< PreviousN ot all high school graduates continue their education at a two- or four-year college or university. Many choose to enter the job market or enlist in a military branch. Whichever path they choose, North Carolina intends for them to be not just successful, but in demand by employers or supervisors. In October , the state’s Department of Public Instruction (DPI) introduced the Portrait of a Graduate, a visioning process for ensuring that students graduate high school equipped with soft skills that increasingly are required by employers. Battelle for Kids, a national nonprofi t that works with educators and communities to improve learning outcomes, is the developer of the Portrait of a Graduate; it works with independent school districts across the country and increasingly with states, such as North Carolina. “A number of states are engaged in this kind of work,” Dr. Karen Garza, president and CEO of Battelle for Kids, tells Site Selection. “But I give North Carolina and DPI Superintendent by MARK AREND mark.arend@siteselection.com WORKFORCE 34 JULY 2023 SITE SELECTION Durable Skills Are Today’s Human Resources Currency36 JULY 2023 SITE SELECTION Catherine Truitt a lot of credit, because they’re leading the way in thinking diff erently about their education systems today. We have to expand our defi nition of success and equip our students in new and diff erent ways. is world is very complex and rapidly changing. e skills needed today are very diff erent than the skills required in the past.” Today’s In-Demand Skills America Succeeds, a nonprofi t dedicated to modernizing education systems, refers to these skills as durable skills. It notes that of million job postings from -, seven of the most-requested skills are durable skills. Moreover, the top fi ve durable skills were requested in job postings . times more often than the top fi ve hard skills. Durable skills, it maintains, are in demand for jobs across the workforce, regardless of educational attainment level, industry sector or geography. e skills identifi ed by DPI and its research partners in the business, workforce board, economic development and higher education communities that are the foundation of North Carolina’s Portrait of a Graduate are Adaptability, Collaboration, Communication, Critical inking, Empathy, Learner’s Mindset and Personal Responsibility. “Our traditional public system of K- education is not preparing most people for success in this economy,” says Superintendent Truitt. “Portrait of a Graduate for me was about trying to reorient public K- education to being more workforce aligned. We must make sure that we are preparing students not just for the fi nish line of graduation. Every student is on a career journey. In K- that may include a four- year residential college experience, or it may not.” Most educators would gladly teach durable skills, says Truitt, but those don’t get tested. “What gets measured gets taught,” she notes. Portrait of a Graduate is not a program that will be mandated and added automatically to curricula. “Right now, we’re working on rubrics and assessments to give teachers to use if they choose,” says Truitt. “We don’t ever want to move away from accountability that occurs through testing. But we need things in addition to academic rigor that we are using to defi ne what student success and school quality looks like. at’s where the Portrait comes in.” How Businesses Will Benefi t “One of our biggest champions is the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce,” Truitt notes, “and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina has invited me to come to the table to speak with executives who are thinking about coming here. I would hazard a guess that most states are not bringing K- to that table. I want CEOs to know that we are digging down into middle school to get kids ready for what happens after high school.” Catherine Truitt, Superintendent, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction SITE SELECTION JULY 2023 37 Dr. Karen Garza, President & CEO, Battelle for Kids Battelle for Kids’ Karen Garza points to the enormous challenge businesses face in hiring their workforce. “Business leaders are consistently saying they want to hire people with skills including collaboration, communication, problem solving and creativity,” she relates. “We can teach them the unique content knowledge and needs for a particular industry, but it’s still difficult for them to hire. If I’m a business leader, and this is my number one pain point, which is the case for a lot of businesses, I’m going to go where states or communities are prioritizing this. They will have a greater chance of finding the best workforce they can hire in those communities.” INVESTMENT PROFILE: MARYLAND Maryland Leaps Ahead with Quantum State support and legacy institutions spark a vibrant crop of startups and corporate partnerships. F or all the vast complexity of the quantum world, Peter Chapman can break things down pretty simply. Chapman is president and CEO of IonQ, the only publicly traded pure- play quantum computing company in the world. Headquartered in College Park, Maryland, it is among the most promising players in the emerging quantum computing space. “We’re not talking about a small change in computational power here,” Chapman says. “We’re talking about solving problems in one second that would take trillion years on the world’s largest supercomputer. at’s what the excitement’s all about.” More prosaically: “If you have a credit card and fi ve dollars,” Chapman tells Site Selection, “you could right now run your fi rst application on a quantum computer. It’s really easy to get access to.” It’s true. ose curious enough to take quantum out for a spin can run programs and perform calculations on IonQ’s “trapped ion” systems via Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud. at signature off ering has placed the growing business fi rmly within a conversation that skews toward technology giants like IBM, Google and Microsoft. Founded only in and based within the expanding Discovery District of the University of Maryland (UMD), IonQ went public in and is valued today at some $ billion. It was named to Time’s Most Infl uential Companies list last year. UMD is a Magnet for Quantum It is no coincidence, Chapman believes, that IonQ’s success has occurred in Maryland. Maryland has systematically built a foundation for just this quantum moment, leveraging as it does the state’s by GARY DAUGHTERS gary.daughters@siteselection.com 38 JULY 2023 SITE SELECTION IonQ’s trapped ion quantum computer at the National Quantum Lab in College Park, Maryland Courtesy of Kai Hudek/UMDacknowledged leadership in technology and its proximity to federal research labs, government contractors and sources of funding. Anchoring the ecosystem is UMD, which played a large role in developing the science behind IonQ systems created by co-founders Prof. Chris Monroe and Prof. Jungsang Kim. “Our startup would not likely have been possible at other universities,” says Monroe. With nine quantum research centers and over 200 campus-based researchers, UMD is an international powerhouse in quantum research and applications. It leads the Mid-Atlantic Quantum Alliance, a regional hub for quantum R&D and educational collaborations that has dramatically expanded since its founding in 2020, in tandem with the nascent industry’s surge. UMD’s close partnerships with the federal government include embedded collaborations on campus with the National Institute on Technology and Standards (NIST) and the Laboratory for Physical Sciences in the globally recognized Joint Quantum Institute. NIST also is a partner in UMD’s Joint Center for Quantum Information and Computer Science and in the Army Research Laboratory in the university’s Quantum Technology Center. UMD’s Discovery District is home to the $20 million National Quantum Lab (Q-Lab). Launched in 2021 in partnership with IonQ, Q-Lab offers researchers, students and startups access to the company’s quantum hardware. Recently, UMD and IonQ furthered their relationship by establishing an IonQ Professorship at UMD’s College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences. “We have here in College Park probably 20% of the world’s quantum computing capacity,” says Chapman. “There is no better place for IonQ to continue to grow and thrive than in College Park. Our connection with the University of Maryland gives us access to a pipeline of stellar workforce talent as we bring quantum computing to scale.” Moving First and Fast The buzz that IonQ has generated within College Park and Maryland is hard to overstate. The company’s rock star status has served to cement the idea that opportunities abound for well- funded, well-supported startups during quantum’s crucial, “first mover” stage. That’s a big part of the inspiration behind UMD’s Quantum Startup Foundry (QSF). Launched in 2021 within the Discovery District, QSF is geared toward accelerating a virtuous cycle of innovation and economic development within the regional quantum ecosystem. The Foundry is uniquely focused on forging ties with startups commercializing quantum technologies. “The global pool of quantum technology startups is about 350 companies today,” says Piotr Kulczakowicz, QSF’s director. “Our business objective is to attract some of the most promising new startups to Maryland’s Prince George’s County.” Based within the Foundry, Error Corp. is one of some 35 companies with which QSF has had “meaningful interactions,” says Kulczakowicz, “from providing training and mentoring, connecting them to the right people and organizations in our network, all the way to signing a facility use license with UMD so that they can embed here at QSF.” Error correction is a big thing in quantum computing, since deep within the mysterious and highly fragile quantum environment, things tend to spin consistently and confoundingly out of whack, influenced as they are by the vagaries of noise, temperature, light and other such disturbances. It’s a little like herding cats x 300 trillion. Hence, the name Error Corp. “We’re building software that drives the quantum computer while suppressing noise,” says founder and CEO Dennis Lucarelli, also a professor at American University in Washington, D.C. “And we’re building architectures and software for performing error correction, which is something that must happen during the execution of a quantum algorithm.” Error Corp. has been awarded seven-figure funding from the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation. His company’s relationship with QSF, Lucarelli says, “has been critical to our development. As a startup, you don’t want to be on an island all by yourself. Just having people around you, bridging gaps, helping to make introductions and keeping your eyes open to opportunities has been a huge thing.” An Incomparable Advantage Lucarelli’s perspective on the state of the quantum industry is instructive, especially as it applies to Maryland and the unique advantages inherent in the state’s links to the federal government. “We are only at the very early stages of developing commercial quantum applications,” he tells Site Selection. “It’s been within just the last five years or so that private investments have entered. Up to then, the U.S. government was the main funder of quantum science, which has helped to drive the emphasis on quantum in Maryland. The access to federal funding and the proximity to government customers and decision makers is a huge asset.” IonQ’s Chapman agrees. “Maryland’s advantage is the fact that we’re as close as we are to national labs and government agencies that are interested in quantum. Zoom is great, but it’s even greater to be able to get in your car and go lock yourself in a conference room and collaborate that way. Just about every government agency has an interest in quantum. And I don’t believe there’s a better place in the United States for doing quantum than Maryland.” This Investment Profile was prepared under the auspices of the Maryland Department of Commerce. For more information, please visit open.maryland.gov/siteselection. SITE SELECTION JULY 2023 39H ow much is a trillion? To understand that number, step from numerals into the realm of time itself: It takes , years to tick off trillion seconds. OK, now do money. e semiconductor industry is happy to oblige, as everything we touch requires ever more advanced chips to operate. In their case, the journey toward a trillion-dollar market is unfolding tens or hundreds of billions of dollars at a time, in places such as Poland, Germany, South Korea and India, where in June, just as India Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a state visit to the White House, Indian offi cials approved Micron’s planned $ million chip assembly and test facility investment in Gujarat. Since announcing the fi rst funding opportunity from the CHIPS and Science Act, the U.S. Department of Commerce has received nearly statements of interest from companies seeking to build semiconductor projects across states contingent on getting a piece of the $. billion in funds. e projects are coming from a host of multinationals including Micron, which followed up a $ billion project announcement in its hometown of Boise, Idaho, last year with pledge of up to $ billion over years in New York that is projected to create more than , jobs (, at Micron). To gain perspective on these most mega of megaprojects, I conducted an email Q&A with Scott Gatzemeier, Micron’s corporate vice president of front end US expansion. He is responsible for Micron’s Boise and New York projects. His team is also responsible for meeting the goals of a Community Investment Framework in both locations to refl ect the shared priorities Micron and its partners have identifi ed to lead inclusive growth. at’s where our conversation starts: How did you develop the New York Community Investment Framework? Scott Gatzemeier: We’ve looked at our New York investment as an opportunity to rewrite the playbook on how the public sector and the private sector can partner with early childhood, K- and higher education institutions, community organizations and government leaders to build a successful project that brings multiple benefi ts to a community. by ADAM BRUNS adam.bruns@siteselection.com ADVANCED MANUFACTURING 40 JULY 2023 SITE SELECTION Questions & Insights With the Leader of Micron’s U.S. Expansion Blitz “To secure U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing, cultivate American innovation and ensure economic and national security, it is imperative we come together to build and transform a workforce for the future,” Micron President and CEO Sanjay Mehrotra said in October at an event with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and President Joe Biden. Photo Courtesy of Micron42 JULY 2023 SITE SELECTION e Community Investment Framework defi nes the shared values Micron and Empire State Development have identifi ed as priorities for ensuring we build and prepare the workforce of the future. It defi nes our initial community and workforce commitments that will benefi t not only Central New York but America’s manufacturing leadership. is is a historic $ million investment focused on supporting workforce development, education, community assets and organizations, and aff ordable housing, as well as other initiatives that ensure the Central New York workforce will have the advanced skills needed to sustain leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing. Micron will invest $ million in the Green CHIPS Community Investment Fund and an additional $ million is expected to be invested, with $ million from New York and $ million from local, other state and national partners. e Community Engagement Committee was developed to ensure meaningful, ground-up discussion of Micron’s community investment strategy. We recently announced the members of the Committee — a diverse group of local stakeholders who can provide us with that on-the-ground perspective on how we make the greatest impact on not just our future workforce, but across the region as a whole. Employer-supplied childcare has become a hot topic. How did this subject come to the fore for Micron? Scott Gatzemeier: We’re committed to building a diverse workforce of the future that can support Micron’s leading-edge memory manufacturing at scale. We know that childcare can be a major obstacle to employment opportunities, so we know that helping to provide accessible and aff ordable high-quality childcare options is an essential part of attracting and retaining Micron’s talent. Micron’s Childcare Center in Boise will support the broader Treasure Valley community, creating additional childcare capacity by serving Micron employees. e center will be located across from Micron’s corporate headquarters and future fab and will grant easy access for parents to their children, help to address barriers to workforce entry and ease the transition for Micron employees, especially mothers, returning to the workforce. To further address the needs of our employees and the fab’s construction workforce in Idaho, Micron will partner with IdahoSTARS and other childcare referral tools to identify shared resources that support high-quality, aff ordable childcare. We look forward to taking a similar approach in Central New York, where childcare will also be a key component of the eff orts we undertake to build a diverse workforce of the future. We’ve announced a $, investment in the YMCA of Central New York to bolster their childcare off erings, and we will identify more ways to make an impact in this space in Onondaga County. Walk us through your decision-making processes for the Boise and New York investments. Scott Gatzemeier: First, let me highlight that Micron’s investments in the U.S. were made possible by the CHIPS and Science Act and support from local, state and the federal government. Our choice of New York was the result of a rigorous and competitive Bringing world-class memory manufacturing to Boise and co-locating it with our industry-leading R&D facility will provide multiple strategic benefi ts for Micron’s innovation and U.S. technology leadership.” — Scott Gatzemeier , Corporate Vice President of Front End US Expansion, Micron Technology Bringing world-class memory manufacturing to Boise Micron Senior Vice President, Chief People Offi cer and President of the Micron Foundation April Arnzen spoke at the groundbreaking of a new childcare center in Boise in partnership with the local YMCA, part of the company’s $15 billion investment at its Boise complex. Photo courtesy of Micron SITE SELECTION JULY 2023 43 site selection process. New York stood out because of the collaboration — from the local community level to the state and federal levels. The site in Clay has access to the power and water resources we’re looking for. The region offers a rich pool of diverse talent — including veterans and talented people from communities underrepresented in technology jobs — and the opportunities to partner with K-12 and higher education to further develop a robust workforce pipeline. There are opportunities to collaborate on R&D initiatives with others in the state, including The Albany NanoTech Complex and The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. Boise is the home of our global headquarters and is the only leading-edge memory technology and design center in the U.S. This site represents a key location for Micron’s semiconductor technology innovation and the future of domestic leading-edge memory manufacturing. But this was also a very competitive selection process and we had to ensure that we could be competitive in the global market. Bringing world-class memory manufacturing to Boise and co-locating it with our industry-leading R&D facility will provide multiple strategic benefits for Micron’s innovation and U.S. technology leadership. This includes improving efficiency across both R&D and manufacturing, simplifying technology transfer and reducing time to market for cutting-edge products. Among the issues we are hearing about during the buildout now underway are sufficient electrical power; workforce development; and supply chain/ecosystem constraints. Have Micron and its partners found solutions to these challenges? Scott Gatzemeier: Looking at workforce development, the U.S. needs a talent pipeline that is trained for jobs in the semiconductor industry at scale. Meeting this need will require the development and cultivation of traditional and nontraditional pathways to the workforce. The workforce of the future will create demand for talented engineers and technicians with diverse skill sets to manage and operate state-of-the-art cleanroom facilities Next >