The big picture
Samsung Austin Semiconductor officials announced the investment of $1 million in Taylor High School’s new career and technical education center at a groundbreaking ceremony for the facility Nov. 14. The new building was approved by voters in the district’s 2022 bond package and will open in the fall of 2025, district officials said.
The announcement comes as Samsung Austin Semiconductor works to build a $17 billion plant in Taylor that is expected to create thousands of new jobs, according to previous reporting by Community Impact.
The district center will help Samsung develop its workforce locally by exposing students to advanced technology that could lead to future careers, said Jon Taylor, corporate vice president of fab engineering and public affairs for Samsung Semiconductor Austin.
“The partnership will elevate the school district's career and technical education program [to] further position Taylor, Williamson County and Texas as a leader in the burgeoning U.S. semiconductor industry,” Taylor said.
The details
The new facility will build onto the high school’s existing CTE space, which includes six classrooms, said Rachelle Finck, TISD director of behavioral health and student services. The addition will allow the district to launch technology programs for industrial systems and precision machining; and robotics, automation and computer science, she said.
“With this expansion, we will be doubling, if not tripling, the amount of space that our students are able to access,” Finck said.
The district will also expand its welding, automotive and culinary programs, and offer dual-credit courses with Temple College and Texas State Technical College, she said.
Samsung’s investment will go toward the following at the center:
- Equipment
- Staff and training
- Dual-credit labs
- Robotics and automation
- Manufacturing-related laboratory
The groundbreaking ceremony marked the first day for new Taylor ISD Superintendent Jennifer Garcia-Edwardson.
“Today is a pivotal moment in Taylor ISD,” Garcia-Edwardson said. “Just think of the high demand and high-paying jobs that our students will be sought after to fill—all because of the rich experiences we're providing them to develop their skills for tomorrow.”
