Workforce training
Purdue’s Birck Nanotechnology Center plays a vital role in developing our country’s high-tech workforce of tomorrow.
A first-of-its-kind semiconductor degrees program
Purdue is the home of the nation’s first comprehensive semiconductor degrees program, a full suite of offerings including graduate and undergraduate degrees, competitive internships, flexible online courses, and a virtual lab. Much of this training takes place at Birck, putting students at the center of emerging Silicon Heartland technology efforts.
Launched in May 2022, Purdue’s semiconductor degrees program offers a master of science degree, stackable certificates at the postgraduate level, a bachelor of science minor/concentration, and associate degrees through a partner institution, Ivy Tech Community College. Students seeking to join the semiconductor revolution can take Purdue’s courses in person or through our first-of-its-kind online program.
Experiential learning through the Semiconductors @ Birck VIP Program
Birck is home to the semiconductors track of the College of Engineering’s innovative Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) program, a growing experiential learning opportunity for undergraduates. Students work in vertically-integrated teams (sophomore through seniors) with faculty, staff, and graduate researcher mentors during multiple semesters to learn nanofabrication skills and tackle real-world research and engineering challenges.
Through the VIP program members of industry can work with Purdue faculty and Birck staff and scientists to define a set of applied projects for students that would help them master nanofabrication and semiconductor manufacturing concepts, learn process improvement and project management skills, and contribute to one of the largest academic cleanroom facilities.
growing the quantum workforce
Purdue is at the forefront of quantum education and workforce development and has a variety of programs and initiatives in this area, such as the MicroMasters Program in Quantum Technology Computing, which allows students to gain familiarity with quantum science and technology, and Qiskit, an introductory course to the world of quantum computing.
The university hosts a Quantum Summer School every year as part of its efforts as the workforce development lead of the Quantum Science Center. The school includes lectures from world-leading experts, hands-on training, poster sessions, and career development activities.
Purdue hosts a YouTube channel called Quantum Coffeehouse, which contains short instructional videos, interviews with quantum experts, and technical seminars. An online MicroMasters program via edX taught by Purdue faculty offers opportunities for a broad audience from undergraduates to working professionals to learn about and gain experience in quantum technologies.
Purdue is the lead site of the Center for Quantum Technologies, a National Science Foundation-funded Industry-University Cooperative Research Center that allows students to perform industry-relevant, use-inspired research.
Defending our country at SCALE
Along with helping the United States create a vibrant 21st century economy, Birck is producing the technology workers who will bolster our national defense. Purdue leads Scalable Asymmetric Life Cycle Engagement (SCALE), a Defense Department-sponsored national coalition of 19 universities aimed at addressing the urgent need to develop a highly skilled U.S. microelectronics workforce to safeguard our national security. SCALE is administered by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane).
SCALE educates students in five microelectronics specialties: radiation-hardening, heterogeneous integration/advanced packaging, system on a chip, embedded system security/trusted artificial intelligence and supply chain awareness.
Participants gain access to internships and other career opportunities with both public and private employers in their preferred technical areas. Separately from SCALE, the Defense Department has chosen Indiana as one of eight Microelectronics Commons Hubs in the United States, increasing the role of Purdue and Birck. The selection comes with more than $30 million in federal funding.
Starting students early with our K-12 program
Birck holds a variety of engaging events to turn today’s curious students into tomorrow’s nanotech engineers. This is a high-priority aspect of Birck’s mission: to get students excited about technology when they’re young.
Manufacturing Week
Birck brought its NanoDays outreach to Manufacturing Week in Lafayette in October 2023, introducing more than 300 students to the world of nanotechnology. For kids from kindergarten to fifth grade, Birck graduate researchers demonstrated the nanoscience of surface area, ferrofluids, and structural color. Middle schoolers got hands-on experience working with Birck research groups, including a chance to operate a scanning electron microscope and build a box camera. High schoolers toured Birck for a close-up look at the Scifres Nanofabrication Laboratory’s cleanroom.
With eighth-graders at JA JobSpark
Birck joined JA JobSpark, a September 2023 event at the State Fairgrounds for more than 13,000 eighth-graders from the Indianapolis area. Birck showed a new educational tool from zSpace Inc., which is working with Purdue. It’s a laptop-based system allowing for three-dimensional visualization and animation of nanoscale structures without virtual reality glasses. Students also learned how an infrared camera can “see through” a silicon wafer or detect heat on surfaces to track hot spots in electronics.
Getting students READI
A two-week program in the summer of 2023 gave 45 high school students from the Lafayette area a boost toward careers in the semiconductor industry. The program was funded through the Indiana Economic Development Corporation’s Regional Economic Acceleration & Development Initiative (READI), with the anticipation of growing demand for semiconductor workers in the region. The program was a joint effort by Purdue University and Ivy Tech Community College.
Grandparents University
Birck participated in Purdue’s Grandparents University in July 2023, hosting the “All the Small Things” nanotechnology major for 13 children and their 12 Purdue alumni grandparents. Two days of nanoscience activities were conducted in and around Birck’s Scifres cleanroom.
Tech training that never ends
Birck isn’t simply training tomorrow’s workers – it’s also training today’s workers to be even more effective tomorrow. As the field of semiconductors and microelectronics rapidly changes, Birck’s continuing education helps America’s workforce to keep up.
Our online courses on semiconductors are especially convenient for students with business obligations far from Purdue’s campus. And Purdue is challenging the notion that schooling comes first and work comes next. Our innovative Learning While Working program allows students to pursue a degree while employed full-time. In some cases, this means students can graduate in four or 4.5 years even though they spent one of the years in a full-time job.