Beginnings: Diverse Internships for Semiconductor Careers in the Portland Metro Area

The Diverse Internships for Semiconductor Careers (DISC) project seeks to address a projected shortage of highly skilled workers prepared for semiconductor-microelectronics technology careers in the US. To accomplish this, this project aims to recruit local undergraduate science students and provide training opportunities for careers in semiconductor-microelectronics research, development, and manufacturing sectors in the Portland Metro Area. Specifically, the DISC project plans to establish 56 competitively compensated, 9-month internships within the well-established sites of industry partners in the region. The DISC program will also raise critically needed awareness of career opportunities in emergent technology fields and facilitate career pathways for groups historically underrepresented in STEM. Project activities have the potential to lead directly to jobs and other professional opportunities for participants, improving socioeconomic equality via the social mobility that comes with a career in high-tech industries. Ultimately the project will contribute to developing a diverse, competitive emerging technology workforce that supports regional economic growth. This project seeks to recruit students, who will: (1) engage in internship projects that build critical skills, (2) receive cohort-style professional development training, with support from the campus Center for Internships, Mentoring, and Research, (3) receive comprehensive mentoring from industry, faculty, and near-peer mentors, and (4) develop a professional network and knowledge of the semiconductor-microelectronics employment landscape. This project provides a framework for engaged, ongoing collaboration between academic and industry partners to recruit and educate a diverse semiconductor-microelectronics workforce. Project outcomes include: (1) improvement in self-efficacy, sense of belonging, and science identity, (2) enhanced degree persistence, completion, and retention, and (3) robust relationships with industry partners. Project results will be disseminated via website, industry-specific educational partners, publications, and presentations. This project aligns with the NSF ExLENT Program, funded by the NSF TIP and EDU Directorates, as it seeks to support experiential learning opportunities for individuals from diverse professional and educational backgrounds to increase their interest in, and their access to, career pathways in emerging technology fields. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.