A $3.6 million grant from the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund (TSIF) has been awarded to Austin Community College District (ACC) for the creation of an advanced semiconductor manufacturing lab and a precision welding program at its Round Rock Campus in East Williamson County. This is the first TSIF grant provided to a higher education institution in Texas.
“Texas continues to lead America’s resurgence in semiconductor manufacturing thanks to our highly skilled and growing workforce,” said Governor Abbott. “Already recognized as a national model for semiconductor workforce training, ACC will establish a new semiconductor advanced manufacturing lab and a precision welding skills lab on their campus in Round Rock. Working together with our higher education partners and industry leaders, we will ensure the chips that drive the innovative technologies of tomorrow are made in Texas.”
The planned 2,600-square-foot Austin Semiconductor Advanced Manufacturing Lab will include classroom space and simulate a real-world semiconductor production environment. The facility will feature areas such as locker rooms, gowning areas, airlock transition spaces, simulated clean rooms, robotics systems, smart factory machine trainers, metrology microscopes, and automation studio software. ACC also intends to create a welding fabrication skills lab using an existing 3,728-square-foot space equipped with tools needed for precision welding relevant to semiconductor manufacturing.
Senator Charles Schwertner commented on the announcement: “I congratulate Austin Community College Round Rock in becoming the first Texas institution of higher education to be awarded a Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund grant. This grant is a testament to our state’s commitment to building a world-class semiconductor industry and expanding our high-tech workforce. By providing state-of-the-art, hands-on training to meet real industry needs, ACC’s Advanced Manufacturing Lab and precision welding program will create opportunities for students across Texas, ensuring our state remains at the epicenter of cutting-edge innovation in the advanced manufacturing sector.”
ACC District Chancellor Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart expressed appreciation for the funding: “We are deeply grateful to the State of Texas and the Governor’s Office for this generous investment in Austin Community College and the communities we serve. This grant empowers us to build the kind of future our students deserve. We’re expanding facilities and opening doors for hundreds of new students each year to step into life-changing careers. This is what it means to be a college of the community — meeting the needs of our regional economy while lifting up every learner we serve.”
Governor Abbott signed into law the Texas CHIPS Act in 2023, which created both TSIF and an incentive framework intended to keep Texas at the forefront of U.S. semiconductor research and manufacturing by encouraging company expansion within the state and supporting educational institutions’ capacity development.
