As the world’s need for chips continues to grow, the semiconductor industry has gone from being rarely covered in the 70s and 80s to regular front page news today and finding skilled talent has become a major focus. According to a recent McKinsey, an estimated 1,500 engineers join the semiconductor industry annually, while the demand for these professionals is projected to reach 88,000 by 2029, leaving an estimated talent gap of 60,000 to 77,000 engineers.
This issue is particularly pressing in analog chips, where specialized expertise is in high demand. Even as the world becomes more digital, analog circuits are still vital, as they act as guides between the real and digital worlds. But finding skilled analog engineers is a difficult task. To address the skills gap head-on, companies and universities are developing new curriculum collaborations to train engineers before they're hired.
Bridging Theory and Practice
As a prime example, Texas Instruments (TI) and the Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (GT ECE) have collaborated on ECE’s analog and mixed-signal design curriculum, including a new course, ECE 4804: Analog VLSI (Very-Large-Scale Integration) I: Tapeout, to help solve this growing issue. The course gives GT ECE students a unique experience following the chip tapeout process from start to finish; students will bring their designs to life as TI will take the designs and manufacture them in their fabrication plant in North Texas.
ECE 4804 is not only a new way of thinking about curriculum, but it gives students unprecedented training in analog chip design. In the past, students have learned about analog design in theory, as the process of accessing analog chip fabrication equipment can be complicated and costly. Having hands-on experience designing, configuring, and debugging their chips equips students with a deeper insight into the nuances of analog chips.
Many students register for the course because it is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to understand and complete the entire chip tapeout process. By the end of the course, students can fully understand performance issues, collaborate on hardware design, integrate components, and master the end-to-end physical design flow in analog circuits. The course provides students with the opportunity to connect academic theory and industry application, allowing them to build skills they will undoubtedly use as they pursue careers in the semiconductor industry and beyond.
A New Frontier for Industry Collaborations in Higher Education
While the course gives students access to a valuable educational experience, it also allows TI and Georgia Tech to jointly train students to enter the workforce with a shorter on-the-job ramp up period.
Additionally, the analog opportunities provide students with valuable access to TI engineers and industry experts through guest lectures, workshops and mentorship opportunities. A dedicated TI engineer is embedded directly within the tapeout course, providing ongoing support throughout the semester. This close interaction allows students to benefit from real-time industry insights, personalized guidance on design challenges and expert feedback.
Georgia Tech’s engineering students are interested in these opportunities because they see the value in learning hands-on from both their professors and these involved industry experts. The only other way students would be able to have this kind of analog chip design experience would be to work for a company.
Since Georgia Tech is still in the first cohort of ECE 4808, it’s been a learning process. The course will undoubtedly be tweaked and lessons learned in subsequent semesters will be incorporated into future cohorts, but it’s clear that students excel under pressure.
Sending designs to real-life fabs and having their work reviewed by industry professionals simulates the workplace where hierarchy, collaboration, feedback, and adaptability are hugely important. It encourages students to navigate elaborate projects, meet tight deadlines, and think critically.
These opportunities are demanding, but students are rising to the occasion. It’s our responsibility as educators and technical professionals to seek out new, relevant learning opportunities in the semiconductor industry and beyond to support them.
