Purdue, Ivy Tech Partner on Microelectronics

Purdue University and Ivy Tech Community College are teaming up to boost the microelectronics workforce. The schools have inked an agreement they say will provide collaborative educational opportunities for microelectronics faculty and students while also exploring ways to attract talent.

The agreement calls for collaboration in several areas, including development of corporate training programs for industry credentials, curricula for associate and bachelor’s degrees, outreach to high schools to increase interest among students, and attracting semiconductor companies to Indiana.

Mung Chiang, executive vice president for strategic initiatives at Purdue, says the goal is to make a “material impact” on the semiconductors industry in Indiana and across the country.

“The Purdue-Ivy Tech partnership will enable a comprehensive, robust solution to address the microelectronics needs across the entire workforce value chain, from associate to doctoral degrees,” Chiang said in written remarks. “Considering the more than 70,000 students at each institution, this is virtually the largest partnership between a university and a community college for talent pipeline – perhaps the ultimate supply chain – in tech space.”

Purdue says the microelectronics field is expected to add more than 100,000 workers over the next 10 years, and the demand for microelectronics increased by more than 26% last year alone.

Purdue says the agreement will be in place for five years with the potential for renewal.