write to an employer like Micron.
Micron also pledged to expand
investments for K through 12
STEM education programs and focus
on reaching underrepresented
and rural student populations.
Mechatronics, a field that combines
mechanics and electronics and is
used in nearly every industry,
is one of the main programs that
will be impacted by this partnership.
We see our students as needing
those kinds of technical skills.
Again, not everybody has to be
designing robots or high tech
or silicone production jobs,
but they can be technicians that work
with that and appreciate the kind of
value that Idaho's bringing to the world.
Now, Gordon told me that more info is to
come on this partnership and the programs.
In it, there was so many of
CWII students being local.
A big goal of today's announcement
is to educate and empower and,
hey, keep that tech growth
coming to Treasure Valley.
Yeah, definitely.
Judy, you know, there are many
layers to this announcement.
We'll be exploring those over
the days and weeks to come.
So thank you very much.