Ohio Residents: We are Ready for Intel’s Arrival

​As part of Intel’s recently announced $20 billion investment to build two new fabs in Ohio, Intel announced a $100 million investment to support education and research in Ohio and the greater U.S.

Four Ohio residents with various positions in the greater Columbus community were eager to share their perspective on Intel coming to Ohio and the impact it could have on their lives.

More: Intel Invests $100M in Ohio and National Semiconductor Education and Research | Intel Launches Education Initiatives (Event Replay) | Intel Invests in Ohio (Press Kit)

As a human living in the 21st century, without question, we have been dramatically impacted by the semiconductor shortage. However, I do not want people to think this investment is great only for the short-term semiconductor shortage. Moore’s Law tells us that technology changes every 18 months and this industry is not only here to stay, but we are unquestionably becoming more and more dependent on computers, AI and processing technology.

As the 13th largest city in the nation, Columbus continues to have an ever-expanding footprint. With a growing economy and as a burgeoning technology hub, Columbus used to be a quiet city, but now Central Ohio is making a lot of noise.

Think of Cleveland before Standard Oil, Pittsburgh before steel and Silicon Valley before technology. These transformational industry movements built these cities. Having Intel – who could go anywhere in the world – come to Central Ohio is huge. It is not just about semiconductors or jobs; it is a mental, physical and philosophical transformation for Columbus and beyond.

COSI and our partner organizations will be critical to Intel’s future talent pipeline. We see 750,000 people come through our doors every year, and our goal is to inspire children and young adults to think about jobs in not only computer science, but the many other STEM careers like those attached to the semiconductor industry. Ultimately, COSI looks forward to working with Intel to enhance the career pipeline and encourage students to choose jobs in STEM.

I’d like to say, thank you, Intel. This is something that is beyond any single institution. It is about all of us rowing in a boat together to really achieve greater outcomes.

Working in talent strategy at Columbus State, it’s my team’s job to look for workforce solutions that really move the needle and bring those opportunities to scale for students.

This is a huge investment, and I’m not just talking about the impact of direct jobs or the capital investment. This investment will create tens of thousands of additional indirect jobs, create more opportunity for small and medium-sized businesses, among other areas. Intel is bringing new career opportunities to our community members – occupations they have never had knowledge of or access to.

Also, the commitment Intel is making to education is proactive; it is going to lift Ohio’s workforce ecosystem. What normally hamstrings education is not the willingness, but the resources to get there. Intel is going to give us the resources, including insights into the skill sets needed for the industry, career paths and more.

What stands out most to us at Columbus State is Intel’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. This is what really moves the community forward. In fact, we are already having conversations with Intel to figure out how we can jointly serve underrepresented populations (including veterans, parents returning to work, etc.).

Intel is also helping us work with our community’s K-12 population to expand efforts on beginning STEM education early on, which will ultimately transition individuals toward college and build Intel’s long-term talent pipeline.

I am excited to see Intel have a clear education strategy that goes beyond the knowledge that our Ohio universities can bring to research and development efforts in semiconductor technologies. Intel is also incorporating broad strategies around hiring individuals with varying levels of education and backgrounds. That approach shifts some of the systemic challenges in bringing equity to hiring practices and that’s going to move the needle.

Ultimately, I think Intel is going to be a big asset in attracting students to the manufacturing industry and I am really looking forward to that impact.

I’m a sophomore at Ohio State University studying computers and information science and a part-time employee as a software developer at Liberty Mutual.

Growing up, I always dreamed of going out West to work in Silicon Valley – but school and being close to my family has kept me from doing that. Having a big company from Silicon Valley like Intel come to Ohio removes those barriers. I think this expansion will bring a lot of qualified people to Intel’s new location, as there’s a lot of untapped potential in this growing tech hub of Columbus, Ohio.

I love to build PCs, so I’ve definitely heard of the chip and manufacturing shortages. This investment in education has the potential to be huge, as it will hopefully create research opportunities for students so they can build relevant experience to help jump-start their career in the industry. I plan to look into working at Intel once I graduate, as I aspire to be a senior developer.

I believe that the impact of Intel’s presence in Ohio is going to be deep and wide. It will help to drive our overall economy and tech sectors as well as create opportunities for small businesses throughout the Midwest. Nearly all of the global supply chains have a large presence in Ohio and Intel’s presence will only strengthen our ability to manufacture and distribute the goods that keep our country and world moving.  

The chip shortage is a global issue, and we are happy Ohio – especially the Columbus region – is part of the solution.

Ohio is rich in higher education with more than 15 engineering schools in the state, creating one of the largest pools of engineering talent in the country. We are used to seeing some of our talent move to the West to go to companies like Intel. Now we are excited to bring some of that home while retaining the tens of thousands of students graduating from the region’s academic institutions each year. I am also excited to see the investment in research for faculty and students, so they can help advance the industry directly and help respond to a global priority.

This investment is also inspirational – it goes beyond the dollars and the jobs. It shows this part of the country that we can do extraordinary things. I hear it from the community; I hear the excitement for the future being created right here in our local communities. 

We are excited to help Intel continue to be a great company and make it an even better company going forward. The Silicon Heartland offers Intel employees an incredible quality of life and an authentic sense of community. We want employees to know that they are welcome here and we look forward to building a partnership that will last decades.