BAE's Microelectronics Center on Spit Brook Road will receive a significant upgrade thanks to a $35 million grant from the federal CHIPS and Science Act. Courtesy photo

NASHUA – The U.S. Department of Commerce recently announced that BAE Systems was the first company in the nation to receive funding from the federal CHIPS and Science Act.

The $35 million grant will be used to update the company’s Microelectronics Center on Spit Brook Road. Chip production is expected to quadruple for “critical defense programs including the F-35 fighter jet program.”

“Microelectronics are at the heart of the technology and products we make for our defense and aerospace customers, from next-generation aircraft and satellites to military-grade GPS and secure communications,” said BAE President Thomas Arseneault. “This funding will help modernize our Microelectronics Center and fulfill the promise of the CHIPS and Science Act by increasing our capacity to serve national defense programs, growing our technical workforce and helping to strengthen the nation’s onshore supply chain. This initiative is the result of a strong partnership with federal, state, and local government.”

In addition, last June, the Board of Aldermen approved a proposal from Mayor James Donchess to launch a Workforce Development Training Program at Nashua Community College. The goal of the program is to “further develop the local workforce by providing clean room training and skills.”

It is funded with $200,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act and enforced by a Memorandum of Agreement between the city, BAE and NCC.

Students who complete the program are eligible for employment at BAE’s Microelectronics Center. As a result, the company plans to add 24 new jobs representing a 12-percent increase in its current workforce.

“BAE’s ongoing training initiatives have a ripple effect throughout our community,” said NCC President Lucille Jordan. “The skills and knowledge that our students gain through these programs not only benefit them, but also contribute to the growth and success of the local workforce and economy. This, in turn, strengthens the ties between our community college and the industry, creating a win-win scenario for all involved.”

The Workforce Development Training Program includes an eight- to 10-week Clean Room Bootcamp at NCC. This is a non-credit class modeled after the school’s Microelectronics Bootcamp. To date, more than 300 students have completed the Microelectronics Bootcamp with 97 percent of them going on to land jobs at BAE.