AFT Secures Federal Grant to Expand Microchip Curriculum Framework to New States

WASHINGTON—A pioneering learning toolkit developed by the AFT and its affiliates that helps thousands of high school students hone the foundational skills necessary for career success in the booming semiconductor industry is expanding to two additional states with the help of a federal grant.

The first-of-its-kind Advanced Technology Framework, launched in 10 New York state school districts this fall and developed directly with New York State United Teachers, local educators and manufacturing firm Micron Technology, helps students pave a career pathway to good middle-class jobs in the high-tech microchips sector after graduation.

The curriculum framework will now be available in Michigan and Minnesota following the announcement Wednesday of the $1.72 million grant from Natcast, the federal nonprofit entity that operates the National Semiconductor Technology Center consortium, established by the CHIPS and Science Act. Nearly 1,500 students will participate across the three states.

The framework integrates industry-based career exploration to engage students in deeper learning, such as analyzing information, critical thinking and knowledge application, while equipping them with real-life, real-world skills.

“We are grateful that Natcast is recognizing, in its first-ever set of grants, the promise and potential of these curriculum frameworks that educators, in partnership with industry, have authored through their union,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “What we seeded in New York will now spread as a model nationwide. These frameworks pave student pathways to the booming microchip sector and lead directly to good middle-class jobs. They connect teacher expertise and student passions to career, college and life. And they’re anchored in our shared vision of real solutions that puts kids and educators at the center of the manufacturing renaissance happening right now across America.”

The AFT Educational Foundation will lead the project, with significant expertise from NYSUT and its New York City affiliate the United Federation of Teachers, and with Micron utilizing its existing industry clout. As the project expands into Michigan and Minnesota, an additional 60 teachers are expected to pilot the program in the 2025-26 academic year. This expansion will contribute to a projected total of 1,440 students across all sites benefiting from the framework.

This initiative not only nurtures talent in the microchip sector but also aims to bridge the gap between high school education and industry demands, empowering students for successful careers in a growing industry.

“We look forward to expanding our partnership with the AFT Educational Foundation to implement the Advanced Technology Framework in high schools across Michigan and Minnesota, with Polar, made possible by funding through the Natcast Workforce Partner Alliance, said Micron Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer April Arnzen. “The first-of-its-kind framework, developed by Micron and teachers and launched in New York, will help integrate industry-based career exploration to engage students in STEM careers. This is a promising opportunity for both students and educators to learn about the growth of the semiconductor industry and create access to high-tech careers.”

In Michigan, the focus will be on electric vehicle battery manufacturing, aligning with the state’s extensive semiconductor sector. Minnesota’s program will center around local firm Polar Semiconductor and partners in the state’s robust microchip industry. By complementing Micron’s efforts in New York, which concentrate on memory microchips, the project will cater to distinct aspects of the semiconductor industry across the three locations.

The collaboration with local industry partners, such as Polar, will enable the customization of the curriculum to suit the specific needs of the semiconductor plants in each region. This approach ensures that students acquire skills that are directly applicable to the local industry, enhancing their readiness for future employment opportunities.

“It’s all hands on deck to build the workforce of the future, and awards like today’s will help classrooms across New York get students ready to be the next generation of semiconductor workers,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY). “The AFT’s innovative leadership in and commitment to preparing our workforce is critical to the successful growth of the semiconductor industry in Upstate New York and across the country. I am proud to have pushed for and secured this more-than $1.7 million federal investment from my CHIPS and Science law to help expand the AFT’s impressive program by providing training to teachers across 10 school districts to support more students in New York in getting the hands-on training they need to enter careers in the booming chip industry. This will prepare our students for the thousands of good-paying jobs being created by Micron’s historic investment in Central New York, as well as at other companies that are making investments upstate and around the country thanks to my CHIPS and Science law.”

“Hands-on career and technical education programs empower students; encourage them toward well-paying, sustainable careers; and create pipelines of skilled workers who are boosting our state’s economy,” said NYSUT President and AFT Vice President Melinda Person. “We are proud that New York’s educators and elected officials are showing the country what our partnerships can achieve for students and communities, and excited to see these opportunities expand across the nation.”

“When educators and industry leaders work together, our students are the winners,” added UFT President and AFT Vice President Michael Mulgrew. “New York educators are already working with high school students this fall on the Advanced Technology Framework, a program designed to give our students the foundational and technical skills to enter the microchip industry and advanced technical fields. New York will then be a model for Minnesota and Michigan. We are proud to be making this happen for not only our students but students across the nation.”