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OPINION
Opinion
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | DECEMBER 26, 2021
How Intel is building an inclusive, diverse and well-trained workforce BY SMRITI SHAKARGAYE Arizonan Guest Writer
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uring the pandemic, thousands of Arizonans left the workforce to care for their families when schools and other childcare facilities remained closed. It was a sudden shift that reflected a growing trend where capable, committed, and ambitious professionals take a break from their careers for several reasons such as starting or raising a family, caring for a family member, military service/spouse, teaching, community service/volunteer work, or continuing education. Today, many of those workers want to re- enter the workforce but get overlooked due to their age or career gap. This has created challenges for our state’s technology industry that is rapidly growing with emerging startups and international powerhouses that need a stable workforce, like Intel in Arizona, where the focus is on how to grow and progress talent by giving them the right training. As a global company that values experience, Intel wants to normalize career breaks and help bring these professionals back to workforce.
Recently, the company launched a paid, 16-week returnship program that will train participants to work on projects matching their expertise, abilities, and interests, and by the end of the program they even might gain a full-time employment at Intel. This is a perfect opportunity for job seekers with career gaps to update their skills and develop new ones. With two new semiconductor chip manufacturing plants under construction, Intel is working to develop a pipeline of potential talent that can fill new high-tech, high-wage jobs while supporting an estimated 15,000 additional indirect jobs in the community. Currently, the company has 300 plus open positions across all levels and is paving the way to fill them up with suitable candidates through trainings and specialized programs focused on different sections of the community. And for those young adults who are just embarking on their career journeys, or are still in school, Intel is partnering with the YWCA Metropolitan Phoenix Arizona Equity in STEAM initiative to boost the number of women and people of color in Arizona across STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics) careers. This partnership will fund twenty
grants to nonprofit organizations, public or charter schools, or colleges across Arizona to help develop interest in STEAMrelated careers. It’s not just a financial award. The winning organizations will also be part of the first YWCA Equity Leadership Learning series to discuss ways in which students from diverse backgrounds can be brought together to explore various STEAM career pathways. Intel’s Arizona RISE Report explains the company’s aims and goals towards increasing the representation of women and underrepresented minorities in leadership and technical positions worldwide. Under the direction of CEO Pat Gelsinger, Intel promotes an inclusive culture that welcomes all perspectives and is critical for attracting, retaining, and progressing top talent. His team is committed to providing a work environment where employees from all backgrounds are valued, respected, challenged, acknowledged, and rewarded so they can achieve their full potential. They have successfully brought more women and underrepresented minorities into senior leadership roles and has a goal to continue this in the future.
Recently, Intel’s commitment to investing in the future of Arizona was recognized at 2021 Governor’s Celebration of Innovation where Intel was awarded with the Ed Denison Business Leader of the Year for contributing to Arizona’s technology industry through relentless community involvement, leadership, visibility, and excellence in economic activity. Arizona Manufacturers Council’s Awards named Intel as the Economic Driver of the Year for making significant positive contributions to economy through their high-skill and high-paying jobs. Arizona’s Hispanic Chamber of Commerce welcomed Intel into the AZ 2021 Million Dollar Circle of Excellence for its inclusivity and diversity focus. The company was also recognized for its community impact at Phoenix Business Journal’s Corporate Philanthropy Awards. Intel has a long track record of supporting the community and the people who live here since entering Arizona in 1979. With two new semiconductor facilities under construction and plans to hire 3,000 people, the company and the community can benefit from all measures to build a more inclusive future for all Arizonans.
ucts, starting with the iPhone 12 and 13 lineups and its new Macs. This program will presumably grow to include newer smartphone models and Mac computers. This is a complete U-turn for one of America’s favorite gadget makers. For years, Apple’s lobbyists told lawmakers that sharing access to parts, service tools, and manuals would result in safety, security, and intellectual property risks. When an iPhone’s battery died, or its screen cracked, Apple insisted that only an Apple-authorized repairperson could fix it. But independent repair specialists knew that these “concerns” were overblown. In addition to the rising chorus of people who just wanted to fix their own stuff, or choose where to have it fixed, this fall, Apple faced pressure in the boardroom. And Apple, previously defiant and combative, made an
about-face, announcing newly minted support for independent repair. To be fair, Apple is far from the only company with a history of hostility toward competition in its repair market. John Deere won’t sell farmers the software tools they need to fix their tractors. Hospital repair technicians trying to focus on COVID-19 patient care say medical device manufacturers have created hurdles to them fixing equipment needed to save lives. A PIRG study from earlier in 2021 found that repairing more products and using them longer would save Americans $40 billion per year, or $330 per family. And repair not only helps consumers, but repair helps prevent waste. When people find it inconvenient to fix a product, they’re more likely to give up and buy a new one – especially when
it comes to continuously, incrementally updated products such as smartphones. Empowering more independent repair options would extend the lifespan of products, reducing the material drain of manufacturing, and reducing the electronic waste heading to landfills. The right to repair issue goes far beyond phones. Arizonans want to be able to fix their products but too often run into roadblocks erected by manufacturers who want to control the repair process. Companies should ensure that their products are built to be easy to fix – and, better yet, built to last. But if they don’t, policy makers should. Diane E. Brown is the executive director of the Arizona Public Interest Research Group (Arizona PIRG), a statewide public interest advocacy organization.
Companies’ competition for repairs hurts consumers BY DIANE E. BROWN Arizonan Guest Writer
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ot a lot of companies inspire the brand loyalty that Apple does. After all, the maker of Macs since 1984 and iPhones since 2007 did put the world in our pockets. But while Apple generally garners accolades, one of the company’s core business practices has been rotten to consumers. For years, Apple has monopolized product repair by withholding the parts and tools that customers and independent repair shops need to fix broken products. That’s finally changing. Recently, Apple announced that it will begin sharing with the public more than 200 parts and tools for its prod-
