In a global economy where workers face new demands and opportunities every year, the need to acquire new skills and update existing ones is vital. Nanotechnology – which is estimated to need a worldwide workforce of 2 million by 2015 – offers rewarding, cutting-edge employment that touches many different areas of research, technology, and manufacturing, among others.
Nanotechnology will create many jobs, at levels requiring post graduate education, four and two year college degrees, as well as skills that can be acquired through training and vocational programs. For instance, many nanotechnology companies report that they are hiring PhDs for routine characterization jobs, which could be more suitably filled by skilled technicians.
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Schools and Training Programs
This section spotlights training programs offered by various schools and workforce initiative programs across the U.S., the starting point for those looking to launch a career in nanotechnology.
Austin Community College, Austin, TX - AAS program
Bucks County Community College, Newtown, PA
California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena, CA - Certificate program
Chippewa Valley Technical College, Eau Claire, WI
College of Lake County, Grayslake, IL - AAS program
Danville Community College, Danville, VA
Dakota County Technical College, Rosemount, MN
Foothill College, Los Altos, CA - AAS and Certificate programs
Forsyth Technical Community College, Winston-Salem, NC -AAS program
George Mason University, Washington, DC metro area – Certificate program
Harper College, Palatine, IL - AAS program
Ivy Tech Community College, South Bend, IN
Lansing Community College, Lansing, MI - AAS program with speciality
Nanotechnology Applications and Career Knowledge (NACK) Center at Penn State, State College, PA
Normandale Community College, Bloomington, MN
North Dakota State College of Science, Wahpeton, ND – AAS and Certificate programs
North Seattle Community College, Seattle, WA
North West Vista College, San Antonio, TX -- AAS program
Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI – Certificate program
Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Moorhead, MN – AAS program
Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology, Okmulgee, OK – AAS program
Pennsylvania State University, 30 sites across PA - AAS and Certificate programs
Richland College, Dallas, TX
Schenectady County Community College, Schenectady, NY - AAA program
Texas State Technical College, Waco, TX- AAD program
Univeristy of Puerto Rico, Humacao, PR - AAS program
Workforce Development and Infrastructure
In addition to the brick-and-mortar schools offering nanotechnology courses, there are a variety of institutions and organizations that foster the growth and development of the nanotechnology workforce and education infrastructure.
- Arizona Nanotechnology Cluster; K-20 Education Links
- Colorado Nanotechnology Alliance is a not-for-profit economic development to connect, coordinate, facilitate, promote, educate, and unify industry, government, academia, and citizens around the benefits of nanotechnology commercialization.
- The Greater Washington Nanotech Alliance
- International Association of Nanotechnology – Training Programs
- NACK --the Nanotechnology Applications and Career Knowledge Center-- supports development of community college programs across the country, through the creation of flexible curriculum, access to remote equipment, and more. NACK was was established at the Penn State College of Engineering through the National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program.
- NanoEd Resource Portal
- New York Loves Nanotech is a consortium of like-minded organizations comprised of economic development groups, academia and technology equipment suppliers that have joined forces to promote New York state.
- Texas Nanotechnology Initiative is a consortium of industry, universities, government, and venture capitalists whose goal is to position Texas as the Nanotechnology State.
- The Texas-based Nanotechnology Workforce Development Initiative (NWDI) is a statewide effort to support advanced nano manufacturing in Texas as well as stimulate entrepreneurial efforts and attract new business to the state.
- U.S. Department of Labor Employment & Training Administration
Job Opportunities