Engineers work to recruit students, narrow US talent gap in semiconductor workforce

Iowa State University researchers are taking action to help build a semiconductor workforce for the country.

"Today, semiconductor chips are driving the AI revolution, and chip companies are aggressively looking for new talent to meet their growing needs," said Santosh Pandey, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering. "Within Iowa, we have to urgently prepare our students for emerging career paths in the U.S. semiconductor industry."

How can a university of science and technology such as Iowa State narrow the talent gap that has increasingly shifted overseas? How can it build a workforce that can boost U.S. semiconductor production beyond today's 12% of global supply? And how can it teach the new artificial intelligence-enabled chip technologies the industry is developing?

"It all starts by creating awareness among students about semiconductor technology and the global chip business, along with hands-on laboratory experience and guided mentorship by the top-notch faculty we have at Iowa State," Pandey said.

To do this and more, Pandey and a team of Iowa State researchers are starting a new semiconductor experiential training program launching in early 2026. The program will recruit "student scholars" from three Iowa community colleges and from science, technology, engineering and math programs at Iowa State.

The selected students will participate in a 12-month program that features new training materials in semiconductors and AI hardware, lab projects, summer workshops, mentorship, research exposure, industry training and leadership experience.

A U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) workforce development initiative—ExLENT, Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies—is supporting the program and student scholarships with a three-year, $997,540 grant. Pandey is leading the project.

'Beginnings' of a semiconductor career

The NSF's $30 million ExLENT initiative launched in 2022 and features three tracks for students with varying levels of STEM experience. The Iowa State team chose the middle, "Beginnings" track for students with limited STEM training. The track is designed to provide "an experiential learning opportunity to gain deeper knowledge and experience to pursue a career in an emerging technology field."

The semiconductor chip industry is not only emerging, but critical for establishing and sustaining the United States' dominance in the AI revolution, Pandey said.

"Industry projections suggest that there will be approximately 67,100 unfilled technical jobs in the U.S. chip industry by 2030," the researchers wrote. "This project will help the state of Iowa address the talent gap and contribute to the U.S. semiconductor workforce."

The state, after all, has a track record of talent and leadership in microelectronics.

"Iowa has produced some of the brightest minds in microelectronics, such as Robert Noyce, who grew up in Iowa and went on to co-found Fairchild Semiconductor and Intel," said Meng Lu, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering. "This program aims to reconnect that legacy of innovation by linking Iowa's talent with the real-world semiconductor industry."

The research team is currently recruiting students to the program. Roger Bentley, the coordinator for transfer recruitment and student success for the College of Engineering, said initial efforts will focus on students at Iowa State, Eastern Iowa Community Colleges in the Quad Cities region, Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge and Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs.

"This program is very exciting because it provides opportunities for community college students to get hands-on experience in the field of semiconductors, including doing research on new materials and devices," said Vikram Dalal, an Anson Marston Distinguished Professor in Engineering and former director of the Microelectronics Research Center. "A particularly exciting aspect is that the students will learn how to use AI to improve semiconductor technology."

The program's goal is to recruit seven students for its first year, nine for its second and 12 for its third. That's 28 students who could have a head start on a semiconductor career.

A highlight of the program is the six-week summer session. Four weeks will be at Iowa State's Microelectronics Research Center, where students can get hands-on experience in fabrication labs and with the tools that make semiconductors. They'll also learn about design, lab safety and intellectual property. And there will be discussions, brainstorming and teamwork.

The students will spend another two weeks at Ames-based PowerFilm Solar Inc., for more hands-on work in advanced manufacturing. Dan Stieler, the president of PowerFilm, will lead the company's training program.

Rana Biswas, an adjunct professor in electrical and computer engineering and a research scientist at the Microelectronics Research Center, said that even though PowerFilm manufactures solar power technology, its facilities and processes are similar to those of a semiconductor manufacturer.

Cheng Wang, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, said the program will also focus on emerging topics in semiconductor technology, such as new computing hardware systems for AI.

All the while, students will have their hands on tools and devices so "students understand what's under the hood when AI algorithms are processed," Wang said.

The end goal, the researchers wrote, "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."

Provided by Iowa State University