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College of Western Idaho expands mechatronics engineering program

This month, the College of Western Idaho announced it received a new grant to expand the school's advanced mechatronics engineering technology program, which will train technicians for Micron’s new facility.

Broadcast on:
09 Nov 2023

A red brick building with the large letters "CWI" on the side of it. There is a grass lawn in front of the building and some metal wire fencing.
(College of Western Idaho / Facebook)

Congress passed the "CHIPS Plus Act” last year to provide subsidies to American computer chipmakers in an effort to bring more chip manufacturing back to the United States.

BoiseDev.com reported Micron Technology would build a $15 billion dollar manufacturing plant in Boise. The plant will make chips for everything from computers to cell phones, and Micron’s president says it will create 2,000 new jobs.

So once the plant is complete who will fill those jobs? In May, Boise State University’s president said the university was now part of the “UPWARDS Network” that will help train new workers in the semiconductor industry.

And this month, the College of Western Idaho announced it received a new grant to expand the school's advanced mechatronics engineering technology program, which will train technicians for Micron’s new facility.

CWI president Gordon Jones joined Idaho Matters to tell us more.