‘Whole new level’: Taylor Center to be hub for semiconductors, latest technology

TAYLOR, Texas (KXAN) — Taylor will soon have a new hub for technology training — and it will be just about a mile away from Taylor’s Samsung semiconductor facility.

The future University of Texas at Austin – Taylor Center will focus on training and research in the semiconductor field. The nearly 70 acres is located next to Taylor High School off Highway 79.

“[The Taylor Center] is going to bring higher education to a whole new level to our community,” President and CEO of Taylor Economic Development Corporation Ben White said.

It’s easy to spot the cranes working on the new Samsung plant off in the distance. Yet, it’s this site near the school that has city leaders equally excited.

“The University of Texas at Austin Taylor Center is going to be a gamechanger for our community, just like what Samsung was,” White added.

Because it is so close to the Samsung plant, UT hopes the center will be used for its Texas Institute of Electronics (TIE) for both training and research programs.

While it still remains a field at the moment, UT has assembled a task force to see what the future center might look like. The school said it is talking to people across campus to find out what programs might be.

The Taylor Center is something the city is banking on for its long-term growth.

“The companies that we’re recruiting in, they’re actually partnering with our school districts for internship programs, so that kids will be able to see these future jobs and if it’s interesting to them,” White said.

In the meantime, the city of Taylor is getting ready for future demand.

“There’s a lot of interest in Taylor,” White said. “But we have to do everything responsibly, we have to grow this community responsibly, make sure we have the infrastructure in place.”

All while building a better road in Samsung’s shadow.

UT said the undeveloped land is a gift from the Temple College at Taylor Foundation. Taylor residents set up the group to help with higher education in the city.

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