A new Washtenaw Community College clean room environment set to open this fall, along with training through a National Science Foundation project, will help prepare students for careers in Michigan’s growing microelectronics sector, including semiconductor-related fields.
To support WCC’s related certificate and associate degree programs launched last year, the new clean room will provide a training ground for students to gain hands-on experience with the tools, protocols and precision required in real-world manufacturing settings to advance the state’s workforce.
Additionally, WCC has received an NSF sub-awardee grant through a Michigan State University project.
The college’s $200,000 funding through the NSF grant provides “AI for Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing” workshops for WCC students, faculty and adult learners at MSU and Fraunhofer USA’s state-of-the-art facility in East Lansing, connecting them directly to cutting-edge research and careers in semiconductor technology and exploring the growing role of artificial intelligence in advanced manufacturing.
The first cohort participated this past summer, gaining hands-on experience with wafer fabrication, machine learning, data cleaning, and analysis. Participants also earned an official Fraunhofer USA certificate, validating their working knowledge of industrial AI deployment and semiconductor quality control.
Through the MSU and Fraunhofer partnership, WCC participants can experience semiconductor manufacturing and emerging technologies firsthand while building skills relevant to Industry 4.0 careers. The broader NSF-funded project also explores advanced semiconductor technology using lab-grown diamond, an emerging material with the potential to improve performance in electronics and energy systems.
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Washtenaw Community College was established in 1965, when Washtenaw County voters passed a millage to provide financial support for a countywide community college. WCC opened with a 6-member Board of Trustees, a newly-appointed president, and a parcel of land in Ann Arbor and Superior Townships. Classes started in September 1966 on a temporary campus at Willow Run, with 1200 students enrolled in 30 occupational programs and a transfer curriculum.
From this modest beginning, WCC has grown into one of the nation’s premier community colleges with an annual enrollment of more than 18,000 students in credit classes each year, and thousands more in Economic and College Development classes. Our diverse student body includes more than 1,000 students from 100+ foreign countries. Our 285-acre campus, operating resources, technology-enabled facilities, and instructional quality are the envy of post-secondary education institutions near and far.
