BOISE, Idaho — On Wednesday, Micron broke ground on a childcare center that will help parents working at Micron access affordable daycare.
"This really came out of feedback from our employees saying that 'we need help finding childcare solutions," Senior Director of Global Wellbeing, Marni McDowell said.
Micron executives including McDowell said this is helping build a bridge between parenthood and a career.
"This really came out of feedback from our employees saying that 'We need help finding childcare solutions,” McDowell said.
Micron hopes the daycare is a solution that will help parents like Rikki Bautista who is a Program Manager for Global Wellbeing, and a parent of two boys.
"It helps take off that pressure that's on your shoulders,” Bautista said.
The center will be located right across from Micron headquarters in Boise, and will be operated by the Treasure Valley Family YMCA, which will provide children with learning materials.
"A solution that is very high quality with a STEM-based curriculum, and that is also affordable for our team members,” said McDowell.
McDowell says pricing has not been decided.
“We are still undetermined on exact pricing. We will be looking at community market prices, and also the different incomes of our different employees,” McDowell said.
Micron’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion report shows the number of women employees has increased for a fourth year and has grown 31 percent, making this amenity that much more important.
"I think it really opens up a lot of opportunity for more mothers to come back to the workplace and not have that fear and that constant pressure of what to do,” Bautista said.
At the groundbreaking event, parents shared their struggles with accessing daycare.
"There are a lot of limitations to finding childcare, whether it's security, safety, pricing – all of that,” Bautista said.
Bautista says Micron’s new facility will help parents minimize that stress.
“It means they are considering us as a human and not just an employee. When we come to the workplace, we are not here to just do our job,” Bautista said. “We can't turn our brains off and forget about our kids and those responsibilities. It speaks a lot to Micron that they are considering all of me as a human.”
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