Micron ramps up hiring for $3 billion Manassas expansion

MANASSAS — Micron is making an effort to get to better know its neighbors.

On Monday, company leaders addressed a packed room of politicians and business leaders at a Prince William Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee meeting.

Zusana Steen, the Academic and Community Relations Manager at Micron, and Rick Wingo, the Finance Director at Micron, spoke about the relationships Micron has with the local community and the state.

“We are not operating in a vacuum,” Steen said.

The presentation comes about four months after the chip maker announced the largest economic development expansion in Virginia history, promising 1,100 new high-paying jobs in a $3 billion expansion of its facility on Godwin Drive.

Micron was founded in 1978 by twin brothers who operated their business in a basement of a dental facility center. It is now the second – largest semiconductor company in North America and ranked 150 in 2018 by Fortune 500.  They have over 33,000 employees in 17 countries.

One out of every two cars in the U.S. are likely to have their memory chips manufactured at the Manassas plant. The Manassas plant currently has 1,300 team members and 200 contractors. And with the current expansion and the anticipated explosion of self-driving cars in which Micron will have computer chips, “that number is about to skyrocket,” Wingo said.

The Manassas plant is home to a 173,000 square-foot “clean room” – which is cleaner than a surgery room — to prevent the slightest bit of dust from ruining a computer chip.

The first phase of Micron’s expansion began on November 26. This expansion includes an additional 115,000 square feet of cleanroom space. Wingo said that this additional space will “increase production capacity dramatically”.

George Mason University estimates that Micron contributes $273.5 million to Virginia’s economy, as well as $22.5 million to Manassas’ economy, as well as $76.8 million to the economy of Prince William County. Overall, the company brings $162.2 million to Northern Virginia.

The workforce for Micron is spread out throughout the area, Steen said. She said some employees live in Manassas while others commute from as far away as Maryland and West Virginia.

Micron especially needs technicians and engineers.  A technician requires a 2-year degree or industry certification or military experience in electronics, mechatronics, automotive and engineering technology, or aviation maintenance. An engineer position requires a 4-year degree or higher in a field such as electrical, chemical, mechanical, or material science, computer science, or big data.

Between the end of September through the end of November, Micron has hired 97 employees. Of those employees, roughly half are from Virginia.

Micron started a co-operative program in which community college students can earn degrees and work at Micron at the same time. Micron has converted 75% of these students into full-time employees. The co-op program is a major source of their candidates.

Micron and the Micron Foundation also work on community engagement by promoting K-12 and higher education in STEM. Since 2006, they have donated roughly $9.5 million and over 45,000 volunteer hours by Micron team members in Virginia.

With the influx of new workers coming to the region, naturally, there are concerns about adding more traffic to already congested roads, as well as housing options.

Steen responded that technicians from Pennsylvania may be shocked at Northern Virginia traffic or employees from Texas may struggle with wanting land like they are used to, and that sticker shock at houses in this area may occur.

Micron employees complain mostly about the state of transportation in the region.

The company encourages their employees to live in Manassas, she adds.