Samsung Austin Semiconductor announced $22.84 million in community and workforce development investments for 2026, including funding for the Taylor Independent School District, the city of Taylor and local nonprofits.
The company publicized the funding Thursday during its “Made in Texas: Boundless Opportunity” event at its Taylor chipmaking plant, where it also introduced Spark!, a new program providing $10 million to 14 nonprofit organizations in Taylor and Manor.
Taylor ISD will receive $2.45 million through Spark!, while the city of Taylor will receive $1 million, according to the announcement.
The Greater Taylor Community Foundation will receive $450,000, and the Taylor Educational Enrichment Foundation will receive $100,000, officials said.
The funding is part of a larger investment in Central Texas, with other recipients including the Manor Independent School District, the Central Texas Food Bank and several education and community organizations.
Samsung also announced a $1.5 million investment in a new skilled trades training program with Taylor ISD.
The Skilled Trades Employment Pathway program will prepare students for careers in electrical work, welding, pipefitting and heating-air conditioning-ventilation systems.
The program builds on the district’s career and technical education offerings. Samsung invested $1 million in Taylor ISD’s CTE program in 2023.
Samsung will also expand its paid summer internship program with Taylor ISD from 24 to 30 students beginning in summer 2027. The company has hosted 120 Taylor ISD students over the past five summers, officials said.
“This generous multimillion-dollar investment is about opening doors for our students and giving them a head start on their futures,” Taylor ISD Superintendent Jennifer Garcia-Edwardsen said.
The company also extended its workforce development partnerships with the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University and other organizations. The partnerships will receive a combined $2.66 million annually to support scholarships, training and curriculum development.
A Samsung spokesperson said the investments support its continued growth in Central Texas as it expands its semiconductor manufacturing operations in Taylor.
South Korean parent company Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. announced in November 2021 it would be building a second Austin-area site, this time a multibillion-dollar chipmaking fabrication facility in Taylor.
Since that time, the company has invested in local schools and colleges, training and internships, attracted other high-tech businesses to the area and increased tax revenue, officials said.
