Certificate of Achievement in Semiconductor Processing

The Certificate of Achievement in Semiconductor Processing provides foundational knowledge and skills necessary for safely and efficiently moving wafers through the semiconductor processing stages in a cleanroom work environment. This certificate is open to all students with an interest in learning more about semiconductor processing. Students in the apprenticeship pathway will complete the Certificate of Achievement as a part of the apprenticeship program.

We expect there to initially be 20 students getting the certificate of achievement in the first year. The program scheduling will be based on the needs of industry employers and the program is expected to grow to 35 students based on the number of semiconductor process technician jobs available in a given year. Additionally, the courses, and subsequently the certificate, will be available to students who are interested, but not yet accepted into the apprenticeship program.

 

Several years down the line, this program is expected to support hundreds of students a year in order to supply the local semiconductor manufacturing industry with process technicians, as both the industry grows and the current technicians move into more advanced roles.

The Certificate of Achievement in Semiconductor Processing would provide foundational knowledge in semiconductor processing, including the basic operations of clean room manufacturing and the math and maintenance skills needed to succeed as a process technician. The certificate is an integral part of the apprenticeship pathway for semiconductor process technicians.

 

Program Learning Outcomes:

·      Students will be able to safely navigate a cleanroom work environment.

·      Students will be prepared to move wafers through the processing steps.

·      Students will be able to troubleshoot processing issues as they arise and formulate a plan for the next steps in addressing them.

·      Students will be prepared for a career in semiconductor processing.

 

Students are required to take three classes: 

Math 40A- Quantitative Reasoning

Engineering 61A Introduction to Semiconductor Technology

Engineering 101A Advanced Manufacturing

Course	Title	Units	Year/Semester (Y1 or S1)
Engineerin 61A	Introduction to Semiconductor Technology	5	Y1W
Engineering 101A	Advanced Manufacturing	5	Y1S
Math 40A	QUantitative REasoning	5	Y1F

This certificate was developed in collaboration with SEMI as part of a California Apprenticeship Initiative grant. This certificate is the first of its kind in California and is perfectly situated at Foothill College to serve the semiconductor processing industry in Silicon Valley. Currently, Foothill is the only community college in the Bay Area offering semiconductor processing courses. Some selective research institutions in the area (Stanford University) offer training in using semiconductor processing equipment for students in their graduate programs and some students in their undergraduate research programs. Those programs are intended to help students learn how to design state-of-the-art products for research purposes. Those students go on to design what semiconductor process technicians build. We have had discussions with Stanford about how to collaborate in sharing knowledge, yet the intended outcome for the students in their program to become semiconductor designers is very different from the intended outcome for our students to become semiconductor process technicians.

We have shared this with San Jose City College which has programs in the same TOP code. However, the programs at SJCC are vastly different. They focus on laser technology and metal machinists. These do not focus on wafer fabrication and process technicians in semi-conductor companies.