The engineering schools of two leading universities will focus on improving training and technology development to support the domestic sector.
Industry advisors will weigh in on the partnership via a partial governing boad, allowing the two universities to will serve as a coordinated point of engagement for industry partners seeking a trained semiconductor talent pipeline.
“We are delighted to announce this partnership with The Grainger College of Engineering at the U. of I. to educate the next generation of the semiconductor workforce at a time when it’s hard, if not impossible, to overstate the importance of semiconductor technology,” said Mark Lundstrom, the John A. Edwardson Dean of Purdue’s College of Engineering and Purdue’s chief semiconductor officer.
“Semiconductors today are a foundational technology, powering everything from smartphones and transportation to GPS navigation, weather prediction, energy, healthcare, defense, digital agriculture and the compute heft underpinning artificial intelligence.”
“Through this new partnership with Purdue Engineering centered around semiconductor workforce development, and in close consort with our industry board, we will help meet the demand for a trained, ready-to-go semiconductor workforce, both regionally and nationally,” said Rashid Bashir, Grainger Engineering dean and vice chancellor of Chicago Strategic Partnerships at the U. of I.
“Strategic collaborations like this provide another opportunity to address pressing global challenges during a time of rapid technological advancement in a way that highlights the capabilities of our intelligent students and visionary faculty members.”
As AI grows, a skilled workforce is needed to support it
The U.S. semiconductor industry faces a potential shortfall of 157,000 skilled workforce personnel by 2030, according to a report from Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International, McKinsey & Company and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
It is estimated that at least 50,000 of that total should be trained semiconductor engineers.
The partnership will focus on a variety of semiconductor manufacturing sectors, including semiconductor fabrication plants, equipment and materials; chip design, engineering, verification and testing; and advanced packaging.
Putting a team together
The leadership team for the new partnership includes Shaloo Rakheja, associate professor in Grainger Engineering’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and David Janes, professor in Purdue’s Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and director of the university’s Semiconductor Degrees Program. With the initiative’s focus on industry support, a third person with strong industry experience and ties to academia will be appointed as executive director.
“We already partner with other universities and industry on semiconductor education, and this initiative with Purdue can only strengthen the regional reach of this educational and training push for this most critical of sectors,” Rakheja said. “It is vital that the U.S. source semiconductor expertise and its supporting supply chain onshore, from design through manufacturing, for economic competitiveness and national security. Purdue Engineering and Grainger Engineering are proud to do their part to advance this effort.”
Industry collaboration
Building on their complementary industry-focused certificates, minors and concentrations, the institutions will explore joint program formats including experiential learning opportunities and expanded industry-focused graduate programs. They will also jointly hold recruiting and research events in Indiana and Illinois.
Both schools will engage industry to support and participate in experiential learning programs, including on-campus programs, lab funding, experiential clean-room training, research projects, vertically integrated projects, and internships and co-ops.
“There is strength in numbers, whether it be electronic circuits and transistor switches on a computer chip or the number of U.S. institutions offering semiconductor workforce development education,” Janes said. “Purdue Engineering and Grainger Engineering are excited to join forces in this shared contribution to such a vital national interest.”
