Taylor ISD partners with ACC on robotics, semiconductor training
The Taylor Independent School District has taken another major step in preparing its students for the future workforce in the semiconductor field, officials said.
In collaboration with Austin Community College, Taylor ISD has created a new high school dual-credit pathway program — called electronic technology — providing access to high-demand careers in the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing sectors.
Upon finishing the program, Taylor High School students will earn an Automation, Robotics and Semiconductor Technology Advanced Specialization Level 1 Certificate, educators said.
“This is a transformational moment for our students and our community,” Superintendent Jennifer Garcia-Edwardsen said in a release. “Taylor ISD is uniquely positioned to provide students with world-class opportunities connected directly to the industries shaping the future of Central Texas.”
Also included in the memorandum of understanding between the two districts, ACC pledged to advance Taylor ISD’s continued commitment to expanding college, career and workforce readiness opportunities for its high school students through apprenticeships, engineering programs and other regional industry opportunities.
“Our goal is to ensure every student graduates with meaningful skills, real-world experiences, and access to high-demand careers,” Garcia-Edwardsen said.
Williamson County is a hub for the semiconductor industry, one of the fastest-growing manufacturing bases in Central Texas.
In November 2021, Gov. Greg Abbott and officials with South Korea-based Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. announced a $17 billion semiconductor foundry would be built in Taylor.
Several related high-tech businesses have since followed.
Through the ACC partnerwww.
ship, Taylor High students will benefit from a “seamless student experience” that supports multiple postsecondary options, including immediate employment opportunities, engineering degrees and advanced technical careers, school officials said.
“This pathway brings together academic rigor, college access and workforce alignment in a way that creates real momentum for students,” said Chief Academic Officer Megan Zembik. “It ensures they graduate with both the knowledge and the credentials needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving economy.”
Through ongoing collaboration with industry partners, such as Samsung Austin Semiconductor, Taylor ISD identified the need for an educational model that is comprehensive and flexible but also “stackable,” allowing students to pursue multiple pathways within the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing industries, educators said.
The pathway is designed to support both technical workforce entry and long-term academic advancement, providing pupils with flexibility as they determine their future goals, officials said.
“We want our students to have the opportunity to step directly into meaningful careers, apprenticeships or engineering programs connected to some of the most innovative companies in the world,” said career-technology-education Director Steven Vigil. “At the same time, we are building a sustainable pipeline that strengthens our local workforce and creates lasting opportunities for generations of students.”
The first ACC courses offered to Taylor ISD students opened for the first semester of the 2026-27 school year and include digital fundamentals, direct-current circuits, nanoelectronics manufacturing technology, principles of quality and robot application, set-up and testing.
To learn more, visit austincc.edu, or to enroll a student, contact CTE Director Steven Vigil, [email protected], or call 512-352-6326.
