Beginnings: Semiconductor Training by Experiential Learning, Leadership and Applied Research

There is a critical need to build and sustain a talent pipeline of skilled workforce in the rapidly emerging areas of semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI) hardware. Today U.S. produces only 12% of the global supply of semiconductor chips compared to 37% of the global chip supply about 30 years ago. The talent gap in semiconductors is steadily rising, and industry projections suggest that there will be approximately 67,100 unfilled technical jobs in the U.S. chip industry by 2030. This project will help the State of Iowa address the talent gap and contribute to the U.S. semiconductor workforce by adopting a transformative approach to workforce training with strong cross-sector partnerships. The project goal is to identify talented students interested in semiconductors and to create impactful career pathways for them culminating in academic success, micro internships, and potential employment. By adopting the best practices in experiential learning and aligning with industry needs, the project will create immersive learning experiences that blend the foundational concepts in semiconductors with advanced topics on AI hardware. An expected outcome is a sustainable talent pipeline of student scholars who become critical thinkers and leaders with strong collaborative and communication skills, along with successful experiential learning models for other institutions at the regional and national levels. In this project, Iowa State University will partner with community colleges and youth organizations (4-H, Big Brothers and Big Sisters) to recruit participants. Individuals from U.S. semiconductor companies will lead activities, including seminars, fireside chats, field trips, and career guidance for participants. Each participant cohort will be engaged in a 12-month experiential learning program which includes two foundational courses, laboratory projects, summer workshops, mentorship, research exposure, and industry traineeship. PowerFilm Inc. will provide hands-on training in semiconductor manufacturing to participants for two weeks every summer. The participants will work in groups to repeat and reinforce the concepts in semiconductor design, fabrication, and testing while learning about emerging technologies, laboratory safety, intellectual property, and Good Job Principles. Leadership-building experiences will be provided through peer mentorship, social clubs, learning communities, professional society membership, and student support systems. External evaluation will be conducted by the Research Institute for Studies in Education to identify potential barriers and improve upon the interest, engagement, academic success, and employability of participants. The project will continue to strengthen cross-sector partnerships while scaling and sustaining the experiential learning activities. The ExLENT Program, supported by the NSF TIP and EDU Directorates, seeks to support experiential learning opportunities for individuals to increase their interest in and 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.