Austin Community College District (ACC) continues to be recognized as a national leader in semiconductor workforce training. Most recently, ACC’s Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives Dr. Garret Groves was appointed to the inaugural National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) Workforce Advisory Board (WFAB).
The WFAB supports the efforts of the recently established NSTC Workforce Center of Excellence (WCoE), which received $250 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce. The WCoE brings together stakeholders from across the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem to better understand the nature of, and find solutions to, the workforce challenges facing the industry.
“We are excited to welcome our inaugural WFAB members,” says John Ratliff, executive director of the NSTC Workforce Center of Excellence. “Each member brings years of relevant experience to the board and will provide an invaluable perspective into the needs of employers, educators, workers, and learners to ensure our programming remains aligned with best practices and industry needs. Their work will contribute to the development of innovative solutions to bolster the nation’s semiconductor workforce and to nurture the next generation of semiconductor talent.”

Groves is one of 18 members selected from a pool of more than 300 applicants nationwide. With Dr. Groves’ appointment, ACC is one of only two community colleges represented on the board. Several ACC partners, including Samsung Austin Semiconductor, the University of Texas, and the Texas Institute for Electronics, are also represented on the board.
“These impressive leaders have the experience and track record necessary to advise the WCoE and hold it to the highest standards and will be critical to moving these efforts forward,” says U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.
Raimondo has visited ACC twice within the past two years and says that the work the College is doing is “ahead of the game.”
“I’m honored and excited to represent ACC and Central Texas on the Inaugural Workforce Advisory Board for the NSTC. Almost anything with an on button has one, if not thousands of semiconductor chips in it. Unfortunately, nearly all of the most sophisticated chips are made somewhere else in the world. Our charge is to train the skilled workforce who will help grow this critical industry in the United States, and our success will carry national security implications and significance,” says Groves. “ACC’s new leadership role in this area is just one component of the great work that our Dean of Advanced Manufacturing, Dr. Laura Marmolejo, and her team have done these past few years.”
Under Dr. Marmolejo’s leadership, ACC has received more than $12 million in grants and funding, most recently:
- A $200,000 gift from Samsung to be invested entirely to support the College’s Semiconductor Technician Advanced Rapid Start program known as STARS. The STARS curriculum currently serves as a national model for semiconductor training.
- $1.5 million in congressional funding to support semiconductor training at ACC. The federal funds allow ACC’s Advanced Manufacturing Department to acquire new semiconductor equipment and support necessary facility upgrades to expand current training programs and develop new ones aligned with industry demands.
- $250,000 from the NXP Foundation to fund equipment for the new NXP Semiconductors Advanced Manufacturing Lab at ACC Highland and establish the NXP Foundation Endowed Scholarship.
- $3.7 million in funding to develop a Semiconductor Training Center in partnership with the University of Texas and the UT-sponsored Texas Institute for Electronics (TIE).
- $7.5 million from the U.S. Department of Defense through a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) grant to help establish the Semiconductor Training Center, expand the STARS program, and develop new programs aligned to emerging industry needs.
To learn more about ACC’s Advanced Manufacturing Program, visit austincc.edu/manufacturing.