BOSTON – The Northeast Microelectronics Coalition (NEMC) Hub has launched the POWER Program, a $1.2 million initiative to advance education, training programs and workforce development throughout the Northeast.
The POWER Program, also known as the Preparing Our Workforce for Microelectronics Resiliency Program, is funded through the Microelectronics Commons Program and is intended to provide grant funding to a wide range of organizations, including nonprofits, private companies and local governments, to address existing workforce barriers. The grants will support and grow regional partnerships, internship programs, curriculum development and mentor programming.
“The NEMC Hub is building a regional microelectronics ecosystem that is dynamic and prepared to take on new challenges with the launch of this new program,” said Massachusetts Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley. “The POWER Program will strengthen the microelectronics workforce at the ground level and provide upcoming professionals with the skills they need to drive new innovation and industry growth.”
“The National Network for Microelectronics Education projects over 115,000 new U.S. semiconductor jobs by 2030,” said NEMC Hub Director Mark Halfman. “The POWER Program will help address this pressing microelectronics industry need.”
The POWER Program builds on the success of the Supporting Chip Advancement from Lab to Enterprise (SCALE) Capital Program and Powering Regional Opportunities for Prototyping Microelectronics (PROPEL) Program. Over the past year, both programs have helped to bridge the gap between technology development and market readiness, helping to transform the microelectronics ecosystem in the Northeast. On Oct. 27, the Healey-Driscoll Administration announced more than $10 million through their SCALE Capital Program.
The POWER Program will require a minimum 20% cost-share. Successful applicants will identify a barrier to their success, propose a workforce solution to that barrier, and show how the proposed project will measurably improve their ecosystem experience and output.
Application Process
Applications are due Dec. 15, 2025 and can be submitted online at nemicroelectronics.org/power. Applicants are encouraged to register to attend the POWER Program Informational Webinar scheduled for Nov. 13 at 11:00 a.m. ET.
Further questions can be directed to Program Manager Laura Hastings at hastings@masstech.org.
About the NEMC Hub
The Northeast Microelectronics Coalition (NEMC) Hub is a network of over 280 organizations including commercial and defense companies, leading academic institutions, federally funded R&D centers (FFRDCs), and startups concentrated in eight Northeast states. Established in 2023, the Hub is one of eight regional Microelectronics Commons Hubs working to expand the nation’s global leadership in microelectronics and accelerate domestic semiconductor prototyping. The NEMC Hub is a division of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative and was established under the Microelectronics Commons program and executed through the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division and the National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTXL). The Hub fosters a vibrant, connected microelectronics ecosystem to provide sustainable lab-to-fab enablement, boost education and workforce development, and spur new jobs.
Learn more at nemicroelectronics.org.
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