Columbus State Community College Ohio International Meeting

On Friday, October 25th, NCNGM Co-Principal Investigator Chris Dennis and Associate Professor and Program Coordinator of Supply Chain Management Jeremy Banta of Columbus State Community College were part of the local community leaders that met with German-American Semiconductor Cities Network (GASCN) members who were visiting Columbus, Ohio. The meeting was a significant gathering where representatives from the City of Chandler, Arizona, Columbus, New Albany, Ohio, Landeshauptstadt Dresden, and Landeshauptstadt Magdeburg came together to discuss various important topics.

One of the key subjects of discussion was the workforce development efforts of Columbus State Community College. The college has been actively preparing individuals for careers in the semiconductor industry through its Semiconductor Fundamentals Certificate program. This program is designed to equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge for entry-level positions as semiconductor manufacturing technicians. The meeting provided a platform for sharing insights and best practices in workforce training and development, particularly in the context of the semiconductor sector. The participants from City of Chandler, Arizona, Columbus, New Albany, Ohio, Landeshauptstadt Dresden, and Landeshauptstadt Magdeburg also discussed a variety of topics including:

- Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA)'s LinkUS initiative which will bring world-class, fast and reliable bus rapid transit to the region’s key transit corridors (https://lnkd.in/eGcgG5nh)

- The amazing work of Columbus Public Utilities to ensure the region has a clean and efficient water management system ("the backbone of health in the community") for both residents and businesses (https://lnkd.in/eb3b3beP)

- The City of Columbus' efforts addressing housing and housing affordability by ensuring access, stability, and opportunity (https://lnkd.in/eTdFAs-g)

The German-American Semiconductor Cities Network, which facilitates such collaborative initiatives, is a project implemented by the American Council on Germany and funded by the Transatlantic Program of the Federal Republic of Germany. The financial support for this network comes from the European Recovery Program (ERP) of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). The exchange of ideas and experiences during the meeting in Columbus, Ohio, highlighted the importance of international cooperation and knowledge-sharing in addressing the evolving needs of the semiconductor industry.