Paper Authors

Abstract

NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract

Session #1547

Industry - Educational Partnership for a Microelectronics Technology Program

John Robertson, Jon Weihmeir (*), Richard Newman & Lakshmi Munukutla College of Technology and Applied Sciences Arizona State University East Mesa, Arizona, 85212. Abstract

By responding to the needs of many organizations, a critical mass of faculty and industry expertise has been assembled around the Microelectronics Teaching Factory (MTF) at ASU’s East Campus. With students from the University and local Community Colleges, the aggregate number of students provides a large load for the MTF. All students (and faculty) follow the same safety training and industry-standard qualification. The BS classes follow a sequence: web-based preparation; simulation to explore key relationships; MTF lab work appropriate to the degree level; class work to integrate the learning experience and internship or project in one of the participating companies. The goal is to develop an efficient learning environment that meets the needs of all stakeholders – industry, academics and students.

1. The changing educational landscape

A long-standing characteristic of good technology education has been its blend of classroom and laboratory work. High technology subjects such as microelectronics face many new pressures to sustain this goal. The weak business conditions since Fall 2000 have dramatically affected the semiconductor industry and its workforce while the knock- on effects on the State economy have put severe pressure on University budgets.

In spite of weak sales growth, the pace of semiconductor technology development has not slackened. The Technology Roadmap has become more aggressive (1) and global competition has noticeably increased. One of the results of cost pressure has been a substantial reduction in the internal training capacity of most US companies.

Arizona has a large semiconductor industry with Intel, Motorola, STM, Microchip, TI, Medtronic, ON Semiconductor and ASML as the leaders. Total employment exceeds 25,000 and more than half have some level of technical qualification. However, with a new technology generation every 2 years, there is a need for continuous skills upgrading and the majority of students taking technology courses in ASU (or the Community Colleges) are already working in the industry. Students are seeking courses that will prepare them for the technology of the future and the skills to map out the knowledge and credentials their future career plans require.

(*) Motorola visiting professor

Proceedings of the 2003 American Society for Engineering Education. Annual Conference &Exposition Copyright@2003, American Society for Engineering Education.

• Citation

• Format
  • APA
  • APA - LaTeX bibitem
  • MLA
  • MLA - LaTeX bibitem
  • Bibtex
  • EndNote - RIS

Newman, R., & Weihmeir, J., & Robertson, J., & Munukutla, L. (2003, June), Industry Educational Partnership For Microelectronics Engineering Technology Program Paper presented at 2003 Annual Conference, Nashville, Tennessee. 10.18260/1-2--11550