Story by Laurel Hammers
University could double the number of students it sends into industry jobs through applied master’s programs
The University of Oregon will double its capacity to train students for the semiconductor industry workforce in the coming years, thanks to a $2 million investment from the Oregon Legislature.
This funding will help increase Oregon’s workforce with the skills to work in the semiconductor industry, make computer chips, and develop greener and more energy-efficient production processes.
“The semiconductor industry is critical to the U.S. economy. Chips power everything,” said Stacey Wagner, assistant vice president for graduate programs. Phil and Penny Knight’s campus accelerates scientific impact. “We wanted to increase our impact on the workforce by increasing the capacity of our master’s program.”
Expanding the semiconductor workforce
The investment will be used to purchase scientific equipment that will provide essential hands-on training to students in semiconductor research, design, and manufacturing. This will allow UO to increase enrollment in the semiconductor track. Night Campus Graduate Internship Programan accelerated applied master’s program that provides a pipeline to industry jobs.
The equipment purchase will also benefit other applied internship master’s programs including optical materials and devices, quantum technology, electrochemistry, and advanced materials analysis and characterization. All of these programs send graduates into Oregon’s semiconductor industry.
Semiconductors, or computer chips, are used not only in computers, but also in smartphones, cars, medical devices, and countless other technologies. Chip technology has advanced dramatically over the past 60 years as chips have become smaller and faster. However, more production is urgently needed as chip production has not kept up with the increase in demand. And now much of that production is done overseas.
Expanding semiconductor research and manufacturing in the United States is a major national priority. Through the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, the federal government has invested more than $280 billion to strengthen the U.S. semiconductor industry and support research and development of better electronics manufacturing processes and technologies.
This is also a top priority for Oregon, as evidenced by the state’s recent UO funding. Because Oregon is one of the nation’s leading chip producers, UO is well-positioned to support the expansion of the industry in the state.
“This funding will give our college students meaningful opportunities right here at home as they prepare to take on high-demand jobs in the semiconductor industry,” said the Democrat, who represents District 36 in the northern Willamette Valley. said Congressman Hai Pham. National investment. “By expanding our training programs and providing state-of-the-art equipment, we are giving our students a smooth start while ensuring Oregon’s leadership in this important area.”
“The semiconductor industry is critical to the U.S. economy. Chips power everything. We wanted to increase our impact on the workforce by increasing the capacity of our master’s degree program.”
Stacey Wagner, Assistant Vice President for Master’s Programs, Knight Campus
investment in the future
The funds will be used to purchase equipment such as electron microscopes to observe the new materials being developed for the chips at the atomic level. Investing in other equipment allows students to learn photolithography, the process of manufacturing printed circuit boards.
Most of the equipment will be installed here. Oregon Advanced Materials Characterization CenterUO’s shared resource facility. Undergraduate and doctoral students in the sciences will also benefit from this equipment.
98%
Knight Campus Alumni Students who have completed a nine-month paid internship since 1998
$74,000
Average annual internship compensation for the class of 2023
90%
Graduates who have found employment in their specialized field within 3 months
The UO Applied Master’s Internship Program currently places approximately 40 students per year directly into jobs in the semiconductor industry. With the introduction of new equipment, that number could double.
The master’s degree program not only supports Oregon’s major industries, but also provides students with an attractive and accessible path to rewarding science careers. Students in the accelerated master’s degree program train at the UO for nine months, then transition into a paid internship that provides real-world work experience in the scientific industry.
“Thanks to the Knight Campus Graduate Internship Program, I was able to achieve my educational dreams and feel prepared to achieve my professional goals as a laboratory manager in the semiconductor industry.” , said Rachel Runyon, who graduated from the program’s semiconductor course in 2023 and is currently employed. At Intel.
This new funding will have a long-term positive impact on Oregon’s semiconductor industry by supporting more students like Runion.
“The university is excited to take advantage of this opportunity by training more students to enter this important field,” Wagner said.
Let’s see how a career is formed
The Knight Campus’ graduate internship program is dedicated to preparing students for jobs in high-tech fields by teaching them how to apply knowledge to real-world problems. Learn more about the program and its student success stories.
Knight Campus Graduate Internship Program
