Idaho Technology Council Awarded Anticipated $1.2 M through

 NSTC Workforce Partner Alliance Program




Natcast award will support an innovative workforce development program in Idaho to close

critical workforce and skills gaps across the U.S. semiconductor industry

 

For immediate release:

Boise, Idaho, September 26, 2024 – Idaho Technology Council today announced it has been selected as an anticipated National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) Workforce Partner Alliance (WFPA) program awardee. The $1,263,720 in anticipated funding will enable the Idaho Technology Council (ITC) to lead a transformative workforce development program in Idaho aimed at closing critical workforce and skills gaps across the U.S. semiconductor industry.

 

The WFPA program is administered by Natcast, the purpose-built, non-profit entity created to operate the NSTC consortium, established by the CHIPS and Science Act of the U.S. government. On September 25, 2024, Natcast announced $11.5 million in anticipated total WFPA awards coinciding with the launch of the NSTC Workforce Center of Excellence (WCoE).

 

"The anticipated WFPA funding will create opportunities for thousands of students, educators, and professionals to join the U.S. semiconductor workforce, supplying employers with in-demand talent and solidifying the U.S. as a leader in this vital industry,” said Michael Barnes, senior manager of workforce development programs at Natcast. "By investing in transformative programs like Enhanced Access to the Semiconductor Industry in Idaho (EASII), we’re ensuring that American workers are equipped with the skills necessary to compete in the global semiconductor market.”

 

The anticipated funding will support the Enhanced Access to the Semiconductor Industry in Idaho (EASII), a program designed to provide supportive services to approximately 430 individuals across the State of Idaho as they enroll, progress in, and complete a training program leading to employment in the semiconductor industry in Idaho. Training opportunities are provided by our grantees in all six regions of the state. These programs meet the need for training opportunities, but many Idahoans need support to complete these programs and move into employment. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding has remained stationary in comparison to rampant inflation in recent years, creating a gap for many Idahoans. To close this gap, we plan to scale the impact of our semiconductor education and training programs by providing wraparound supports for participants in the key areas of child/dependent care, transportation, mental health and substance abuse counseling, and housing support.

 

This program is expected to prepare over 400 for careers in the semiconductor industry over the next two years, making a significant impact on the industry’s workforce development ecosystem and contributing to U.S. leadership in semiconductor technology. Enhanced Access to the Semiconductor Industry in Idaho (EASII) was one of seven programs selected from a highly competitive pool of more than 100 submitted proposals to receive anticipated WFPA funding.

 

“We are honored to be selected by Natcast to be a part of this vital national initiative,” Diane Bevan, ITC President and CEO. “Through the Enhanced Access to the Semiconductor Industry in Idaho (EASII), we will support industry professionals with the necessary skills to succeed in semiconductor-related fields. Working alongside our industry, academic, and community partners, this investment will have a lasting effect on the U.S. semiconductor workforce ecosystem and help the country meet the evolving demands of this rapidly growing and critical sector. While many of our partners already employ methods to serve historically underrepresented and underserved communities, the Idaho Technology Council, through the EASII program will maximize the program’s accessibility to those who need it most.”

 

 

As part of the initiative, Idaho Technology Council will continue to develop its outreach within the ecosystem as a leader in collaboration and engagement. This industry-driven approach will provide participants with valuable opportunities for employment and career advancement in the semiconductor industry and help employers fill critical workforce needs. In partnership with the Idaho Workforce Development Council and leveraging existing relationships within Idaho’s workforce ecosystem EASII will support participants’ co-enrollment in appropriate workforce programs, which may include, WIOA programs, Vocational Rehabilitation, veterans support services, or other services as identified. Co-enrollment will help us to provide true wraparound support, covering as many of our participants’ needs as possible for as long as possible

 

“As Chair of the Idaho Technology Council Board of Trustees, I am deeply grateful for the collaboration between the ITC and the Idaho Workforce Development Council, which has led to the award of the National Semiconductor Technology Center Workforce Partner Alliance grant, said Reid Stephan, St. Luke’s Health System. This partnership exemplifies our shared commitment to advancing workforce development and building a robust talent pipeline for Idaho's growing tech ecosystem. Together, we are ensuring Idaho remains a leader in innovation, creating quality, high-paying jobs and equipping our workforce to meet the challenges of the semiconductor industry and beyond.”

 

“Congratulations to the Idaho Technology Council (ITC) for being recognized as a Natcast Workforce Partner Alliance awardee. For many years, the ITC has been a leader in Idaho’s technology ecosystem success and promoting the growth of the semiconductor industry. Micron applauds the ITC’s latest program, Enhanced Access to the Semiconductor Industry in Idaho (EASII), which will help open access to careers in the semiconductor industry to individuals from all backgrounds,” said April Arnzen, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, Micron.

 

“The Idaho Workforce Development Council is thrilled to support the Idaho Technology Council in implementing the Workforce Partner Alliance Program. Our efforts to align access to training in the semiconductor industry are enhanced by this grant which will remove barriers to completing training. It’s a win-win for Idahoans and the industry!” Wendi Secrist, Executive Director, Idaho Workforce Development Council.

 

 

The WFPA program is the first of several anticipated workforce program funding opportunities to be offered through the NSTC Workforce Center of Excellence. With a $250 million investment from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the WCoE will lead collaborative efforts with NSTC consortium members to drive innovation and significantly bolster the U.S. semiconductor workforce development ecosystem to strengthen America’s national security, economy, and global competitiveness.

 

To learn more about the Idaho Technology Council and the Enhanced Access to the Semiconductor Industry in Idaho (EASII), visit www.IdahoTechCouncil.org .

 

To learn more about the NSTC Workforce Partner Alliance program, the NSTC Workforce Center of Excellence, or other workforce funding opportunities, please visit www.natcast.org/workforce.


White House announcement: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2024/09/biden-harris-administration-launches-nstc-workforce-center-excellence


 

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ABOUT IDAHO TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL

The Idaho Technology Council (ITC) is the industry voice driving innovation in the state of Idaho. The ITC is a member driven organization; committed to the success of Idaho’s technology ecosystem and leading Idaho to a knowledge-based economy. The primary initiatives of the ITC are focused on the continued growth of innovation, transforming Idaho’s future around Talent, Access to Capital, and R&D/Commercialization. The ITC is instrumental in building advocacy needed to persuade legislators and private industry to invest in high return initiatives that are necessary to propel new companies forward, along with retention and growth with existing companies.

 

ABOUT NATCAST 

Natcast is the purpose-built, non-profit entity created to operate the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC), established by the CHIPS and Science Act of the U.S. government. The NSTC is a public-private consortium dedicated to semiconductor R&D in the United States. It convenes the U.S. government, allied and partner nations, and organizations across the semiconductor ecosystem—including academia and businesses of all kinds—to address the most challenging barriers to continued technological progress in the domestic semiconductor industry, including the need for a capable workforce. The NSTC reflects a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the U.S. to drive the pace of innovation, set standards, and re-establish global leadership in semiconductor design and manufacturing. Learn more at www.natcast.org.

 

Email: info@idahotechcouncil.org

Website:  https://www.idahotechcouncil.org/

 

Meet Mel Pint

by Tim Munkres • 7 October 2026
Introducing: Mel Pint, Founder & CEO, OpulX Media LLC Describe the business/organization you work for: OpulX Media LLC is an Idaho-registered live events company and a sister company of OpulenceX Inc., the marketplace where artists sell their work and keep earning royalties when it resells. OpulX Media produces art, fashion and technology showcases built around augmented reality and digital collectibles. Our first production is The Digital Loom: Intersecting Realities at Boise Centre on November 14, 2026: an AR runway, an exhibition of international artists whose every work is registered as a digital twin, and a free afternoon built around The Loom Youth Prize, a statewide art competition for Idaho kids and teens. It is planned as an annual Boise event, with a Honolulu edition in April 2027. What inspired you to start your own business, or why did you decide to work for this specific organization? I watched artists sell a piece once and never see another dollar from it, while the technology that fixes that already existed and nobody was putting it in front of the people who make things. OpulenceX Inc built the tools. OpulX Media exists because tools alone do not change anything; a room full of people watching a garment come alive through their own phone, standing next to a painting a nine-year-old made, does. Boise has a technology community, an arts community and a fashion community, and they rarely stand in the same room. I wanted to build the night where they do. What sets this business apart from others in the industry? Most media companies build audiences and rent them to advertisers. We build a creator economy and stand inside it with the creators. What challenges have you faced as a business owner or employee, and how did you overcome them? Being new. A first-year event with a technology company behind it has to earn standing in the arts community before anyone will put their name next to it. We did that the slow way: a venue contract before any letter went out, a judged youth prize with real cash and real exhibition space, terms for artists that put 70% of every sale in their hands. Joining the Idaho Technology Council was part of the same answer: be inside the community before asking anything of it. What advice would you give to someone looking to join your industry? Decide what you will not do before you decide what you will. Then find the person in your community who has done the hard part for years and ask them how, before you tell them what you are building. About the Idaho Technology Council The Idaho Technology Council (ITC) is a member-based organization that champions innovation and collaboration to grow Idaho’s economy through technology. Representing a dynamic and growing community of entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and policymakers, ITC connects vision with action to position Idaho as a hub for innovation and opportunity. Learn more at www.idahotechcouncil.org .  Connect with Mel Pint on LinkedIn HERE Learn More about OpulX Media HERE

Meet RT Williams

by Tim Munkres • 10 September 2026
Introducing: RT Williams, Founder & Energy Engineer, Pathline Foundry Describe the business/organization you work for: Pathline Foundry is an independent energy consulting and software firm in Meridian, Idaho. I run the gamut from benchmarking and energy audits to custom software for energy strategy, management, and optimization. It's a niche offering that's widely applicable across many industries. One engineer, start to finish. See where your energy is going, so you can make a smarter decision about where it goes next. What inspired you to start your own business, or why did you decide to work for this specific organization? I want to be the person who stays and partners with those who need it most. I've been doing energy engineering since 2017, and I've kept seeing the same pattern. A building gets an audit report, the report goes on a shelf, and nothing changes. Pathline Foundry grew out of that pattern, and I build software for the same reason: the findings need somewhere to live once the engagement is over, or they end up back on the shelf. Energy gets treated as a fixed cost, a line on the bill you can't do anything about. It isn't. There's real money sitting in waste and inefficiency, and most of the people who could act on it have no spare bandwidth and limited technical staff. I wanted to make that easy to see and easy to act on. What sets this business apart from others in the industry? There's no sales team and no handoff to a junior analyst. You talk to the person doing the engineering, and that same person is still there when it comes time to implement. I build the software side myself too, so the analysis, the modeling, and the tools a client ends up using all come from one place. Where it fits, I take a share of the savings instead of a flat fee, so the work is built to pay for itself. I'm a PhD engineer and a Certified Energy Manager. I write the work so a decision-maker can understand it and an engineer can act on it. What challenges have you faced as a business owner or employee, and how did you overcome them? Starting a business in a state where nobody knows you is a slow problem, and there's no clever fix for it. My family and I moved here in 2025, and I spent a lot of that first year in rooms where I knew one person, or none. What surprised me is that it made the actual work better. I used to lead with what I found in a building. Now I ask what somebody is trying to decide first, because a room full of strangers teaches you quickly that nobody cares what you know until they know why it matters to them. That turns out to be most of the job. Idaho has been more welcoming than I expected. Almost everything I've built here started with someone making an introduction, and I look forward to growing my work to support the community that made room for me. What advice would you give to someone looking to join your industry? Go into the buildings. You can learn modeling and software anywhere, but you can't learn how a facility actually runs from a spreadsheet. Spend time with the people who operate it. They'll tell you things no data set contains, and more often than not, they already know where the waste is. About the Idaho Technology Council The Idaho Technology Council (ITC) is a member-based organization that champions innovation and collaboration to grow Idaho’s economy through technology. Representing a dynamic and growing community of entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and policymakers, ITC connects vision with action to position Idaho as a hub for innovation and opportunity. Learn more at www.idahotechcouncil.org . Connect with RT Williams on LinkedIn HERE Learn More about Pathline Foundry HERE

Idaho Technology Council Announces 2026 Hall of Fame Inductees, Idavation™ Award Finalists and Keynote Speaker Gary Sorrentino, CIO, Zoom

9 September 2026
Idaho Technology Council Announces 2026 Hall of Fame Inductees, Idavation™ Award Finalists and Keynote Speaker Gary Sorrentino, CIO, Zoom