WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue University and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are partnering to help prepare more students for careers in the growing U.S. semiconductor industry.
The universities signed a memorandum of understanding Sept. 18 establishing a joint semiconductor workforce development initiative. The partnership comes as demand for semiconductor professionals continues to grow alongside advancements in artificial intelligence.
The initiative will focus on several areas of the semiconductor industry, including semiconductor manufacturing plants, equipment and materials, chip design and engineering, verification and testing, and advanced packaging.
The partnership will also provide a coordinated point of engagement for companies seeking trained workers from both universities. An industry advisory board will help guide the initiative and provide input on workforce needs.
(Photo by Purdue University)
“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,” said Mark Lundstrom, John A. Edwardson Dean of Purdue’s College of Engineering and Purdue’s chief semiconductor officer.
Lundstrom said semiconductors have become a foundational technology used in areas ranging from smartphones and transportation to healthcare, defense, agriculture and artificial intelligence.
Rashid Bashir, Grainger Engineering dean and vice chancellor of Chicago Strategic Partnerships at the University of Illinois, said the partnership will help address the need for a trained semiconductor workforce both regionally and nationally.
The need for semiconductor workers is expected to continue increasing. According to a report from Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International, McKinsey & Company and the National Science Foundation, the U.S. semiconductor industry could face a potential shortage of 157,000 skilled workers by 2030, including an estimated 50,000 semiconductor engineers.
Purdue and the University of Illinois already have established programs focused on semiconductor education and workforce development.
Purdue’s Semiconductor Degrees Program includes a university-wide semiconductor certificate, departmental concentrations and minors, online graduate programs and multi-semester experiential learning opportunities. The university also supports semiconductor manufacturing projects through the Birck Nanotechnology Center and leads the Scalable Asymmetric Lifecycle Engagement program, a network focused on semiconductor workforce development in the defense sector.
The University of Illinois offers a semiconductor minor, industry-focused research centers, semiconductor training partnerships and industry-aligned graduate programs. Grainger Engineering also leads the Illinois Semiconductor Workforce Network, which was initially funded through the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 to train engineers and technicians for microelectronics manufacturing.
Under the new partnership, the universities plan to combine their existing strengths and explore additional opportunities for students.
Potential initiatives include joint experiential learning programs, expanded industry-focused graduate programs and recruiting and research events in Indiana and Illinois.
The partnership leadership team includes Shaloo Rakheja, an associate professor in Grainger Engineering’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and David Janes, a Purdue professor and director of the university’s Semiconductor Degrees Program. A third leader with industry and academic experience will also be appointed as executive director.
“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,” Rakheja said.
Industry involvement will be a major part of the initiative. A joint industry advisory board will provide guidance on workforce needs and help identify courses, programs and skills that students should develop for different areas of the semiconductor industry.
The universities also plan to work with industry partners on experiential learning opportunities, including laboratory funding, clean-room training, research projects, internships and co-ops.
“There is strength in numbers,” Janes said. “Purdue Engineering and Grainger Engineering are excited to join forces in this shared contribution to such a vital national interest.”
