To support so-called semiconductor cities and communities on both sides of the Atlantic, the American Council on Germany, with support from the City of Magdeburg, launched a new initiative called the German-American Semiconductor Cities Network. The three-year project will help key stakeholders from German and American cities where semiconductor companies have made or will make significant investments connect with each other to share ideas and experiences and, most importantly, to identify specific strategies, measures, and best practices that can be implemented in their respective communities.
From October 20 to October 26, 25 participants from the German cities of Magdeburg and Dresden and the U.S. cities Chandler (Arizona) and New Albany/Columbus (Ohio) traveled together to Arizona and Ohio to examine first-hand key issues affecting their communities including workforce development efforts, water management and reclamation, urban planning, civic engagement, public transportation, and housing. Delegation members were city officials and other community stakeholders working on these topics.
During the group’s first day in Arizona, they visited and toured Microchip Technology‘s Fab 2 manufacturing facility in Tempe, Arizona, engaging in discussions about the company’s partnerships with Chandler and other cities in the Phoenix region and getting an overview of the extremely complex process involved in the design and production of semiconductors. They then had an opportunity to view Intel Corporation’s Ocotillo Campus, where two new semiconductor fabrication plants are being built as part of a $20 billion expansion, in addition to the current four fabs currently in operation on the site. The campus covers 700 acres which is just slightly smaller than Central Park in New York City. Water is one of the most important ingredients in semiconductor manufacturing. During a visit to Chandler’s Ocotillo Water Reclamation Facility, the delegation learned about innovative water management practices the city has undertaken, also in collaboration with Intel, to manage the water needs of the company and the community. At the Ocotillo Brine Reduction Facility, the city treats water and removes salt so it can be reused at the manufacturing campus and elsewhere in the city. Despite the region’s paucity of water, the city of Chandler’s water management strategies have raised the aquifer’s level of water over the last decade.
The second day began with a conversation with Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke, himself a member of the delegation, about regional collaboration between cities in the Phoenix metropolitan region as it relates to planning issues, housing, workforce development, and a host of other issues. Coordination through the League of Arizona Cities and Towns assists in these efforts and helps local communities advocate their needs with the state government as well. During a subsequent meeting with the City of Chandler’s Planning and Zoning Department and Economic Development Department, the delegation discussed how important long-term planning and collaboration with stakeholders in the community are to addressing issues resulting from the huge semiconductor industry investments in the city. Cities need to continually undertake future planning to ensure expansion can take place without disadvantaging the community and should focus decision-making based on data. Chandler’s Strategic Framework plays a critical role in this. Additionally, city officials must build strong relationships and collaboration with the companies and ensure that community leaders are accessible and accountable to their constituents.
The delegation then learned about the multifaceted role Arizona State University plays in supporting the semiconductor industry ecosystem in the region. ASU’s economic development programs and Innovation Zones help strengthen the area’s economy and support business and industry. The university’s MacroTechnology Works is a key accelerator for semiconductor, advanced materials and energy device research in the region and the United States. Additionally, ASU hosts the Southwest Advanced Prototyping Hub, one of eight regional innovation hubs established under the Department of Defense’s Microelectronics Commons, a national strategic initiative to accelerate the development and production of microelectronics technologies that are critical to U.S. security and defense and funded by a $39.8 million initial DoD investment under the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. ASU is a key partner in workforce development through traditional academic degree programs, but also through upskilling and reskilling with micro-credential programs, as well as outreach to K-12 schools with STEM programming.
Rounding out the visit to Arizona, the group had additional sessions focused on addressing workforce training both in terms of actual programs, but also in promoting jobs and careers in the semiconductor industry in a way that is attractive and understandable to the average person. The Chandler Unified School District’s Career and Technical Education division offers a Chips and Wafers semiconductor summer camp to introduce high school students to possible career paths, and in 2025 the school district is introducing a 2-year CTE semiconductor program. The Maricopa County Community College District currently offers a Semiconductor Technician QuickStart program which is a 40-hour boot camp style program to introduce people to the core elements of the industry. MCCCD has also recently been awarded a grant as a partner to the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) Workforce Partner Alliance (WFPA) program which will allow the district to develop and implement the Maricopa Accelerated Semiconductor Training (MAST), a stackable course that will support in-demand, technician-level positions identified by the industry, as well as to implement a nationally-recognized Registered Apprenticeship for semiconductor technicians. Finally, the group learned about the University of Arizona’s Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing which is undertaking a variety of education and training initiatives to reach out to a diverse range of audiences – schools, parents and students – to promote the entire semiconductor ecosystem and help design materials and curricula that can be shared and adapted by institutions in the region.
After transferring to Ohio, the delegation had a range of meetings in Columbus that began with a tour of the Central Ohio Transit Authority’s McKinley Facility, as well as a virtual reality tour of COTA’s LinkUS Columbus which will build a robust public mass rapid transportation system to support the expected growth of the region’s population to 3.15 million people by 2050. This expansion is critical to supporting the transport needs of the workers in the region and to make neighborhoods more livable with a stronger sense of belonging. The group met with directors of the Columbus Public Utilities Department to understand their planning efforts supporting the growth of industry, including the semiconductor sector, in the Central Ohio region with water management. A key takeaway from this meeting was understanding the importance of developing a master plan because water is “the lifeblood of the community” and the “backbone of health in the community.” Additionally, utility departments need to do a better job of storytelling, so that all stakeholders in a community understand and appreciate the vital role these departments, their employees, and their work play in guaranteeing the success of that community. The day in Columbus finished with a discussion on housing policy with the Deputy Director of Housing Strategies in the Mayor’s Office. The Columbus Housing Strategy focuses on four key elements – build, preserve, invest, and include – with an underlying core principle of affordable housing which ensures access, stability, and opportunity for members of the community. As the region’s growth explodes, housing remains a critical issue in need of resolution. A related issue is the integration of refugees, immigrants, and other newcomers to the region, and the delegation had the opportunity to meet with representatives from Welcoming City to learn about their work, as well as the city’s Strategic Welcoming Plan.
On the final day of the program, the delegation headed to New Albany, a neighboring town to Columbus, where Intel is making a $20 billion investment in two state-of-the-art semiconductor manufacturing plants. Prior to touring the 9,000 acre New Albany International Business Park, the team in the New Albany Economic Development department provided an overview of the city’s economic development planning and strategic plan with five core elements – land use, mobility, parks & recreation, and community well-being. An additional discussion with OneColumbus, JobsOhio, and New Albany representatives highlighted the collaborative work between various agencies required to handle Intel’s investment in the community and the region in terms of local infrastructure, grant funding, the CHIPS Act’s impact, expanding the semiconductor ecosystem, and other challenges. Stakeholders in the FRAMEWORK, an initiative created to align 15 communities in Licking County, neighboring New Albany, on the impacts and potential benefits of the Intel investment in the region, shared their experiences and the importance of giving people a seat at the table and a voice in the development of their communities. Closing out the day, the delegation visited Columbus State Community College to discuss their workforce development initiatives including a Semiconductor Fundamentals Certificate and the Ohio Semiconductor Collaboration Network.
Participants identified a range of issues to examine further in the coming months including: effective future planning and community engagement; infrastructure financing; local-state (and federal) collaboration strategies; water management issues, expanded workforce development; and identifying key factors for a successful semiconductor ecosystem in a region. These topics and others will be discussed in monthly virtual roundtables. In May 2025, the delegation will travel together to Dresden and Magdeburg to delve further into these issues from a first-hand German perspective.
The German-American Semiconductors Cities Network is organized and administered by the American Council on Germany and supported by the Transatlantic Program of the Federal Republic of Germany, funded by the European Recovery Program (ERP) of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).