WASHINGTON D.C. — Kimberly Spica, an Equipment Engineering Technician at GlobalFoundries in Malta, attended President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address last week as a guest of New York Senator Chuck Schumer.
“I feel like this is an amazing opportunity to be able to come here to Washington D.C. and have Senator Schumer invite me,” Spica said in a video posted to Schumer’s X account. “It’s just a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me, and it feels really amazing to be a GlobalFoundries representative and to be here.”
“I am proud to have Kim at my side for President Biden’s State of the Union to show how my CHIPS & Science Law is trailblazing a new path for Upstate New Yorkers,” said Senator Schumer in a statement.
Spica, a Wilton resident, is a product of the GlobalFoundries apprenticeship program. “As an apprentice, I worked full-time, earned a good salary, had on-the-job training; plus [GlobalFoundries] paid for my coursework at Hudson Valley Community College,” Spica said in a statement. “I’m grateful to the company and would encourage others considering a career change, or at the start of their careers, to take a serious look at GF and the semiconductor industry.”
Last month, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced that it would send $1.5 billion in funds to GlobalFoundries. The investment is part of the CHIPS and Science Act, which was signed into law by President Biden in August of 2022. GlobalFoundries will use the funds to expand its existing facility and build a new microchip fabrication plant in Malta. In support of these projects, Governor Kathy Hochul also announced $575 million in direct funding for New York State Green CHIPS. Additional $15 million and $30 million investments are planned for workforce development activities, as well as infrastructure upgrades and energy initiatives, respectively. All told, the investments are expected to create more than 10,000 jobs.
“When I wrote my CHIPS & Science Law, I had Upstate NY as my ‘North Star,’ to build the future of America’s industry here in the Capital Region,” Senator Schumer said in a statement.“Kim represents the best of that vision.”
“Kim is a valued team member and her personal story is a testament to the importance and impact of GF’s apprenticeship program,” said Dr. Thomas Caulfield, President and CEO of GlobalFoundries. “We are incredibly proud of Kim, and we thank Senator Schumer for inviting her to attend the State of the Union Address to represent [GlobalFoundries], our team in New York, and the entire semiconductor industry.”
