The Dean's Corner

Welcome to the Fall 2006 Edition of Stone Soup.

Among the most exciting things happening in the greater Tech Valley has been the recent announcement that AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) will be constructing a chip fab (silicon chip fabrication) plant at the Luther Forest Industrial Campus. Why would AMD select this region for such an infusion of funds? The answer is simple: Workforce Capacity. We have excellent schools, 23 colleges in the greater capital region, and our educational institutions are willing to adapt curricula to produce the type of workers that AMD will need to manufacture its 12 inch silicon chips.

Regionally, the impact of AMD's decision to locate in Tech Valley will be far-reaching. Already, infrastructure is beginning to respond. Power and water suppliers are developing plans to increase capacity needed to serve the AMD plant and other supply side industries. And, roads are being redrawn to handle anticipated traffic flow. For example, traffic lights have been replaced by five "roundabouts" on Route 67 between Route 9 and Ballston Spa, where anticipated traffic jams hopefully will be averted.

What else can we expect? AMD will be hiring people away from other companies, thus creating job openings across the capital region. New employees coming from other regions will need housing - an estimated 30,000 units over the next 15 years, as our population base increases 5% per year! The greatest amount of growth will occur in supply side industries, and 30% of all new jobs will require knowledge of some form of technology - among them: information technology, nanotechnology, biotechnology, clean room technology, and homeland security & defense technologies.

Immediate needs will be for 2500 construction workers who will erect the first of three chip fab buildings planned by AMD. Once the first chip fab plant is operational, AMD will need up to 900 "fab operators" who have specialized training in silicon chip manufacturing, and up to 400 equipment technicians, whose role will be to keep the fab machines operational 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

As a comprehensive community college, SCCC is part of the forward thrust of the new Tech Valley initiative. Through the Division of Continuing Education, SCCC works closely with the Metroplex authority toidentify training needs of new and existing companies within ourservice region. In partnership with Northeast Parent & Child Society, SCCC is training out of school youth to earn their GED's while gaining construction skills necessary to land a job building the chip fab plant. In partnership with Union College and SuperPower, SCCC is training nanoscale materials technicians , many of whom will work at SuperPower , at AMD, or at other emerging supply side businesses. Through Continuing Education, SCCC is also playing a role in the development of Tech Valley High School, an innovative secondary institution focused upon the use of new technology as the media through which a high school education is achieved. And through Continuing Education, SCCC is training the County's first responders and elected officials to ensure that Schenectady County is compliant with national NIMS standards for handling natural and manmade disasters.

As you read this issue of Stone Soup, keep in mind the role that SCCC plays in moving our community forward to meet the challenges and opportunities we face in the immediate future. It is an exciting time!

Dean Baker