The Florida Semiconductor Institute’s (FSI) deputy director for workforce development, professor Jack Judy, presented at the 2026 SACA Conference, highlighting progress on new industry-driven semiconductor certifications. The credentials aim to strengthen education and workforce pathways by aligning training with the skills semiconductor employers need most.
FSI Advances Workforce Development at 2026 SACA Conference
On Aug. 10-11, leaders from education, industry, workforce development, and certification organizations gathered in Menomonie, Wisconsin, for the 2026 Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) Conference. The two-day event focused on strengthening technical education and workforce pipelines through certification implementation, new credential development, industry-education partnerships and hiring strategies.
Representing the Florida Semiconductor Institute (FSI), professor Jack Judy, deputy director for workforce development, presented “SACA Certification Update: Semiconductor-Industry-Driven Certifications,” sharing progress on a new family of semiconductor credentials being developed through a partnership between FSI and SACA.
Judy’s presentation discussed a growing national workforce challenge. The semiconductor supply-chain disruptions exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated efforts to expand domestic chip manufacturing, creating an increased need for technicians who can effectively contribute to semiconductor fabrication facilities from day one.
To help meet that demand, FSI and SACA are working alongside industry subject-matter experts through SACA’s Semiconductor Technical Working Group to develop credentials aligned with real-world semiconductor job roles. The certifications are designed to support learners and workers across the talent pipeline, including high school and community college students, facilities and manufacturing technicians, assembly and test workers, and students pursuing four-year programs.
During the session, Judy also highlighted the process of developing industry-validated credentials, including how experts helped identify and review the competencies workers need on the job. The certifications are being designed to assess both technical knowledge and hands-on skills, helping ensure that they reflect the expectations of semiconductor employers.
For educators and workforce organizations, the credentials can also provide a framework for building or strengthening semiconductor training programs. By connecting curriculum and instruction with industry-defined competencies, institutions can better prepare students for opportunities within the rapidly expanding U.S. semiconductor sector.
Judy’s presentation reflected the broader focus of the SACA Conference: bringing education and industry together to create stronger workforce pathways. Through collaborations such as the FSI-SACA partnership, organizations can help ensure that training and certification programs evolve alongside the needs of advanced manufacturing employers.
