TAYLOR, Texas — As construction ramps up at Samsung Austin Semiconductor’s new plant in Taylor, the company is making investments it says are already shaping lives and communities in Central Texas.
The company announced $22.84 million in new investments focused on education, job training and community growth, with much of that money going directly to local schools and organizations.
Samsung Austin Semiconductor’s paid high school and college internship pipeline is a key part of the effort. Two students, one from the University of Texas at Austin and another from Texas A&M University, shared how the programs have shaped their futures during an event at the new Taylor campus.
Jett Van Brocklin started with Samsung as an intern while at Taylor High School. That first summer in the innovation department sparked a passion for engineering that followed him to UT Austin, where he is now a senior studying electrical and computer engineering. He described how returning for a college internship with Samsung brought his story full circle.
Jett Van Brocklin started with Samsung as an intern while at Taylor High School. (Photo: CBS Austin)
“I had the privilege of interning in the innovation department, an experience that fundamentally shifted my trajectory. Now as a senior at the University of Texas at Austin studying electrical and computer engineering, I’ve had the opportunity to see that journey come full circle returning this past summer in the college internship program,” Van Brocklin said.
He said the early experience made a difference.
“Because of the foundation that I built in high school, I didn’t have to spend weeks just trying to figure out where the coffee machine was or how the team operated. I had mentors that I trusted and teammates who knew my work ethic. And so I could feel comfortable immediately, allowing me to dive in on day one, [into] the deep end, and contribute,” he said.
For Van Brocklin, real-world engineering work at Samsung built both skills and confidence.
“The classroom gave me the foundation, but the experience gave me tools. I’m now entering the industry with a toolkit that is far more diverse and practical than what a textbook could have provided,” he said.
Samantha Martin, a Texas A&M senior and Samsung scholarship recipient, said the company’s support transformed her path.
Samantha Martin, a Texas A&M senior and Samsung scholarship recipient, said the company’s support transformed her path. (Photo: CBS Austin)
“Almost a decade ago, I had nothing, not even a home. And I didn’t feel like the world saw who I was. I did, however, have a hope and a dream to go to college. The bridge to that dream and this reality today was built by the generosity of others,” she told the crowd.
Martin said the internship gave her confidence and real experience.
“This year was about learning how to be an engineer. Because of the trust my team placed in me here at Samsung, I was given full autonomy to rebuild the RISC signal register infrastructure, navigating a massive data architecture of over 55,000 employees and creating a more secure system for the entire company. But the real impact wasn’t in the code that I wrote. It was in the confidence that I gained,” she said.
Taylor Independent School District Superintendent Jennifer Garcia-Edwardsen said Samsung’s contributions, including a grant of nearly $2.5 million for STEM and early childhood education and a $1.5 million investment in skilled trades training, will expand opportunities for current and future students.
“Our future, we know, is investing in our public school classrooms. And Samsung is doing just that. They have come alongside us. We know that there’s a workforce demand. And so this idea of the STEP program really will help make those dreams possible for both sides … This is huge. This has a generational impact and our students as young as three years old that are pre-K’s that are going to have an opportunity all the way to our graduates,” Garcia-Edwardsen said.
As construction ramps up at Samsung Austin Semiconductor’s new plant in Taylor, the company is making investments it says are already shaping lives and communities in Central Texas. (Photo: CBS Austin)
Beyond education, Samsung’s community investments in Taylor and Manor include support for nonprofits and food banks, new park amenities and resources for early learning.
According to Samsung leadership, the Taylor site covers 1,200 acres and has employed more than 6,000 people on site during construction. The first manufacturing line, Taylor Fab 1, is set to be operational by the end of the year and will produce 2-nanometer semiconductor chips using extreme ultraviolet technology.
“At this site, where cutting-edge tools meet world-class talent, we will build the technology that will power your imagination, productivity and so much more. Samsung is very proud to be the first to bring 2-nanometer technology to the United States and to Central Texas,” said John Taylor, executive vice president at Samsung Austin Semiconductor.
Construction on Taylor Fab 2, an even larger manufacturing line, is set to begin soon, with a target opening of 2030.